“If we can save just one life by doing this then it is worth it.”
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Mick Chapman didn’t even have a sweat up as he rolled into his hometown on Monday, marking the 2500 km point of his 4500 km 30 day journey.
The former Tamworth man is on a mission to spread the good word about the AED Locator app that his parents, local paramedic Ian and his wife Geraldine, created.
The simple and free app directs first responders to the nearest AED, or defibrillator, using their location on Google maps, although it relies on businesses and organisations registering the details of AED locations.
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For Mick it was a challenge that he couldn’t resist, and being able to spread awareness for the app was the final piece of motivation he needed to get in the saddle and ride from Cape Tribulation, the most northerly point of Queensland with sealed roads, to Hobart.
“I did a couple of 200 km plus days in the far north, just to get the kilometres out of the way, and I had a good head wind coming over the Gibraltar Range which was very tough, but it has been pretty good, the legs still feel really good,” he said.
“The app has been getting some good reaction – letting first responders know where an AED is is an easy concept – it is free so we are hoping the community will just run with it and it eventually goes Australia wide.
“People can be afraid or not know how to use an AED, but they are very easy. The more people that find out about the app and are aware how to use an AED the better.”
After spending the night at home on Monday, Mick was back on the bike on Tuesday morning heading to Muswellbrook, before hitting Newcastle, Sydney, and Wollongong on the weekend.
“It was awesome to ride into my home town, and it gets exciting from here because I have friends and family nearly all the way now,” he said.
Mick is expecting to ride into Hobart on September 30.
