ROTARY members will saddle up for a challenging 100 kilometre bike ride on Australia Day which will contribute to eradicating polio across the world.
The ride also celebrates a century of the organisation in Australia and New Zealand, and raises money for projects in Australia.
The Beaudesert Cycling Club has joined forces with Rotary to put the ride on, and it is not too late to register.
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Individual riders will set off from Jimboomba Community and District Hall at 5am for a loop around the region before returning to the hall at 9.30am.
It will take in Cryna, Josephville and Flagstone, and challenge the field, according to cycling club president Rick Gillow.
"It's what we cyclists call lumpy," he said of the scenic route.
"A lot of people who ride want want something serious. They don't want 100 kilometres of flat riding.
There will also be a teams event setting off from Selwyn Park, Beaudesert at 7am on the day.
That event is for teams of three, doing 34km each. Riders will finish at Jimboomba at the same time as the individual event.
"The 34K is a very scenic ride," Mr Gillow said.
There will be a free sausage sizzle for riders.
To register for the ride, visit rotaryjimboomba.com.au or find the link on Rotary Jimboomba's Facebook page.
Rotary's website said the organisation had contributed more than $2.1 billion to help eradicate the disease.
Cyclists like local man David Kenny have been training hard for the event.
Mr Kenny, a former Rotary Jimboomba president and Logan's Citizen of the Year in 2017, said the event would be ideal for the lesser prepared cyclists, too.
"The days of me doing 100 kilometre rides are behind me," he said.
"I can do, 30km, 40km, 60km, no trouble, but the training level for the 100km, that's a different level."
Mr Kenny will ride in a three-person team.
Polio is still prevalent in Afghanistan and Pakistan, but Jimboomba Rotary spokesman Mathew Owens said it was a remarkable achievement it had been largely eradicated.
"It's bloody incredible," Mr Owen said.
"They said no, that it would never be eradicated, 40 years ago."
Rotary said it had vaccinated 430 million children against polio in 2017.
On average, they say it costs $3 to protect a child from polio.
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