The 40 riders and eight support crew taking part in this year's Ride for the Chopper, have a tough road ahead of them.
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Participants gathered in Tamworth on Friday morning, September 15, before heading to Woolgoolga, which is the official starting point for the ride.
The eight day mountain bike ride from September 15-22 will see the group return to Tamworth, with stops along the way at Guyra, Armidale and Walcha.
The event will also include a school visit to inform students of the valuable work of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and talk about bike safety.
The annual ride is celebrating its 21st year raising funds for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service (WRHS).
But it won't be all hard work. There will be daily awards, themed ride days, games, activities and 21st anniversary celebrations at the Calala Inn, Tamworth, at the end of the week-long ride.
Two NSW Ambulance paramedics will also accompany the ride.
Last year the event raised $138,000 for the rural rescue charity, with more than $80,000 coming from individual donations and the rest from sponsors.
Fundraising this time around has already reached the $40,000 mark.
The Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service operates in partnership with NSW Ambulance and NSW Health to deliver aeromedical and rescue services to those in need across a state-wide network.
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A NSW Ambulance critical care paramedic and NSW Health doctor are on board each AW 139 aircraft to provide the highest quality critical care where it is needed most.
"They're ready to respond and they're ready to respond because we as a community support them," Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service event coordinator Jeff Galbraith told those ready to hit the road on Friday.
"So thank you for everything you do for the service, we're really proud of what we're able to provide to our community, but we can't do it without the support."
Information on the ride can be found at https://events.rescuehelicopter.com.au/event/ride-chopper/home
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