The quiet Ramah Avenue in Mount Pleasant was filled with cheers and applause on Saturday night as Josh Berry and Luke Britten completed their gruelling challenge- cycling up and down the steep street 100 times.
The pair cycled for 8848 metres, a distance the equivalent of Mount Everest's elevation, along the Mount Pleasant street.
"It's pretty overwhelming. Particularly throughout the whole day the amount of support and caring community atmosphere that there was," Josh Berry said.
What has inspired these cyclists to ride for some 13 hours?
Supporting Cycling Without Age Illawarra in its quest to purchase an electric trishaw, which will be used to take older people who can no longer cycle themselves out on rides.
At 7.30pm the pair completed their challenge to a crowd of family, friends, and community applauding.
The $5,500 raised from their challenge in addition to the funds already raised by Cycling Without Age means they can now purchase an electric trishaw.
"It was pretty special to know that the event helped contribute a small part to their huge efforts and help get them across the line to actually be able to purchase the trishaw," Mr Berry said.
Mr Berry and Mr Britten set out on their endurance effort at 4am, tackling the street that some of the world's best cyclists rode 12 times in the 2022 UCI Road World Championships.
Mr Berry has undertaken several other cycling challenges for charity over the past five years, but this is the most physically testing.
But for his cycling companion Mr Britten, this is his first such challenge.
"I saw [Mr Berry] was doing it for a good cause, so thought I'd join him and give him company while raising as much money as we can," the Cordeaux Heights cyclist said.
Over the course of the day, fellow cyclists joined the pair in support, while spectators gathered at the home of the Guevara family to cheer them on.
"It's been amazing, some people we don't even know have come along," Mr Berry's wife Sophie-May Kerr said.
Some cyclists have done 25 laps, and Mr Britten's brother Ryan joined them for 50.
Among those who came out was unicyclist Paul Burgess, who lives nearby.
He thought he'd get out his unicycle to show his support because it was a good cause, and rode partway up and down Ramah Avenue.
Mr Burgess said he hadn't made it the full length up Ramah - going up such a steep slope on one wheel for so long was hard to sustain - but had done the steadier Greenslopes Avenue.
"The more balance and control you have, the less physical effort it is," he said of unicycling.
After 13 hours of cycling, the pair put their feet up on Sunday for a well-deserved day off on the long weekend.
"It's definitely a couch day for us today, and there's been a lot of food eaten, so that's been very very nice," Mr Berry said.
Mr Berry thanks the community for showing up to walk, run, cycle and cheer them on.
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Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
