SUCH is Craig Alford’s passion for mowers that he is piloting a ride-on around Australia at a gentle 25km/h.
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The part-owner of Armadale Mower World in Perth hit the North East yesterday on his Ride to the Other Side to raise money for polio and prostate cancer charities.
“My day job is selling them, my favourite pastime is riding them,” Mr Alford said. “My wife says I’m away with my mistress.
“I suffer depression and to sit back and think as you go along is really relaxing.”
Mr Alford is doing the trip in annual stages — he has ridden from Perth to Kalgoorlie (2012) and Kalgoorlie to Adelaide (2013).
This year, he has ridden to Melbourne and around Tasmania, before arriving in Wodonga last night.
Today, he’s off to Wagga and his destination then is Sydney, for a Rotary conference.
He has raised more than $200,000.
Mr Alford said a trip to the US had inspired his lap of Australia on his Hustler Super Z.
“At the Hustler Turf plant and museum I learned there had been a charity ride across Kansas to benefit the grandson of NASCAR driver Richard Petty, who died of leukaemia,” Mr Alford said.
He will be in High Street, Wodonga at 9.30am.
To donate, visit ridetotheotherside.org.au. For a donation of $500 or more, Mr Alford will organise a ride on the road.