AN Aberystwyth man is preparing to take on a gruelling 9,000-mile solo motorcycle ride through the Australian outback in memory of his late father.

Wayne Jenkins, from Llanfarian, went to Ysgol Penweddig but is now living in Melbourne, Australia, where he works as an overhead linesman, building and maintaining power lines.

The intrepid 30-year-old is now in the final weeks of an almost year-long build-up to a mammoth solo motorcycle trek across Australia’s Simpson Desert in an effort to raise money for the Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis charity, after tragically losing his dad to the disease in 2005.

Setting off on 1 April, Wayne will cover approximately 14,500km — just over 9,000 miles — 85 to 90 per cent of which will be off-road, in heats of up to 45oC.

The ride is expected to take Wayne three to four weeks to complete, through some of the most remote parts of Australia where he will be a helicopter ride away from the nearest hospital.

The hazards facing Wayne, who was inspired by his father to take up competitive motorcycle racing at a young age, were brought home to him a few weeks ago while training for the ride.

“Three weeks ago, I was heading off on a final shakedown ride before doing my pre-trip maintenance,” he said.

“I was travelling down an isolated road late at night and unfortunately I hit a cow that had escaped from the field, which caused a significant amount of damage to the bike.

“So I‘ve been under even more pressure to get the bike ready for the trip in time.”

Wayne’s brother Sion is also holding a fundraiser at the Conrah Hotel this Friday, 24 March. Visit www.facebook.com/events/376983922681804/.

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