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11-year-old Oliver Godson has ridden with his dad, Lloyd Godson, on a 260km "Sea to summit" unicycle expedition, with an elevation gain of around 5,500 metres, finishing at Australia's highest point.

Source : PortMac.News | Citizen :

Source : PortMac.News | Citizen | News Story:

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Port Macquarie : Father & son unicycle to Mt Kosciuszko
11-year-old Oliver Godson has ridden with his dad, Lloyd Godson, on a 260km "Sea to summit" unicycle expedition, with an elevation gain of around 5,500 metres, finishing at Australia's highest point.

News Story Summary:

A day before the finish, Oliver was so exhausted he wasn't sure if he could continue.

"It felt so amazing to reach the summit; I was so relieved and happy that I managed to make it, it was a big relief," Oliver said.

"Having the whole family there, it was really special.

"If I had not finished it, I would have really regretted it."

Lloyd Godson, a Port Macquarie secondary school teacher with a background in marine biology, says it was a memorable and challenging experience to share with his son.

"I was just super proud and impressed with how Oliver tackled the whole thing ...just watching how he was able to tackle the hills was incredible," he said.

"To do what he did as an 11-year-old, I think it's pretty remarkable."

Mr Godson's wife Carolina Sarasiti also did the ride on a two-wheel bicycle, towing their five-year-old daughter, Ariadne, in a bike trailer.

"It was quite testing at times ... but it was nice we were able to work through it all and get to the top and celebrate as a family; it was a pretty special moment," Mr Godson said.

"The last kilometre and a half  [up the Mt Kosciuszko trail]  you aren't allowed to ride bicycles or anything, so we just carried our unicycles and bikes to the top and had a celebration up there.

"Everyone feels pretty proud of themselves."

Sea to summit

The family started out at Tathra on the New South Wales south coast, having made a last-minute decision, due to rising COVID-19 case numbers, not to do a planned ride across Tasmania.

"We only had a few days to map out a new route and try and avoid as many major roads as possible, but it was really busy on the south coast in early January," Mr Godson said.

"As soon as we got further west, people were a lot more accommodating of us on the road and stopped to have a yarn and that kind of thing."

Mr Godson says they had trained hard for the trip and spaced the ride over 12 days.

He says the weather and mountainous terrain posed challenges.

"We rode through a thunderstorm and torrential rain; we had a lot of rain on the trip, and wind," he said.

'In so much pain': kindness pulls them through

Mr Godson says the final two days were the most challenging for Oliver.

"He had really reached his limit about halfway up from Jindabyne to Charlotte Pass," he said.

"He would ride for a couple of kilometres and then hop off and have his head on his legs."

Oliver says it was a huge mental challenge.

"I was just in so much pain and I was really tired," he said.

"It was really hard knowing it was the day before the summit and I might not be able to make it."

Support came just at the right time in the form of good friends from Port Macquarie, Jodie and Simone Feeney and their children- including Oliver's best mate Ollie —  who surprised Oliver by meeting him on the road.

It brought tears to his eyes.

"They came out behind us on an electric skateboard ... and Oliver turned around and his jaw almost hit the ground," Mr Godson said.

"He was so overwhelmed — he was exhausted and suddenly his best mate turned up on an electric skateboard next to him and told him they'd made an 'Oreo tree' at the end.

"They'd hidden a few packets of Oreos [biscuits] in a snow gum at the end and prepared a picnic platter for us as well."

Strangers also offered high fives and claps along the way.

"I would hear cars coming past and beeping their horns and cheering us on out the windows and it just gave me the motivation to keep going," Oliver said.

They now have their sights set on unicycling the challenging and mountainous Tasmanian Trail, which runs from Devonport in the north to Dover in the south-east.

"Tasmania will be a lot harder ... but I am looking forward to it," Oliver said.

Story By | Emma Siossian


This News Story's Author : Staff-Editor-02

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