Storm Hope
- National: 392nd
- State: 102nd in Vic
My Story
🚴♀️🚴♂️ We're back for our 6th year of the Great Cycle Challenge! 🚴♂️🚴♀️
It's hard to believe this is our sixth year taking on this challenge together. What started in 2021 as a way to support kids fighting cancer has become part of our family's story.
Over the last six years, we've: 💛 Cycled an incredible 1,578km 💛 Raised $6,815 for kids fighting cancer 💛 Welcomed two beautiful children 💛 Learned how to ride bikes 💛 Moved interstate and continued the challenge in a new home.
There have been plenty of early mornings, sore legs, swooping magpies, unexpected falls, and countless memories made along the way. Through every kilometre, we've been motivated by the incredible courage of children and families facing cancer.
This year, the Hope family is aiming bigger than ever, with a goal of riding 350km and raising enough to push our overall fundraising total past $7,500.
Every dollar raised helps fund life-saving cancer research, support programs for families, and brings hope to kids facing the toughest fight of their lives.
If you're able to support us, we'd be incredibly grateful. Whether it's through a donation, sharing our page, or cheering us on from the sidelines, every contribution helps us pedal a little further and make a bigger impact.
Thank you for being part of our journey over the past six years and for helping us turn every kilometre into hope. 💛🚴♀️🚴♂️
#GreatCycleChallenge #RideForKidsCancer #6YearsStrong #HopeFamilyRide 💛🚲
My Legacy
-
509 km Ridden$2,523 Raised2021
-
122 km Ridden$367 Raised2022
-
512 km Ridden$1,739 Raised2023
-
233 km Ridden$1,134 Raised2024
-
201 km Ridden$1,052 Raised2025
-
186 km Ridden$1,353 Raised2026
My Challenge
-
🚴♀️ Great Cycle Challenge 2026: Week Two Update 🚴♂️
12 Oct 2026Week Two: Rescued and Blown Away (Mostly by the Winds!)
First of all, a HUGE thank you! ❤️
We continue to be absolutely blown away by the support we've received so far. Thanks to your generosity, we've not only doubled our original fundraising goal of $500, but we've also surpassed our total six-year fundraising goal of $7,500! 🤯🎉
That's an incredible achievement, but we're not done yet. We now have our sights firmly set on getting closer to the big one: $10,000 raised overall for kids fighting cancer. 💛🎗️
Every donation, no matter the size, helps support children and families facing challenges far bigger than sore legs, strong winds, and questionable lycra choices. So let's keep the wheels turning and the donations rolling! 🚴♂️💨
🌦️ Melbourne Weather: A Personal Attack
As every Victorian knows, Melbourne weather doesn't follow forecasts. It follows chaos.
This week we experienced:
✅ Sun✅ Rain ✅ More rain ✅ Wind ✅ Stronger wind ✅ Bugs ✅ Wind carrying bugs ✅ Even more wind
At one point I genuinely wasn't sure if I was cycling or participating in some bizarre outdoor survival challenge. 😅
Because we knew there would be days we couldn't ride, we had to cram some very long rides into the days we could. Let's just say our legs have lodged several formal complaints and other body parts have joined the union. 😂
👕 The Lycra Situation
One of this week's highlights was reaching our fundraising target and unlocking Lachy's 2026 challenge lycra jersey! 🎉
While this is exciting, there is a growing concern.
Lachy seems to be enjoying Lycra a little more than anticipated.
What started as cycling gear is rapidly becoming a lifestyle choice.
Should we be concerned? Is this what a midlife crisis looks like in the cycling world? 🚴♂️🤔😂
🌬️ Me vs The Wind
Despite spending most of the week complaining about cycling, I did, in fact, get on the bike and ride.
The wind, however, had other plans.
There were moments where it felt like if I stopped pedalling for even three seconds, I'd end up back at home without actually turning around. 😭💨
I may or may not have had some strongly worded discussions with the weather.
The highlight was seeing all the wildlife along the way. 🦆🐦 Frogs provided background music, birds kept me company, and unlike the wind, they were generally supportive of my efforts.
🚨 Operation: Rescue Lycra Man 🚨
Meanwhile, Lach was busy testing Melbourne's new cycling paths and bridges into the CBD. 🚴♂️🌉
The trip into the city was fantastic.
The trip home?
Not so much.
Partway through the return journey, I received an urgent distress call.
A Lycra-clad cyclist had become stranded at Hungry Jack's and required immediate assistance. 🍔🚨
With the promise of a soft drink and the possibility of never hearing the end of it if I didn't help, I set off on my rescue mission.
Thankfully, the cyclist survived.
