Huh? Is this a cycleway?

Bonanzacam is back - blasting the big issues direct to your eyeballs!

I guess we must applaud Clover in her laudable mission to make Sydney cycle-friendly ("Friendly" is going to be a big paradigm shift for the town's non-biking populace...)

Anyway - there is visible evidence of noble intent scattered sporadically about the CBD & immediate environs in the form of dedicated cycleway projects

(The SMH's Miranda Divine recently had a pointed whinge about Ms Moore's shortcomings on these and it's true that the pace of progress has been a bit frustrating (and haphazard))

But there is another side to these advancements and that is: how my old nemeses, the pedestrians,  integrate these changes into their lives

I'm just going to highlight one location

For the better part of a year, a short stretch of Ultimo back road running from behind the casino to the Pyrmont Bridge pub has had new cycleway work done

It was sort of finished a week or two ago* and the many cyclists using that route took to the new path in numbers - unfortunately... so did pedestrians!

Now... to anyone observing the location - this is utterly baffling

The footpath (which has always been there) running immediately adjacent to the new cycleway is considerably WIDER than the cycle lane yet for reasons that escape your humble author, walkers have taken to using the ABSOLUTELY UNMISTAKABLY CLEARLY MARKED cycle only lane

As I say - Baffling (On top of that, the pedestrians you are politely swearing at to get out of the way, look totally mystified - this is a cycleway? Who'da thought?)

So - after a few days of weaving and frantic bell ringing I decided the people had to see for themselves

This isn't even a bad day - but you get the idea

(to make it extra mysterious - this practise persisted even on rainy days - even though the 'immediately adjacent' and 'considerably WIDER' footpath was protected by an awning...)

Sigh - will feet and wheels ever get along?

*Closed off again - maybe they're painting bigger 'cycle only' signs?

A Kute kitty kat

Rail Trail Diary - Day 1 (The Real One)

So, it was time to turn talk into pedal pushing - I've no doubt we all sized each other up and came to the conclusion that none us were carrying any extra ballast.

Our genetics had been (predictably) fortuitous - but what about the fitness? Had we maintained the regime of the committed cyclist?

"Oh, I haven't done any special training", sayeth George, but eyeing those chiselled calves, one could tell he was no stranger to the saddle.

And Dave?... Well, he was a six-pack on legs. (Guinness, probably...) After all, his favoured at-home wheels were the super skinny kind, and he wore lycra without shame.

Itinerary: Sunday, 29 November  

Pick up Bikes (as-new Giant Sedonas) at Trail Journeys in Clyde

Set off to Lauder  

We kitted up the very capable looking vehicles with what was necessary for the day ahead (Trail Journeys carted our bulky gear to pre-arranged stop-overs - very civilised). "What was necessary" entailing, essentially, snacks, jackets and cameras - we were going to see a lot of them.

The first stretch was to take us to Alexandra, 10km or so away. We could either go the strictly 'rail' route - fairly straight and uninteresting we'd been told - or we could cross the Clyde River and follow a more adventurous, undulating path, weaving around the trees along the banks. 

We did more weaving than anticipated as there had been a big blow go through a day or so previously and there were sizable limbs scattered the length to test our alertness. A rollicking start to the ride - and I guess wasn't too surprised to see that none us were going soft - there was going to be a competitive edge to this adventure - cool!

After a barely earned but most enjoyable coffee at an old converted public building (PO?) we found ourselves at last on we could actually call the Rail Trail. We got our first inkling of the terrain we'd be tackling - pretty cushy it would seem. Seeing as the route was originally designed to be as easy as possible for steam trains, the trail generally didn't go over hills but through them.

An easy or hour or so ensued, humming 'round gentle curves and up gentler inclines watching the scenery change surprisingly spectacularly, until we hit a traditional watering hole - The Chatto Creek Pub. A couple of brethren had already hitched up, including a family with a little kiddy-trailer. Cruising down the traffic-worn track, high up, with fork suspension is one thing... but either side, where the unsprung trailer wheels travelled, was pretty rough - and you'd have Dad's bum for a view for 4 days!

And look at that weather - spoilt, what?

Anyway, we were greeted with the lashings of charm and hospitality we were already getting accustomed to, snarfing down about the best toasted sandwich I can remember - superlative.

Historical note - Chatto Creek is home to NZ's smallest (and almost certainly most miserable) Post Office - still set up just as dear old Millie Allsop (or whoever it was) serviced it all those years. Isn't that interesting?

Setting off satisfyingly fed & watered, we ambled (not so competitively after all) on until we reached the bustling metropolis of Lauder ("Lorder") - our first stopover. We had booked into a converted (they love converting in these parts) old schoolhouse - dead charming. Eeh - I 'ad a trike just like this when I were a lad...

