Nelsonian Chris Kelly will be one of 250 riders tackling the Tranz Alpine Scooter Safari next month, crossing the Southern Alps to raise funds in the fight against cancer.
On scooters capable of 50-55km per hour, it will be an eight-hour or more test of endurance to complete the coast-to-coast trip from Christchurch to Hokitika on 23 May - but that’s the whole point.
“It’s as long and as hard as it can be – because that’s what people with cancer go through.”
Chris was on the waiting list last year, but this time he will be on the starting line for his first ride through the alps.
The Scooter Safari was created in 2009 and last year raised $424,000, with the organisers aiming to lift that to $430,000 this year.
Though it’s his first Tranz Alpine, it’s not his first scooter fundraiser. Last year he took part in the Seals to Eels on Scooter Wheels which travels from Tāhunanui through the Motueka Valley to Lake Rotoiti and back.
That event raised funds for the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter, a service close to Chris’ heart as he spends much of his time in the Marlborough Sounds.
“For the people who live out here, that helicopter is their lifeline.”
Next March, the Seals to Eels format will change slightly, allowing participants to share the 245km ride between friends.
