I’m riding a tiny 50cc motorbike through the Peruvian Amazon and over the Andes to raise vital funds for spinal cord injury research.
April 2026, I am heading to Peru to take on the Monkey Run.
The simple plan: Get from Ayacucho (somewhere in Peru) to Pilcopata (1000km away, also somewhere in Peru).
The not so simple challenge: Riding a "Monkey Bike" - a tiny, 90cc motorcycle that is essentially a lawnmower with wheels. It has tiny tires, almost no suspension, and a top speed of "eventually."
There is no set route. There is no backup crew. Just me, a bike too small for a human adult, and the Peruvian wilderness.
While the event supports Cool Earth (which I am fundraising for separately to secure my entry), I wanted to dedicate my extra fundraising efforts to a cause back home that means a lot to me: The CatWalk Spinal Cord Injury Research Trust.
This ride is going to be a physical battle. I’ll be battered by the terrain, I will get lost, I will breakdown and I will probably crash. But the ability to feel that pain, to move my legs, and tackle this madness is a privilege.
CatWalk supports world-class research to find a cure for spinal cord injuries, aiming to get people out of wheelchairs and back on their feet. They are a dedicated Kiwi charity punching above their weight in global research.
All my costs including my life insurance are covered by me. 100% of your donations go towards the research that will one day cure spinal cord injury.
(Note: As CatWalk is a registered NZ charity, donations of $5 or more are eligible for a 33% tax credit!)
Thank you for supporting my stupidity and this incredible cause.
Thank you so much for supporting Rochelle - what an adventure! And thank you for supporting research to cure spinal cord injury - together we will find a cure! If you'd like to know more about CatWalk, check out our website CatWalk.org.nz Thank you.
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