Storm Hope
- National: 374th
- State: 98th 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
-
161 km Ridden$1,353 Raised2026
My Challenge
-
4.2 km ride - Storm to Lach rescue - Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Logged this ride 5 days ago -
24.9 km ride - Lach- did not make it home - Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Logged this ride 5 days ago -
13.1 km ride - The four seasons of Melbourne! Rain, wind, sun, icy cold - Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Logged this ride 5 days ago - View on Strava -
29.1 km ride - Lachy ride - Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Logged this ride 6 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 6 days ago -
20.8 km ride - 2nd GCC ride- trying to keep up with Lachy - Sunday, October 4, 2026
Logged this ride 7 days ago - View on Strava -
26.7 km ride - Lach ride - finally no rain - Sunday, October 4, 2026
Logged this ride 7 days ago -
$500 raised to fight kids' cancer!
I just raised $500 to fight kids' cancer and achieved GUARDIAN LEVEL in the challenge! Thank you so much for your support.
Posted 8 days ago -
$250 raised to fight kids' cancer!
I just raised $250 to fight kids' cancer and achieved PROTECTOR LEVEL in the challenge! Thank you so much for your support.
Posted 9 days ago -
17.3 km ride - Lach- Day 2 of GCC - Friday, October 2, 2026
Logged this ride 9 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 3 days ago -
Grace Gonzalez
“Good on you Storm, such a great cause! ♥️”
$103.50Received this donation 8 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 9 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 9 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 4 days ago -
Carol Hope
$51.75Received this donation 4 days ago -
Anonymous
$51.75Received this donation 4 days ago -
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 4 days ago -
Anonymous
“Great cause... I hope the wind is always at your back :-)”
$51.75Received this donation 10 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 5 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 5 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 10 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 10 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 4 days ago -
Anonymous
$20.70Received this donation 10 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 9 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 10 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 4 days ago -
Dirk Riding
$20Received this donation 5 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 10 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 😊💕”