On any road shared by cars and cyclists there is clearly a fragile relationship between half a ton of steel and a few kilos of flesh and bone. When that relationship strays from its careful path, it’s the human being who suffers.

As an occasional cyclist on Wellington’s narrow, winding roads my fragility is always on my mind. Now a study tells us that motorists’ perceptions are skewed by the oh-so-helpful cycle lanes:

Traffic.

Drivers give cyclists a wider berth on roads where there is no lane because they assume that they should share the road and make more allowance for the risk of wobbles. …

[A] study, which is due to be published in the scientific journal Accident Analysis and Prevention, says that on roads without cycle lanes, drivers “consciously perform an overtaking manoeuvre”. On roads with cycle lanes, they treat the space between the centre line and the outside edge of the cycle lane as exclusively their territory and make less adjustment for cyclists.

[Via : Cycle lanes encourage motorists to drive closer to bikes, says study - Times Online.]

I grew up cycling to school and back in Christchurch. My bike was my means of transport. By the time I got my driver’s licence I totally understood the needs and problems of cyclists.

I think motorists should be required to demonstrate a number of hours experience riding a bike on busy city roads before they are allowed to graduate to a full car licence. Once they’ve had a taste of the fear, perhaps they’d be more considerate.

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Kiwis seem to be a creative and inventive bunch. Today I’ve come across two examples related to cycling.

The YikeBike is a new kind of bike called a mini-farthing:

We started with a blank sheet of paper and addressed the needs of urban commuting: light-weight for carrying; compact and clean for carrying and storage; decent size front wheel for bumps and curbs; better visibility through upright riding position; shorter wheel base for better manoeuvrability and electric drive to prevent working up a sweat.

We also addressed a number of safety issues such as: shorter stopping distance (the YikeBike has anti-skid brakes), tighter cornering for emergencies, better acceleration, a limited top speed of 20kph and a riding position that is upright and unencumbered by handle bars in the event of an emergency stop or accident. …

It is designed and currently assembled in New Zealand.

Sounds and looks really interesting, but some excavation of the website revealed a price that is well beyond my budget.

Bike racks

Carrying stuff on a bike is always a problem. I have a rack on my bike and a small bag that locks into it. The small bag was exactly what I intended to buy, but I’ve found it’s not big enough for my usual needs.

Today I discovered the Freeload rack, that sounds very interesting:

Freeload is the world’s first fully adjustable bicycle carrier rack that can be fitted to the front or rear of all types of bicycles, including full-suspension mountain bikes. This innovation is a major breakthrough for load-carrying on mountain bikes, especially in off-road touring situations.

Designed and developed in New Zealand, home to some of the most challenging and beautiful off-road touring destinations, the Freeload system provides you with a truly flexible platform for adventure.
Freeload lets you remove the load from your back and mount it directly to your bike, giving you more freedom to enjoy the ride.

[Via : Your Platform For Adventure.]

The price is reasonable — buy one before 1 November 2009 to receive a 25% discount off the standard price.

I had to ferret around the website a bit, but the rack seems to include bungees for attaching your gear to the rack.

I think I see one of these in my future …

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Since I took up cycling again, after a break of around 25 years, one of the biggest hurdles has been the sheer terror of riding on Wellington’s roads.

One rule I learned as a car driver here is that big 4-wheel drives always have right of way. As a cyclist I fear I have no rights at all. For safety’s sake I wear a fluorescent yellow jacket and tend to hold fast to the middle of my lane unless it’s clearly safe to ride more to the left.

The City Council are now proposing new Cycleways and Walkways:

Wellington City Council’s new 10-year budget includes $4,750,000 to invest in a strategic cycling and walking network — including the proposed ‘Great Harbour Way’ and a cycle-walkway alongside the Porirua Stream through Tawa and along Middleton Road to Glenside. …

“There has also been a lot of support, and a large amount of planning work undertaken by a widespread community consortium for the Great Harbour Way which is proposed to run almost 70 km from Pencarrow right around Wellington Harbour before finally ending at Owhiro Bay on Wellington’s South Coast.”

That would be a great ride, round the coast, especially since it’s all flat.

