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March 2009 newsletter |
KITES and BIKES - BRUNSWICK HEADS
March - Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd - that is next weekend !
We will be participating, so looking forward to seeing you there.
SATURDAY:
Road Ride Bruns or Mullum
for coffee ride - plenty of good cafes to choose from at either end. 14km road
ride between Mullumbimby and Brunswick Heads. To avoid much of the car traffic
we will ride via the picturesque Saddle Rd - this is partially unpaved but
well graded hard surface with some short hills. Meet at Mullumbimby PO at
8:00am for ride to Bruns Meet at Bruns PO at 10:00am for ride to Mullumbimby
Meet at Mullumbimby PO at 12:00pm for ride to Bruns.
We require several ride leaders - must be current Bicycle NSW members for insurance. Please contact me if you can do it. bgrinber@bigpond.net.au
Mountain Bike Experience: If you like to explore more rugged terrain, hop on your mountain bike for a gravel road ride in the Mt Jerusalem National Park. Along the way, there are opportunities to explore some single tracks which crisscross the road. Your destination is a small swimming hole surrounded by rainforest. Take a dip or just relax in the shade. Starts 2pm from Kohinor Hall, Upper Main Arm. Must register with Nick ph 0427 620711, bikenik@gmail.com
SUNDAY
Family Tour de Bruns: Sponsored by Brunswick Seaside Holidays
Explore Bruns with a one hour easy flat ride on marked bikeways around Bruns. Some small sections of the route are on town roads. Starts 11:30am from The Terrace Reserve, Bruns. Again we would like some leaders for this very introductory ride.
BUG Stall - we will have an information and membership stall set up most of the day on Sunday. Come and say hi, refresh your membership, chat about the Shire bike plan and funding. Let us know where you see the dangers to riders.
World Naked Bike Ride - Byron Bay
The ride will on 14th of March 2009 - that is this
Saturday.
Every year, in cities
around the world, people ride bikes naked to celebrate cycling and the
human body.
The ride demonstrates
the vulnerability of cyclists on the road and is a protest against car culture.
Assemble
clothed with your bike, suitable shoes and helmet (compulsory) at 2pm The Rails
Car Park (outside the Travel Centre at the old Railway Station). After a great
first ride by 15 participants in 2008, Byron Bay rides again in 2009 . Be there
and continue the history ! People interested in participating or
helping pls contact byronbikerider@optusnet.com.au .The
ride is `bare as you dare- body paint is suggested, but you are free
to wear as much or as little as you want. Fancy dress, self-decoration and
other attention-grabbers are all very much encouraged. Please see http://wiki.worldnakedbikeride.org/index.php?title=Byron_Bay for
more details.
Byron Shire Bikeways and Shoulders Update
Bikeways: Almost all of our current Councillors including the Mayor responded very positively to our pre-election survey in Oct 08. This included committing to targets ranging from 5 to 10 km of bikeways per year, which seems reasonable against an urgent need of well over 5Okm. As the Council has disbanded almost all the consultative/advisory committees including the bikeways one, it has been a bit harder for us to obtain full information about where exactly the Shire is heading. We have had some meetings and exchanged emails with Council staff on the issues and the picture is beginning to emerge. We should have fairly complete details by the end of this month, but the gist of it is as follows. For all the good talk, the only major increase in funding for bikeways is courtesy of the Rudd Labor Govt with a $609,000 one off grant. Even with that it appears that we will only get 2-3 Km of bikeways for each of the current (08/09) and next (09/10) financial years. This is the same snail’s pace we have had for the last 5 years. The Mayor expressly committed for Council to increase its spending and getting more grants from more sources once we had a Bike Plan - we have had a Plan for the better part of a year but no substantive increase in funding so far. We must remind our elected representatives of their commitments to safe biking here real soon - please let them know at all opportunities.
Shoulders: Council Staff recent response to our requests - "road shoulders will be considered where possible however are primarily provided as a road safety measure (i.e. not specifically for cyclists). Yet their benefit to cyclists is acknowledged, as is the desire for existing shoulders be maintained and kept free of debris and that any new shoulders provide a smooth riding surface. It is agreed such outcomes are desirable and will be attempted where possible but it should be understood that sweeping existing shoulders requires man and machine power which is limited and already in use on a regular, routine basis which does not allow for the levels of service you seek. As for constructing shoulders along roads where major works are carried out, again limited funds available to achieve such an outcome and usually done for safety. Further, the widening of shoulders comes at a high cost as it requires extensive preparatory works to be undertaken, for example compaction, grading, drainage, etc. all of which is site dependent." Does not sound too good for us.
A couple more specific Council responses:
Ewingsdale Rd - Quarry Lane: "in the interim a small length of asphalt will be provided to allow a smoother transition at the east end of the recently completed shared path between McGettigans Lane and east of Quarry Lane and that by October sealing from the concrete path to the guard rail will be provided."
Kings Creek Bridge: "the bridge forms part of Mullumbimby Road which is being resubmitted to RTA for formal speed review (Council support reduction to 80kph). No other plans are proposed however RTA advice on extra funding for, as you refer to, cyclist “black spot”, has been sought and is not yet forthcoming."
Map of Bike Issues in Byron Shire
Byron
Council staff have indicated to us that they may not be aware of the bad,
dangerous and ugly places for bikeriders. In response, Garth Luke has kindly
created an interactive resource to which we can all contribute. It is
a map that documents locations in Byron Shire that have bike problems and
needs that we would like addressed. You can view the map at:
http://tinyurl.com/byronbugmap
Please contact Garth Luke at garthboy‘at’ozemail.com.au with a description of the location of the problem area and issues. If you know of any bike related accidents or problem points this is the place.
Mudgee Bike Muster
This
will be held over Easter in 2009 (10th to 13th April) which is also the first
weekend of the NSW April School Holidays so it's a great time to get away and
catch up with your friends and family and best of all spend a few days mucking
about on your bike in and around the Mudgee Region!
One highlight is sure to be the food on offer with lunch included in your registration
fee and the option to add on dinner for Friday, Saturday & Sunday nights.
All the catering will be conducted by local restaurant Deebs Kitchen who have
featured on the SBS program Food Lovers Safari, so not
only will you get great riding and entertainment you'll get great food as well!
Registration for Bike Muster is now open and full details for the weekends
program can be seen on the Bike Muster website: www.bikemuster.com.au
Tours in France - Special Offer
'Bikeit You’ll Likeit’ offers boutique cycle tours cycle tours in the Limousin region of France. Rides are fully supported www.bikeit-likeit.com
Special Offer for members of the Bicycle Users Group between May- October, 2009.
Don’t miss out on a chance to have a marvellous supported cycling trip on traffic free roads. The variety and consistent good quality of the cuisine and accommodation on our routes are the result of detailed careful research into the best points of historical and natural interest. The organisers local knowledge will also guarantee excellent wine, food and a comfortable bed in charming accommodation; definitely a memorable incentive to reward the day’s riding.
Discounts as follows for group bookings with holding deposit made by April 30, 2009;
• Bring 8 riders and receive a discount of 50% off the cost of one persons tour.
• Bring 4/5/6 Riders get 25% off the cost of one persons tour.
• Be the organiser and save on your tour or pass the reduction on to your group.
Yours
in biking, be safe, have fun, Bernard