Let's just say this isn't the first rescue operation we've conducted during our years participating in the challenge. Apparently strong winds and tired legs are recurring characters in our story. 😂
🚴♀️ Future Cycling Superstars
Keep an eye out for upcoming updates because we're soon welcoming some very enthusiastic little cycling helpers! 🚴👧👦
They've already been training hard, providing moral support, and reminding us when we're going too slow.
And yes...
Their kilometres will absolutely be counted!! 😆💪
🎵 What's Keeping Us Pedalling This Week?
🚴 Lachy: 🎵 Hanumankind - Various Songs
🚴♀️ Storm: 🎧 Justice Matters: Conversations About Crime and Punishment (Podcast)
Thank you again for every donation.
We've got another two-and-a-bit weeks to go, plenty more kilometres to ride (with some more donations please 💛) , and hopefully the wind will spend some time behind us rather than directly in our faces. ➡️🚴
Realistically though…
This is Melbourne, so we're not getting our hopes up. 😂
Posted 2 days ago -
12.9 km ride - Lach ride back from Lunch - Sunday, October 11, 2026
Logged this ride 3 days ago -
12.1 km ride - Lach ride to 3030 - Sunday, October 11, 2026
Logged this ride 3 days ago -
4.2 km ride - Storm to Lach rescue - Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Logged this ride 8 days ago -
24.9 km ride - Lach- did not make it home - Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Logged this ride 8 days ago -
13.1 km ride - The four seasons of Melbourne! Rain, wind, sun, icy cold - Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Logged this ride 8 days ago - View on Strava -
29.1 km ride - Lachy ride - Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Logged this ride 9 days ago -
Great Cycle Challenge 2026: Week One Update
4 Oct 2026Week One: Done and dusted... or more accurately, done and absolutely drenched.
Firstly, thank you so much for all the support so far! We are incredibly grateful and honestly a little blown away. We've already reached our fundraising goal, which is amazing... but let's not stop there. Let's see just how far we can push it! Every year we creep a little closer to $10,000 raised overall, and we'd love to keep the momentum rolling (pun absolutely intended).
As is tradition in both Melbourne and the Great Cycle Challenge, October started with rain. Lots of rain. The kind of rain that makes you question your life choices. But after doing this challenge for several years, we've learned an important lesson: if you skip a ride because of bad weather, future-you still has to ride those kilometres anyway. And future-you is usually just as tired and just as grumpy.
So we rode in the rain.
Because while riding in the rain is uncomfortable, childhood cancer is far worse.
I recently saw a tip in a cycling group suggesting you put motivational stickers on your bike. Naturally, I gave it a go. Now, whenever I'm halfway up a hill, questioning every decision that led me to this moment, I can look down and remind myself why we're doing this. It doesn't make the hill any flatter, but it helps.
Some highlights from the first week include spotting a pelican and two beautiful white cranes. We are also thrilled to report that neither of us has been swooped by a magpie, attacked by a rogue goose, fallen into a river, or come off our bikes. By Week One standards, that's a huge success.
Unfortunately, our bike seats appear to be plotting against us. Let's just say our backsides are currently filing formal complaints. Sitting down has become less of an action and more of a carefully planned negotiation.
We also invested in some cycling glasses to protect us from bugs. Coincidentally, a dragonfly immediately volunteered to test their durability at high speed. The glasses survived. The dragonfly's pride may not have.
Meanwhile, Lachlan has fully embraced the cycling lifestyle and is now wearing lycra.
I would like to make it very clear that I am not wearing lycra.
Not now.
Not next week.
Not ever.
...unless someone donates $500.
At which point my dignity suddenly becomes surprisingly negotiable.
Keep an eye on our weekly updates because we've got some exciting bigger rides coming up. There may also be some very enthusiastic little cycling helpers making guest appearances along the way.
What's Keeping Us Pedalling This Week?
Lachy 🎵 Various songs from Run the Jewels
Storm 🎧 Kill List (Audible) 🎵 Paint It Black - The Rolling Stones
Thank you again for every donation, comment, and word of encouragement. They genuinely help on those days when it's cold, wet, windy, and our legs are wondering why they can't just sit on the couch instead.
We've got another four weeks to go, plenty more kilometres ahead, and hopefully at least one less rainstorm.
Although, knowing Melbourne, that's probably wishful thinking.
Posted 9 days ago -
20.8 km ride - 2nd GCC ride- trying to keep up with Lachy - Sunday, October 4, 2026
Logged this ride 10 days ago - View on Strava -
26.7 km ride - Lach ride - finally no rain - Sunday, October 4, 2026
Logged this ride 10 days ago
My Sponsors
-
Kick Cancer's Butt Day Matching Donation
“Here's your matched donation from our generous supporters. THANK YOU so much for your awesome efforts to kick cancer's butt!”
