The first thousand

Last month I began the Bicycle NSW commuter challenge and the Global Corporate Challenge. Now that the first 1000 Km of the commuter challenge has been done and dusted, I thought I would post an update on my progress and where I have been riding. The 1000 Km includes the Central Coast Century Challenge as well as the Pedal Power Social rides that I have attended. It also includes rides around  the local region.

It has had it’s interesting moments such as the time I was riding along the Great Western Highway and came across a guy riding a Surly 1×1 which had been converted to take a Rohloff Hub. He found himself a shifter which made his day because they cost a fair bit. He was on his way to Black fellas hands near Wallerawang.

I completed the first thousand with the Pedal Power Social ride from Tuggeranong which went to Curtin via Lake Burley Griffin. I found myself riding the final 5 km on a 3 speed after the gear cable for the rear deraileur snapped.

Today I went to Queanbeyan via the Kowen Forest. I went up Northbourne Avenue then took the Federal Highway to Sutton Road. I then took the Sutton Road to the Kowen Forest. The day was brilliant and warm – it has been a mild winter thus far. I rode on to Queanbeyan and then took the bike path back to Canberra. I stopped at the Bus Depot Markets for lunch and then went home via the bike path at Lake Burley Griffin.

The first thousand kilometers also saw me wear out the rear tyre on the red hybrid. I have replaced the Specialized rear tyre  with a Vittoria Zaffiro from Onya Bike Civic.

On the issue of the Global Corporate Challenge. I and the rest of my team started off from Red Square in Moscow. From there we went through Eastern Europe to Hungary where we were moved along to Afghanistan by the GCC’s private jet. The thing that strikes me most about this challenge by including Afghanistan in the virtual tour of the world we are going along to places that were previously part of the Hippy Trail – a route used by travellers to during the 60’s and 70’s. Of course now with Afghanistan and some of the neighbouring republics being conflict zones it seems pity that we are now reduced to going on a virtual tour instead of actually walking and cycling in these areas.

The interesting thing about the GCC is that they convert the Kms done cycling into steps – unfortunately they do not give a 1 for 1 kilometer count but they do include the steps. We are now at Khorog in Tajikistan. This is an interesting country to say the least. The step average is 29849 steps a day.

 I am determined to see these challenges through and expect to be able to give another update at the 200o Km mark of the Commuter Challenge which I am expecting to be around this time next month. I aim to give monthly updates which will be around every 1000 Km

Sorry day

It has been a historic day and it would be totaly stupid of me not to mention taht today the Australian Government lead by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said sorry to The Stolen Generation for the pain are harm that policies practiced by  and laws passed by previous governments inflicted on Aboriginal Australians. I got in on time today and am ready if it rains again as it did yesterday. I watched the apology on the TV near Jules Landini’s desk. There were quite a lot of people who took the time and the interest to watch the apology. We watched the apology on the ABC, while Kevin Rudd was giving his speach someone who grew up in North Qld began making some inappropriate comments when the PM related the story of the Aboriginal woman he had consulted. The comments alluded to drunkeness and child molestation that has happened in Aboriginal communities (I have often wondered if she has ever gone to Oxford St or the CBD on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday night, in fact she should have gone to Penrith last Friday and watched the crowd of mostly white young people fighting at the Taxi rank!). Eventually Kevin delivered the apology and everyone in the room was happy. I feel that it has been a historic day and everyone should remember this one for the right reasons.

When Brendan Nelson got up to give his reply most of the people present during the PM’s speach began to disperse. So it was only myself and the AQIS officer watching hanging around to the end. I get the feeling that Nelson’s speach was not given the proper time and analysis. From what I have heard there were some of the Libs who boycotted the event. This is a shame given that they as Brendan Nelson mentioned were the first party to elect an Aboriginal person to parliament. I have heard that there were much stronger reactions to his speach in Melbourne’s Federation Square and The Block in Redfern. I listened to the speach and think that there were some parts of it which should have been left out. An example of this is the mention of the fact that his father was removed from his grandmother who was an unwed teenager when he was born. This was seen by many as somewhat of a me too. However it is good to see most of the Libs and I assume most of the Nats have supported the apology.

Yesterday I went for a ride with the intention of going to Liverpool via Olympic park (basically the Cooks River cycleway and and the bike path to Parra followed by the Parramatta to Liverpool Rail Trail. It rained heavily for about 30 min and I wound up leaving in the pouring rain. It was a bugger because it got cold and problematic on the way out. Sydney drivers must learn to drive slower in the rain. The smash repairers must love this weather. Anyhow I got to South Strathfield when the rain stopped. It got so warm I was able to take the rain coat off and carry on to Olympic Park. I got there in time for peak hour which meant I was obliged to wait for a while at Bicentenial Park til I had a chance to cross.

I went through to Parramatta and decided to go to Parramatta Park it is in the centre of Parramatta and I got there with the help of shared paths and the use of the footpath through the mall. Things are difficult for cyclists in Parra because there is little signage to indicate what is a share path and what is not although the dead give away to what is a shared path is the Bike symbol traffic lights. I made it to Parra Park and did 4 laps afterwhich I had some food – the rice crackers I have been using for fuel on rides, took my overshoes off and lubed the chain. Parramatta park is similar to Centenial Park. I am not sure of the kilometers traveled but I would say at a pinch it would be roughly 12 km in the 4 laps. Like Centenial it has a bike lane Unlike Centenial the pedestrain facilities are so close to the bike lane that the peds wander into the lane. The good thing is there isn’t as much car traffic and you can travel in the car lane if necessary. I would say that Parra Park is quite picturesque. It is tidy and has some historical architecture such as the old government house and some Victorian era gates. I would have to say it is a pleasure to ride during the day or with sufficient light. I have ridden through Parra Park before but it was ages ago and at night. I didn’t like it then because of a speed bump that surprised me when going through there at a reasonable clip. However like Centenial it is a good part of Sydney.

This got me thinking about a good ride I may even attempt to set out the route on Bikely. I decided to ride back through Olympic park to Centenial Park. I went back down the Cooks River Cyclway and got to Marrickville. I went up the lovely but dangerous Victoria Road then rode through Newtown and Redfern to Moore Park and went roughly the same way I usually go to Centenial. I did a lap of Centenial and noticed that the ranger was tootling around in his ute with the spot light. He drove past me but said nothing. Which was interesting given that the park was closed to cars and dark. I expected him to tell me to get out or at least ask where I was going but he just drove past. I carried on and nearly ran into a pedestrian in what I assume was fluro shorts and shirt. He didn’t have any HiVis stuff on and so was a surprise.

It was a good ride but next time I might do the ride in revese and go through to via Sydney Steel Park, Moore Park,  Centenial then over the Anzac bridge, the Iron Cove bridge through the area north of the Parramatta River (eg Ryde, Gladesville) through Olympic Park then to Parramatta, to the Park and then back through the bike path to Olympic Park and then down the Cooks River Cycleway. I will consult Bikely to see if anything has been written up on the route but I will wait and see. Some time I may even repeat the ride with the Katana as it has a bike computer.