In the next few days, Ian Vickers will be venturing out into the Australian outback to start his journey across the harsh terrain of the Simpson Desert. He will be travelling over 400 kms by foot – hauling his food and water supplies on a custom built cart.
“I’ve been flat out the past week with last minute preparations, all is going well, feeling fit, strong and confident with a healthy dash of nervousness,” says Ian.
He has chosen to dedicate this challenge to raise awareness and funds for cancer research.
“There are many worthy charities whose name I could have chosen to support, however I lost both my parents to cancer far too early in their life, so it felt right to pick a charity that is dedicated to finding cures for this terrible disease. In fact, I believe that the success of my adventure will not only be measured by the completion of my walk but also in my ability to raise funds and awareness for cancer research.”
Ian says he’s enjoyed every step of the journey so far. He has already invested an incredible amount of time and effort leading up to his quest, with the initial planning and preparations starting back in May of last year.
“I literally walked the soles off a pair of old boots during one of my training sessions earlier in the year! I had a good friend of mine build a training rig consisting of scaffold poles and car tires that I could hook up to my new harness to drag up and down the beach.”
And with all the hard miles put in he could not be more ready to embark on this remarkable adventure.
“I’m relishing the new skills I’ve acquired along the way. I have a plan B, C or D for almost every eventuality should I run in to trouble along the way. But I have to credit all the support from friends, family and strangers alike, there’s no way I could have done this without them.”
We are all very excited (not to mention a little bit anxious) for Ian, and wish the best of luck as he sets out to accomplish this extraordinary feat.
To support Ian’s journey, visit his Everyday Hero Page here.
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