Officer is determined to finish ride
COMPLETING the Wall to Wall Ride for Remembrance is more important than ever for former Mackay police officer Ron Waters-Marsh.
Not only does he think it's important to honour fallen police officers, but he is on a personal quest to complete the final leg of the ride after a road accident during the last year's event prevented him from doing so.
"Last year I finished in an ambulance, helicopter and plane. This year I want to complete it," Mr Waters-Marsh said.
The Wall to Wall ride, which originally started in 2009 and was from Sydney to Canberra, has since grown in popularity and there are nearly 1000 riders registered this year.
"All of the profits raised on the ride will go towards the Police Legacy, which supports the families of fallen officers," he said.
"I think people sometimes forget that police are there to protect the community. And it's one of the few jobs where you might not come home at night."
Four riders from the Mackay area will leave Mackay on Tuesday to head straight to Brisbane.
"We will be doing about five to seven hour long rides each day," he said.
Yesterday newcomers to the ride, like Eton police station officer-in-charge Senior Constable Gary Knack, met with riders who made the trek last year.
Constable Knack said he was not daunted by the long distance, because he has made long trips on bikes before.
"I have always ridden bikes," he said.
Riders have already left from the Northern Territory to join the ride which finishes up at the Police Remembrance ceremony in Canberra.
The riders from Mackay will leave town on Tuesday.
