Vietnam vet gears up

Blind Bight resident Trevor Davidson is gearing up for the bike ride of his life.
The Vietnam War veteran is one of more than 20 vets and serving Defence Force members who will be donning jerseys featuring the red poppy and the village of Passchendaele on Bicycle Network’s 2017 RACV Great Victorian Bike Ride.
The group are part of VetRide, an organisation dedicated through cycling to the welfare of all service and ex-service personnel of the Australian Defence Forces.
VetRide will be taking part in the RACV Great Victorian Bike Ride this year.
Mr Davidson served in South Vietnam during 1967 and worked as a telephone linesman at the Australian task force HQ at Nui Dat.
Mr Davidson said VetRide was always challenging and the “camaraderie is worth the effort”.
“My training has been going slowly – my son Greg and I had a long lay-off over winter and we are paying the price now. I have been riding most days and I am riding 30-35 kms per ride so far. Greg has been very busy with work and has not been able to ride as much, ” he said.
Mr Davidson’s favourite local ride was the Peninsula Link bike path.
“I’m looking forward to the RACV Great Victorian Bike Ride as it should be great fun and a chance to catch up with some of the other VetRiders.”
The VetRide jersey will also include armbands of the 1st Anzac Cyclist Battalion AIF with the slogan: ‘A century afterwards, they ride again … .’
VetRide Chairman Peter Liefman said: “Our defence forces go through a lot of stresses and trauma that can and do result in a collection of unhealthy symptoms.
“The chance to link up with the RACV Great Victorian Bike Ride made a lot of sense as it is an uplifting, healthy and social week,” he said.