This website was the blog we kept...

The official website is here: www.coughingthedistance.com

Also, my latest adventures are here: www.coughing4cf.com


Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Press Release!


Yes, we have a celebrity shot of me! Specially prepared for the shiny new press release from Heather (see below) we have this Colgated and Airbrushed picture of me.

The Great COFE
http://cofe.pledgepage.org/

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Contact Heather Lea
250-837-4676
hclea@telus.net

It Isn’t Everyone Who Can Bike 4000km With A Debilitating Disease

Tasmania, Australia, December 10, 2006

When Walter Van Praag was diagnosed at the age of ten with Cystic Fibrosis (CF), a hereditary disease that progressively disables the whole body causing early death, advice from medical professionals were of little interest to him.

With curious spirit and a taste for the extraordinary, Walter began a life devoid of self-pity and flourishing with adventurous pursuits.

Somewhere between camping in Sinai war-zones, traveling with a fake blind-guide dog named Shady, living one month in a cave on the island of Crete and accidentally scaling a jail wall in Northern Greece, Walter schemed his next, more legal adventure, the Great Cystic Orient Fibrosis Express, or COFE.

The Great COFE is a long distance bike ride set to start on July 28 th, 2007 at the base of the Eiffel Tower and ending some 3935 kms (2445 miles) later in Istanbul at the Pera Palas Hotel. The ride itself will take approximately 70 days, with a daily riding average of 63km (39miles). Stops along the way will include Vienna, Budapest and Belgrade.

“Be cause I think I can cough 4000 kilometers on my bicycle,“ states Walter, “I want to encourage other people with CF to get out and cough, too!”

The average survival rate for a person with CF is 36.8 years. Walter, at 41 years of age, is already an anomaly and no doubt, an inspiration to other CF sufferers.

“OK, so I cough a lot and take a bunch of pills, but no migraines, no fits, no dementia…”

With Walter’s lung capacity at less than 40% it is like breathing through a straw, or taking just half a breath at a time. Imagine yourself cycling just 4 kilometers like that.

Walter hopes that with a little luck, the Great COFE will help spread the news that living with CF doesn’t mean an incapacitated life and can even have some good points. “For instance,” he says, “I can eat MacDonald's in between meals, order deep fried food and add extra salt on doctors orders. Cholesterol is rarely detectable with CF.”

Although the disease keeps him from working full time, Walter is highly encouraged by his doctors to participate in the activities he loves, like sea kayaking, walking in the bush, backpacking, and taking photos.

Walter hopes for 50% or more of all monetary donations to go to CF Research Funds nominated by the major sponsor of each country.
For more information on the Great COFE and how you can help, visit http://cofe.pledgepage.org/ Posted by Picasa

Sunday, November 19, 2006

New Logo!




Cath Levett designed the Great COFE for CF a logo!
It has the Rose for CF (Cystic Fibrosis sometimes called Sixtyfive Roses) and my bicycle wheel! How did Cath know that is what it looked like? She is in London, I am in Tasmania!
Special thanks also goes to Kathryn Whitfield for making it happen!

Onya Cath!

Monday, November 13, 2006

Tullah Challenge

In preparation for the Great COFE for CF I entered the Tullah Challenge this weekend! Was loads of fun, but hard work. Needless to say I coughed the whole way!

More photos here: http://picasaweb.google.com/vanpraag/TullahChallenge


No, I was not first, I was close to last in most events: Kayaking (5km), Riding (30km) and running (7.5km). Posted by Picasa

Monday, November 06, 2006

Necklace from Kenya on eBay Auction

The eBay Charity Auction is on! Do you think people would bid on it for The Great COFE for CF? Here is the necklace modeled by Amanda and Georgia. Surely it will do well, such lovely models and such worthy cause, and the necklace is made by the most wonderful people - read blog entry below!



eBay Auction here:
http://cm.ebay.com/cm/ck/1065-29296-2357-0?uid=50447680&site=0&ver=LCA080805&item=110052540015&lk=URL

Friday, November 03, 2006

Gift from Kenya


I received a beautiful necklace in the mail this week! It came from Joyce from Kenya! It was made by "ill women trying to make a living for their families". They are looking for a way to sell these items to generate money for these women. If anyone can help email me!

What Joyce suggested I do is auction it off to help with the funding I need. I think that eBay would be good as it would also link to The Great COFE website and could be good for promotion as well! Will give this a go soon! Sounds like a great plan to us. Posted by Picasa

Monday, October 30, 2006

A huge thank you!


Wow, how cool, all the way from San Francisco in the USA I received an anonymous well wish and a Smile card from http://www.helpothers.org . What a great wish! And with it was a contribution of US$10 to help me along the way! Whoever you are, it was a wonderful letter to get in my mailbox in Tasmania! Thank you kindly! Posted by Picasa

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

The first press interview!


You may not understand the interview, it was done in dutch for the dutch SBS radio program!
May there be many more to come!

To actually listen to it <click here> !

Friday, July 28, 2006

The current bikes


Here are my two bikes. The old Canondale I bought when I worked in the USA, and the good ole Trek. The Trek I call the Trektor as it is heavy and solid, I usually take it on social rides in the country, and also did all my bike touring with it (like the Tasmania Trail). The Canondale is a fancy, lighter bike. It is ideal for racing in and out of town and is a lot lighter to carry up the single trail steep slippery bits I go up on to get back home. Of course I also use the Canondale for event rides like the Tullah Challenge. Posted by Picasa

For the Great COFE for CF I hope to get a bike manufacturer to sponsor me and get a bike that will give me no trouble for the first 4000kms! Chances are I will carry gear with me, kind of depends on whether we really get enough funds for a support vehicle! We have a driver thanks to Tiina's pledge!

Monday, July 24, 2006

Come Canondale, sponsor me!


But don't expect me to repeat any of this! I made it to 41 with only one broken collar, a few minor breaks in toes and hands, and a few cuts and bruises... and that is enough thank you! Posted by Picasa

The Great COFE diary begins!

It is a long time to go yet, but this will be the spot where you can follow the online progress of the ride.

The ride is 4000kms long, from Paris to Istanbul (see http://cofe.pledgepage.org). That means that during August and September next year I will cycle 50-100kms per day for 70 days. Looking forward to it!

Today I filled in the paper work to register myself as a non-profit body in Tasmania, with the Office of Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading. It requires a police record! So that was applied for at the same time.

I don't expect too many entries on this blog till closer to July 2007! So keep your eye on http://cofe.pledgepage.org and perhaps consider signing up for the newsletter which will outline progress once a month or so...