$357.08Received this donation 7 days ago -
Grace Gonzalez
“Good on you Storm, such a great cause! ♥️”
$103.50Received this donation 11 days ago
Storm
“Hi Grace, Thanks so much for your support, we really appreciate it. Keep checking in each week for our weekly blog updates on how we’re going 😊💕 Feel free to give me a honk if you see me riding in the area with my Orange shirt 😂🧡”
-
Kate Richardson
“Great work Storm ❤️”
$103.50Received this donation 12 days ago
Storm
“Hi Kate, Thanks so much for your support, we really appreciate it. Keep checking in each week for our weekly blog updates on how we’re going 😊💕 I hope you are kicking goals (or I guess kicking goals away) at Masters 🏑💛”
-
Toulla Polycarpou
“Well done to you and your family for being part of such a great cause ! I hope you will reach and go beyond your goal this years (with less scratches and aches)”
$103.50Received this donation 12 days ago
Storm
“Hi Toulla, Thanks so much for your support, we really appreciate it. Keep checking in each week for our weekly blog updates on how we’re going 😊 thus far no scratches but the aches are starting to visit more frequently 😂”
-
Vaughn Dumas
“Well done you two. We are so incredibly proud of you.”
$103.50Received this donation 7 days ago
Storm
“Hi Dad! Thanks so much for your support, we really appreciate it. Keep checking in each week for our weekly blog updates on how we’re going 😊💕”
-
Carol Hope
$51.75Received this donation 7 days ago
Storm
“Hi Carol, Thanks so much for your support, we really appreciate it. Keep checking in each week for our weekly blog updates on how we’re going 😊💕”
-
Anonymous
$51.75Received this donation 8 days ago
Storm
“Hi Anonymous, Thanks so much for your support, we really appreciate it. Keep checking in each week for our weekly blog updates on how we’re going 😊💕”
-
Gareth Johnson
“Great work by the fam for a great cause! Shame about the fadeout after a day in the office yesterday.”
$51.75Received this donation 7 days ago
Storm
“Hi Gareth, Thanks so much for your support, we really appreciate it. Keep checking in each week for our weekly blog updates on how we’re going 😊💕”
-
Anonymous
“Great cause... I hope the wind is always at your back :-)”
$51.75Received this donation 13 days ago
Storm
“Hi Anonymous Thanks so much for your support, we really appreciate it. Keep checking in each week for our weekly blog updates on how we’re going 😊 let’s just say the wind was not our friend in week one 😂”
-
Anonymous
$51.75Received this donation 8 days ago
Storm
“Hi Anonymous Thanks so much for the support 😊 keep checking back in each week for our weekly update and rides!”
-
Sam Blake
“All the best for a great cause.”
$51.75Received this donation 8 days ago
Storm
“Hi Sam, Thanks so much for the support 😊 , we needed it with the bad winds today! Keep checking back in each week for our weekly update and rides! 💛”
-
Damien Long
$50Received this donation 13 days ago
Storm
“Hi Damien, Thanks so much for your support, we really appreciate it. Keep checking in each week for our weekly blog updates on how we’re going 😊”
-
Vasavi Jonnala
$31.05Received this donation 13 days ago
Storm
“Hi Vasavi, Thanks so much for your support, we really appreciate it. Keep checking in each week for our weekly blog updates on how we’re going 😊.”
-
Sandra Alger
“Well done team Hope !!”
$25.88Received this donation 7 days ago
Storm
“Hi Sandy, Thanks so much for your support, we really appreciate it. Keep checking in each week for our weekly blog updates on how we’re going 😊💕”
-
Anonymous
$20.70Received this donation 13 days ago
Storm
“Hi Anonymous, Thanks so much for your support, we really appreciate it. Keep checking in each week for our weekly blog updates on how we’re going!”
-
Jo King
“Go you good thing!”
$20.70Received this donation 12 days ago
Storm
“Hi Jo! Thanks so much for your support, we really appreciate it. Keep checking in each week for our weekly blog updates on how we’re going! Can’t wait to show you all my new biking mishaps and funny memes! 😊💛”
-
Anonymous
$20.70Received this donation 13 days ago
Storm
“Hi Anonymous Thanks so much for your support, we really appreciate it. Keep checking in each week for our weekly blog updates on how we’re going!”
-
Stephanie Cutri
“Go Storm!!!”
$20.70Received this donation 7 days ago
Storm
“Hi Steph, Thanks so much for your support, we really appreciate it. Keep checking in each week for our weekly blog updates on how we’re going 😊💕”
-
Dirk Riding
$20Received this donation 8 days ago
Storm
“Hi Dirk, Thanks so much for the support 😊 keep checking back in each week for our weekly update and rides!”
-
Cheryl McCrickard Moran
“What an inspiration the Hope family is to us lazy souls who do not exercise.”
$10.35Received this donation 13 days ago
Storm
“Hi Cheryl, Thanks so much for your support, we really appreciate it. Keep checking in each week for our weekly blog updates on how we’re going 😊💕”