I hope they work on it in consecutive stages so we can start riding fairly soon and gradually build up the distance as they complete more portions.

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Living Streets Wellington has an interesting sounding talk coming up in conjunction with their AGM:

Dr Tim Halpine is the guest speaker at Living Streets Wellington branch AGM on Monday 22nd June [2009].

He studied for his Doctor of Podiatric Medicine in California and now lives with his family in Wilton, Wellington. He is a keen sportsman, involved in tennis and gym.

The human foot is an amazingly engineered structure that is both flexible and strong.  Its design has evolved while functioning on soft irregular surfaces, for example the forest floor. Modern surfaces which are flat and hard, and extreme stress caused by running or prolonged walking can cause painful conditions to arise.

If you love walking, learn how to avoid problems arising that could curtail your steps! Come along to our evening meeting and hear Tim give hints on early recognition of foot problems and advice on shoe selection.

…The AGM is at Committee Room 1, Wellington City Council, 101 Wakefield Street from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Monday 22nd June 2009.

There will be refreshments provided. The new Wellington walking maps will also be available (Newtown Berhampore Walking Map Edition 2 and the three Lunchtime Walks brochures).

[Via : Living Streets Wellington.]

Something I hadn’t realised was that they have a whole lot of downloadable PDF maps of footways in Northland, Highbury, the back of Newtown and others. It even includes a full list of where to find Public Toilets in Wellington, with opening hours.

Scroll down on their web page to see full list of available maps.

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The other day I took the dogs to review the Mitchelltown School off-leash area, a tiny patch of grass beside Aro Street.

That took 2 minutes.

Then we spotted the Polhill Reserve track, leading uphill. I thought it may loop round above the off-leash area and emerge on the other side, where I’d seen a less official looking track.

It didn’t. But it took me and the dogs a couple of hours to figure that out. It was one of those walks where I kept expecting that a side-track would come up ‘just round the next corner’.

Our dogs aren’t big walkers. They love their walks, but tire easily. They’re only little, and are fairly laid-back, rather than being high-energy powerhouses.

So, we set off up the track, negotiating some fairly steep and muddy sections — the kind of thing that’s OK to go up, with 2 dogs pulling on the leash, but not at all easy to go down.

I had to keep the dogs on the lead, too, not only because of Wellington’s pest poisoning programme, but because of the ferret traps we were warned about.

There were a couple of opportunities to take tracks down to Holloway Road but I had it fixed in my mind that at any moment we’d be able to turn the other way, so we kept going up the track.

The track wasn’t specially interesting. It was a couple of metres wide in many places, but the bushes beside the path were quite high, and there were very few spots with a view. It was a matter of plugging along, ever onward and upward.

Before too long the dogs started lagging behind, and I realised that the ‘loop’ round the off-leash area wasn’t going to happen. I didn’t want to go back, though, because of the steep muddy spots.

We carried on.

Occasionally there were fungi beside the path. Interesting large or small, slimy topped orange ‘saucers’, and one time tidy little whitish pointy fungi.

We kept walking uphill, trekking round through trees, and with an alarming couple of downhill sections. We were on the north side of Brooklyn Hill, and I had visions of ending up somewhere bizarre, like half way to Makara.

After an age I was starting to think we’d never see the end of the track, but realised we must be nearly at the top of Brooklyn Hill. I was doing OK, but the dogs were plodding and I was concerned for them. I plied them with some doggy treats, but not expecting a big walk I hadn’t brought any water, for them or for me. It was rather warm for a winter’s day, so we were all a bit hot.

Finally, we emerged on Ashton Fitchett Drive, at the entry point to the wind turbine. My photo timestamps show it was in fact only a 1 hour walk, but it seemed longer. And we still had to make our way back down the hill to the car, parked in Aro Street.

We hurried down the streets at a good clip. Even Oshi was trotting along with good speed, now we were on our way back to the car. I was very glad to have my iPhone and its Google Maps to help with the unfamiliar streets.

Finally we found our way back to Tanera Park, took the steps down to Epuni Street and hurried along Aro Street as the daylight faded.

All up, it was a couple of hours for the round trip, and probably about 5 Km. It wasn’t really a hard walk — I suspect Brooklyn Hill isn’t as steep as Mt Victoria. But it’s taught me to check out a track before I take the dogs with me next time.

