Please Help me Celebrate 60 or Bust!
Wollongong, NSW
We’ve all heard about mid-life crises. Perhaps I was too busy to have one at the time, so I’ve deferred mine until I turn 60.
Although I know and admire many of you who are part of our community who read this website, I certainly don’t know everyone and don’t expect you to know me, so I’ll start with an introduction.
As the by-line at the top of this article suggests, my name is Phil Latz and I’m the founder of both The Latz Report and the Micromobility Report.
On 17th March 2022 I’ll be turning 60 years old and to celebrate I’ll be riding 1,106 kilometres from Melbourne to Sydney via a meandering backroads route that takes in Thredbo and the Australian Alps.
Despite having a cycling and racing background, this will actually be the furthest I’ve ever ridden in a single event – spread over 10 days of riding, I hasten to add. Having retired from racing many years ago and allowing myself to go somewhat to seed, this event will require me to train. I’m pleased to say that I started on 1st September and so far, so good. Of course, it’s also a great excuse to buy a new bike, which all being well I’m picking up on the very day that I’m writing this.
But my key motivation, apart from squeezing in a belated mid-life crisis before I run out of time and drop dead, is to raise funds for two charities that are very close to my heart. I’ve had a long and close involvement with both of these: We Ride Australia and World Bicycle Relief. You can read more details about these charities via their respective websites.
This is where you can help. I’ve set a goal of raising $20,000 in total, hopefully $10,000 for each, but as a donor, you can decide which one to support.
For bicycle trade members in particular, your immediate opportunity is to place your logo on the cycling kit that I’ll be wearing both in training for the ride and throughout the 10 day ride itself.
You can see more details of the required investment as a sponsor and what you’ll receive here.
You’ll also be able to make a direct donation for any amount of your choosing via the fundraising pages below.
I’m funding 100% of the ride expenses myself so that 100% of your support will be going direct to the charity that you select.
If, by any strange aberration, my inbox is not immediately swamped with readers clamouring to become a sponsor that completely ‘sells out’ every patch of fabric on my cycling kit, then I’ll be hopping onto the phone and calling you personally. You have been warned!
I’ll be writing more about my preparation and the charities as the ride draws closer and also posting very occasional videos and photos via my social media here. As the world’s most inept social media user, I can assure you that if you follow me you will not be bombarded with posts.
Thanks very much for your support!