Clare Reilly is Traversing WA’s 1000km Munda Biddi Trail in an Off-Road Wheelchair Next Month

MS advocate, Clare Reilly, will soon attempt to be the first person to traverse Western Australia’s Munda Biddi mountain bike trail in an off-road wheelchair.

When Clare Reilly was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2017, she thought her days of outdoor adventuring might be over. But next month, Clare will begin her attempt to become the first person to tackle the 1,070km Munda Biddi Trail in an off-road wheelchair, raising funds for multiple sclerosis (MS) along the way.

MS is a chronic neurological disease affecting around 38,000 people in Australia. It’s commonly diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40 and affects three times as many women as men.

Now, Clare – a disability advocate, podcast host, and mum living on Wadawurrung Country on Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula – is on a mission to raise $100,000 for MS research and advocacy while also showing that people with a disability belong in the outdoors as much as anyone. Over $10,000 has been raised so far.

‘This isn’t just a ride for me’, Clare says. ‘It’s about possibility, visibility, and showing that adventure and disability absolutely belong in the same sentence. This is more than an adventure.’

About the Ride – and The Rig

Though her days outdoors used to be filled with hiking and rock climbing, being a wheelchair-user takes most hiking trails off the table.

‘I needed something that was wheels-friendly’, Clare says.

Fortunately, Western Australia’s iconic off-road cycling and bikepacking trail found its way onto Clare’s vision board. The Munda Biddi is no small challenge, but Clare and her off-road wheelchair, a battery powered beast known as ‘The Rig’, are up to the task.

Clare will be starting her journey at the Mundaring trailhead on the 10th of April, and plans to take 26 days to traverse the 1,070km through Noongar Country to Albany. On top of the logistical planning, she’s had plenty of practice rides on The Rig. With only a few weeks until she starts, Clare says she’s ready to ride.

‘Between training, planning, logistics, and nerves…I’m feeling all the feelings. But I’m also so ready’, she says.

Keep track of Clare’s journey and find out how you can support research and advocacy on multiple sclerosis by following her on Instagram at @wheelchairmeetswilderness and the Wheelchair Meets Wilderness website.

Photos supplied by @wheelchairmeetswilderness