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The other day it cleared enough to take the dogs to Lyall Bay beach.¹ There was a chilly and vigorous stiff Southerly breeze, and the sea was still showing evidence of a healthy swell.

We made our way briskly along the sand, but others were making their way much more swiftly on the water. There were half a dozen kitesurfers enjoying their sport. Most were puddling around at one end of the bay, but one was travelling at high speed parallel to the beach.

I caught a photo of her / him just after a 180° turn to head back away from the airport. I could easily see that it must take a lot of strength to control the kite.

In Wellington we’re very familiar with the wind. We all know just how it feels when the breeze catches your coat and pushes you along, or across, the footpath. It’s easy to imagine the forces this kitesurfer is dealing with.

According to the Wellington Windsurfing Association, kitesurfing at Lyall Bay is not for the inexperienced:

Expert: Lyall Bay
Southerly only. You will need a permission from the Wellington Airport Control Tower! Launch and sail only on the west side of the bay.

¹ Wellington and the perpetual storm

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It must be around 30 years since I last fell off a bike.

The path down to our house from the road is narrow and steep. It’s a zig zag, with some tight turns.

Yesterday, while biking down the path, I wasn’t paying close attention and fell on one of the turns. I skinned my knee, reopened a days old scratch on my thumb, and collected a few minor bruises. No serious damage done.

Anyway, I figure this fall was probably a good thing. Since taking up biking again around a year ago after a 25 year break, I’ve generally been rigid with terror. This fall demonstrates that I’m more relaxed now.

I certainly feel as though I’ve been growing more confident, and that my body is finally re-learning long-forgotten cycling skills.

Having the battery on my bike, to help me up Mt Victoria, has been a wonderful thing, too. I’ve even recently taken to riding home through the Town Belt. From the Marjoribanks St traffic lights via the track to the green area by the new public toilets below the Byrd Memorial takes 10 to 15 minutes, with combined pedalling and battery.

My bike skills are tiny. I can ride along a wide, flat road, without often falling off. Watch this 5 minute video though for some serious bike skills. I can only think this rider must have suffered some big-time injuries before he achieved what you see here. I have infinite admiration for people who can do this kind of thing.

[Video via : Penmachine: Videos that are scary-dumb - words music comment from Derek K. Miller - Vancouver, B.C., Canada (since 2000).]

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It was a beautiful, warm, sun-filled day on Easter Sunday so we took the dogs for a walk up the Tip Track, part of Te Kopahau Reserve on Wellington’s South Coast.

This walk takes you from the Happy Valley gate to the sealed road near the top of Hawkins Hill. The ascent is steep in places with a good place to rest half way up in the abandoned stockyards. This track is a favourite with mountain bikers and walkers. Look to the north and you can see the Living Earth plant and the Southern Landfill.

[Via : Explore Wellington: Te Kopahou Reserve - Tracks and Walks - Feeling Great.]

The track itself starts by the road to the rubbish tip, off Happy Valley Road. It’s a fairly wide path, sometimes rutted, and with a somewhat loose surface, that relentlessly climbs towards Hawkins Hill.

We walked on a sunny, almost cloudless morning, with no shade on that northern side of the hill. The dogs occasionally found a tiny patch of shade beneath some longer grass beside the track, but it was a hot climb.

We took our time, and after an hour reached what is probably the Old Stockyards where we had a snack and a drink while we enjoyed views over Wellington Harbour and Cook Strait. Once rested we made our way down again — a half hour walk.

Our walk was surprisingly noisy as sounds from the Landfill’s operation resounded across the valley. At the top of the hill is also a bizarre fortress-like house defended by large and very noisy dogs. We could hear their persistent barking during most of our walk. It must be horrible living in the midst of all that commotion.

The fortress photo here was taken on a different walk in 2006.

We met one cyclist on his way down the hill, and one woman and her dog on their way down. It was a pleasant enough way to spend a couple of hours, but I think it’s a walk best done not in full, hot sunshine.

Click on the photos for larger versions.

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It’s not true you know: you do forget how to ride a bike.