How does the urbane-sophisticate-about-town occupy oneself in Lauder? Why a rubber or two of Boule at Ye Inne, of course. I think the publican said we were the first to try out the new... er... rink. He hadn't been sure how they were usually constructed and had gone for a bed of inches deep gravel. We ended up playing on the grass.

After settling on the pub as our dinner venue (yes - the only actual option) we enjoyed a hearty meal before settling in with Day 2 to greet us in the coming morn.

PS: I had intended to include some gripping clips of the Trail so far, but Blogger won't let me bloody upload 'em.

PPS: As you can see, I got a couple up!

Rail Trail Diary - about bloody time

The Mission - 3 crusty old cronies who went their separate ways after surviving 5 years of Papanui High School in the 70's get together to mark their 50th birthdays (!) with a 4 day ride on the Otago Rail Trail.

The protagonists: David, George & Your Author (whom we shall call 'Bruce' - for it is he)

Truth is I'm pretty inexperienced at organising a mission like this, particularly an overseas one - but ultimately it was rewarding to have an itinerary fall into shape. Everyone I contacted, from bike hire to accommodation, could not have been more helpful.

Itinerary: Friday, 27 November
David & Bruce fly out of Kingsford Smith
Flight EK 418
Depart 10:15 am
Arrive CHCH 3:15pm

Snow-covered alps! And a long white cloud - one's dusty old NZ recognition neurons start to fire up...

Have a good look at the old Control Tower ("Control Tower" - incidentally, being my first words - in English - apparently) - it's being superseded by something new that couldn't possibly be as stylish.

Itinerary: Saturday, 28 November

David, George & Bruce drive to Clyde in Finchmobile

Starting the expedition proper, we load up the "Capsicum" (as I believe the green Corolla is nick-named), pick up George and head across the Canterbury Plains. After constant typically gloomy rain on the flat, we climbed up Burkes Pass and burst out into a brilliant sun-soaked vista.

The glorious weather showed off Lake Tekapo at its most picture-skew as we stopped for a lunch of fish (sorry "fush") & kumera chups - yum!

A spectacular drive followed with the clear air giving us a grand view of (the now 20 metres or so shorter since the landslide) Mt Cook (or "Aorangi" to the types that call Ayers Rock "Uluru").

We arrived at Clyde in the early arvo to find an unbelievably quaint and charming olde town situtated an unnervingly short distance downriver from a dirty big dam.

Our digs, Ye Hartley Arms, was the epitome of charm and a jolly pleasant end to the day was spent in the sun-dappled garden.

Should I stay or should I go now?

Gradually, more and more dedicated cycle lanes are cropping up in the city - thanks Clover.
But... of course, there had to be a 'but'... things aren't all smooth sailing yet.
Witness these lights on the corner of King & Kent...



I've gone up this cycle lane many times and never yet seen the green for cars coordinate with the green for bikes - officially, while automative traffic whizzes up the hill we're supposed to sit and wait - for no discernible reason.
Generally, most cyclists simply do what I do and let common sense dictate - but there's always that nagging feeling of "there's another cyclist flaunting the rules - again."
I wonder if pedestrians ever get that feeling?...

Let's get Face to Face, Paul

October 1989 - Vivienne Westwood, Jean Paul Gaultier, Thierry Mugler, Signal to Noise comic by Neil Gaiman & Dave McKean, The Gunners and more
Collect in person over lunch
Respond by any of usual channels

Toyota Caramba!

We all know NZ has different names for car models - notably Subaru (Sue-BAA-roo) Legacy for what we call Liberty...
But I'm always amazed and delighted by the myriad and marvelous 'grey import' names on the CHCH streets- here's a list from a couple of days casual note taking - in the order seen:

Toyota Platz
Mazda Windom
Mitsubishi Legnum
Toyota Caldina (I since my first one here in Sydney)
Mazda Atenza
Toyota (&, later, Subaru) Carib
Miitsubishi Cedia
Toyota Spacio
Toyota Altezza
Mitsubishi Emeraude
Toyota Granvia
Toyota Curren
Nissan Cefiro
Toyota Trueno
Nissan Mistral
??? Sylphy
Toyota Estima
Toyota Logo
Toyota Corsa
Toyota Orthia
Toyota Ipsum (Hi Jeff!)
Nissan Wingroad
Nissan Presea
Toyota Emina
Toyota Lumiere
Toyota Efini
Nissan Avenir
Toyota Cynos
Toyota Elucio
Toyota Qualis
Nissan Excimo
Toyota Marino

Well, it amused me anyway...
I know, I know - I go to NZ for a world-class bike trail ride and the first thing I blog about is silly car names - what can I say? I'm superficial...