‘Do it, or you’ll just keep putting it off’: Distance for Dementia cyclist reaches NQ

The tan lines are getting crazy and the beard is getting longer as ‘amateur’ cyclist Nicholas Tremaine reaches NQ on his around-Australia bike ride for dementia. Have you seen him on the road?

The tan lines are getting crazy and the beard is getting longer as ‘amateur’ cyclist Nicholas Tremaine arrives in Townsville on his around-Australia bike ride for dementia.

The Kangaroo Island man said he’d been thinking about riding around Australia for some time but kept putting it off.

“My mum was diagnosed with dementia in 2019 and now she’s in full-time care,” Mr Tremaine said.

“I had planned to do this ride last year because it had an extra day in it, but I wasn’t organised enough so I put it off. I wasn’t organised enough this year either but I thought ‘do it, or you’ll just keep putting it off.”

In 2021, Mr Tremaine’s uncle also rapidly declined with dementia.

So on January 1, Mr Tremaine, his roadway bike and pannier bags holding all this worldly possession (some clothes, food, and a tent) set off from Bondi Beach, fundraising for Dementia Australia.

Nicholas Tremaine reaches Townsville on his mammoth 'Distance for Dementia' tour of Australia. May 30.

Rather than doing a lap of Australia, Mr Tremaine’s goal is to clock up 40,075km on the bike - the equivalent of cycling the circumference of the Earth.

Instead of immediately going north into Queensland’s wet season, Mr Tremaine eased into life on the road without any support by taking a “zigzag” route around NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania before turning his attention to Queensland in mid-April.

“Tasmania was beautiful and so was Mt Kosciuszko. It was actually easier to go up Mt Kosciuszko than I expected,” Mr Tremaine said.

“The body is definitely getting used to it.”

Nicholas Tremaine’s entire set up. He has no support vehicle or person following him. May 30.

On April 17, Mr Tremaine reached Byron Bay, and within four days he hit Hervey Bay and experienced “a terrible day”.

“I had five flat tires in one day, and it was Easter Monday so nothing was open,” he said.

“There have certainly been ups and downs.”

Townsville veteran embarks on epic 17,000km journey with assistance dog for charity

Mr Tremaine is averaging 130km a day and is doing the trip entirely unassisted, but has found Lions Clubs Australia a great resource when he’s in need of a meal and a bed.

“My parents were very involved in the Lions Club so when I needed help I reached out to them, and they’ve been really supportive,” Mr Tremaine said.

“Now that I’ve entered Queensland I’ve found more people are trying to help me, giving me food and offering a place to stay... so far I’ve been planning everything out so I always end up in a town overnight, but I know the further west I go the more I’ll have to camp on the side of the road.”

Nicholas Tremaine in Aitkenvale Park. He has found the Bruce Hwy good to travel alongside but has admitted there hasn’t been a lot to look at. “I’m finding in QLD you don’t see a lot from the highway. I haven’t seen much of the ocean, but I like the views over the sugar cane.”

Mr Tremaine pedalled into Townsville on Wednesday, April 30 and was met by two Lions Club members on bicycles at a Cluden petrol station and escorted into town to the Lions Club den at Aitkenvale Park.

The plan is to reach Cape York on May 16, Darwin on June 8, and Perth on July 13.

Mr Tremaine has so far raised over $26,000 for Dementia Australia.

Originally published as ‘Do it, or you’ll just keep putting it off’: Distance for Dementia cyclist reaches NQ