I grew up riding bikes. It started when I was very little, in London. I recall learning how to ride up and down the hallway of our house.

View Larger Map

I don’t think it was actually a very large house, but as a young kid I thought it was a long hallway.

We moved to Christchurch, New Zealand when I was 8 years old. It’s flat in Christchurch, so for the next decade I went to school or out to play on my bike. Rain or shine, easterlies, southerlies or gusty nor’westers I’d be biking to where I needed to go.

Then came a period of travel by motorbike or car, but in around 1981 I was travelling by train in Europe and came upon the notion of cycling in the UK. I bought a 10-speed touring bike in London and spent several weeks riding north. I landed up in Edinburgh where I stayed for the next 6 months, again cycling everywhere, even one day to Glasgow and back.

Since then I’ve hardly cycled at all. I’ve lived in Wellington for 20 years now, where the hills are a definite deterrent.

Finally though I’m returning to cycling. Last year I bought an electric bike that can help get me up the hills, but I really only started riding in earnest this month. It’s my goal for the first 3 months of this year to ride at least 30 minutes per day at least 3 days per week.

What I’m finding is that there’s a huge amount to (re)learn about riding a bike. I need to work on skills such as balance so I don’t swerve all over the road when I look behind me, and riding on loose surfaces, or downhill.

Changing gear seems to be a problem. My touring bike was a 10-speed; this one has 21 speeds. I have to learn which lever does what: high or low, left or right. More than once I’ve changed into completely the wrong gear. And I’m learning how to make positive gear changes, smoothly, rather than a near-change where the chain doesn’t quite move to the new cog and things clunk around.

I’m relearning how to relax. My terrified ‘death-grip’ is finally loosening, gradually, and my stiff posture is easing. Roads are very scary places when you have no metal case around you, especially in Wellington with its narrow, winding, steep hill roads and sometimes unfriendly drivers.

Physically, I’m way out of shape for cycling. I’ve been walking dogs for years and can sometimes stride out up and down hills, but cycling uses an entirely different set of muscles. My quads are waking up again, slowly.

This is my first electric bike. I’m also learning how to apply the motor to maximise battery life and enjoy a smooth ride. It takes a while to learn how to twist the throttle on the left handlebar grip — it’s just a narrow ‘band’ at the end of the grip, not the whole grip as on a motorbike.

The first few times I rode the battery went flat very quickly. I suspect it was a combination of it being a fresh unconditioned battery, my using inappropriate gears, and my just squeezing too great a speed out of it. After decades as a car driver I’ve forgotten that bikes are generally much slower in general travel.

There’s been a lot lot to learn and re-learn and I have much yet to remember. Already though my confidence is increasing and my body is recalling those old patterns. As I relax I’m remembering how much I used to enjoy cycling.

Those days I was biking through England the first hour would be hard graft. Then, at some point while biking, with miles behind me since the last overnight stop, I’d ‘come to’ from whatever daydream I was in and remember I was actually cycling.

Here’s hoping I can find that ‘zone’ again.

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On Sunday a friend and I took our dogs and went for a walk in Belmont Regional Park, about 20 minutes drive from downtown Wellington.

It was a simple and easy 2 hour walk, entering from Cornish Street, Petone. That’s a few metres beyond the motorway off-ramp that leads you to Eastbourne, but before the traffic lights for those continuing on to the Hutt Valley.

View Larger Map

The track is very narrow — only one person wide — but it very very gradually takes you uphill, alongside the Korokoro stream. One fabulous advantage of a narrow track is that cyclists simply can’t whoosh along way too fast as is their habit on Mt Victoria.

We didn’t go as far as the Korokoro Dam, as time was limited, so stopped at a junction that led off to Baked Beans Bend and then returned the way we’d come. Apparently:

The dam was the first gravity fed concrete dam in New Zealand, built to supply water for the Petone Borough in 1903.

[Via : Greater Wellington - Walking and tramping.]

One thing I noticed was how few birds there were. We saw a few ducks and ducklings in the stream, and spotted a shag, but otherwise it was pretty quiet.

That was a very pleasant walk. Next time I hope to make it all the way to the dam.

Click the image above to view an album of photos from the walk.

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