Lismore's Luke Patch loves endurance cycling. You may remember his story on the Lismore App in April when we reported that Luke took part in the Indian Pacific Wheel Ride from Fremantle, Western Australia to Sydney, NSW. Five thousand five hundred kilometres in 22 days, finishing 3rd, was Luke's incredible achievement.

Six months later, Luke is training hard for his next endurance endeavour, the Great South Eastern Loop.

The Great South Eastern Loop is an unsupported 1263-kilometre ride along winding country roads, scenic valleys, and up into the majestic Snowy Mountain Alps in NSW, starting next Sunday, October 26, from Wollongong.

Luke's ride is not on major highways; it takes in the back roads, including 17 per cent gravel. Once Luke leaves Wollongong, he rides west to Bundanoon in the Southern Highlands, through Marulan, Cromwell and Boorowa before heading south to Tumut, Tumbarumba and Thredbo. The trail then heads east to Cooma, and north to Nerriga and back into Wollongong. His highest point will be 1,582 metres above sea level.

Being an unsupported race, Luke has to carry his own food and water.

"I have to carry my stuff. I don't plan to get much sleep. I'm just going to ride through each night."

Organisers have a timed goal of 157 hours, but Luke has a lofty goal to complete the ride in 100 hours or 4 days and four hours. If he can do that, he feels he can win the Great South Eastern Loop race. The other motivation, is that heeds to back in Lismore for a mate's wedding.

"That's about 300km a day, roughly, but that depends on the elevation and terrain. I'm trying to finish in under 100 hours, because I need to be back in Lismore for a mate's wedding on the first of November."

(Luke's trusted bike to get the job done)

This means Luke will start the race next Sunday, ride the 1263 kilometres with very little sleep, finish on Thursday, have a day off before flying back to Lismore on Friday in time for the wedding.

"My goal is to win a race, but that depends how strong other people are. I intend to dig myself a pretty deep hole during the race. I intend to race really hard and hopefully win it. I am hoping there is someone who's just as fast as I am to push me and make me dig deeper.

"I am very competitive in races, I can really suffer more than a lot of people can, I think, so I'm hoping to find someone who can race me and push me to a limit and hopefully come first, second or third."

Apart from the personal glory of riding and, hopefully, winning the Great South Eastern Loop, Luke is still raising money for Motor Neuron Disease, as he did in the Indian Pacific Wheel Ride, where he raised $1,500.

"I would like to raise a similar amount," Luke said, "Maybe $2,000 or $3,000 would be a good goal.

To help raise funds for Motor Neuron Disease via Luke's fundraising page, click here.

Good luck, Luke. Lismore and the Northern Rivers are rooting for you.