2012 National Ride2School Day 23 March

Ride2School Day encourages kids to use active modes of transport.

Friday 23 March is the National Ride2School day Australian students will grab their wheels and ride to school, creating one of Australia’s largest celebrations of active participation. It is anticipated that over 140,000 Australian kids at over 1,000 primary and secondary schools will participate. Students and school communities across Australia will embrace a healthier start to the day.

National Ride2School Day is an opportunity to promote riding, scooting, skating and walking to school as a means of transport, which has proven health and wellbeing benefits. The biggest day in the Bicycle Network’s Ride2School program calendar, National Ride2School Day sees student’s in registered schools average riding rate increase to 48 percent, more than double the national average.

Here in Bendigo Schools such as Spring Gully, White Hills, Epsom, St Monica’s Kangaroo Flat, Big Hill Golden Square, California Gully and Axedale Primary Schools have embraced this day with great enthusiasm innovation and connection with the wider cycling community.

Old cycling quirks and quips

The Hashbrown HasBeens

Social: the Hashbrown HasBeens have been riding together for some 20 years.

Bendigo bike riding groups, range from serious, competitive groups to informal, recreational groups who regularly ride for the exercise and friendship.

The “HashBrown HasBeens” commenced over 20 years ago with 3-4 riders and now has 9 regulars who meet for a weekly ride. The name comes is a description of the ages of most of the riders, as one member coined, “when we look in a mirror, it’s obvious why we’re called HasBeens, most of us retired or semi-retired. The HashBrown name comes from their regular habit of starting from a McDonalds and finishing there for breakfast”.

The group ride starts at 7.00am (7.30am during the winter) for a 25-30km ride around Bendigo, using a variety of routes. On the last Sunday of each month, the group does an off-road ride on mountain bikes, riding through the many and varied forests, parklands etc. which surround Bendigo. Even though many of the riders are long term inhabitants of Bendigo, it is always surprising to them to discover all sorts of new, interesting sights and places which exist in and around our city. Sometimes, after these off road rides, the group finishes up at someone’s house where breakfast is provided.

Invitation one and all to BDCC reunion

Reunion: the Bendigo and District Cycling Club is hosting a reunion during the Bendigo Madison carnival

Coming up soon, in just 3 weeks, 9th – 11th March Bendigo hosts their biggest weekend on the cycling calender the Bendigo International Madison.

Starting Friday night, a street criterium, showcasing the Madison riders of international and national fame along with many other top bike riders seeking to win this the prestigious curtain raiser event. Past famous name to have won this race have been Manx Flyer, a winner of the green jersey of the Tour de France, Mark Cavendish, and we hope to see another rising star this year.

Two wheel thrill

Cross disciplines: Adam found the discplines learned as a competitive cyclist translated well to another two-wheeled sport.

The thrill and spills of two wheeled racing and riding has long been a part of Adam Nicolson’s life.  Growing up in Charlton his affinity with motor cross started around the age of six with family and friends. Adam’s uncles Mark and Graham Nicolson’s had been members of the Herald Sun Tour competitors back in the days of their being professional and amateur ranks as well as his own father Alan being a reasonable handy cyclist at a local level until work and family took precedent.

It was the school boys cycling championships that captured Adam around the age of 13 years old making another generation of the Nicolson two wheeled competitors. The disciplines required kept Adam clear of the peer group pressures of those days, the lure of under age smoking and drinking.

Local Charlton legend of cycling Lloyd Patterson took on a coaching and mentoring role in Adam’s formative years giving much needed wisdom that would keep Adam focused in both motor and human powered pursuits of racing on two wheels.

Women shine in Cycling Club

Proud history: women have long been a part of the Bendigo club. Esther and Jessica warm up at the track.

The diversity and depth of the Bendigo and District Cycling Club has not been in any way restricted to men. There is a great strength of women, from junior ranks right through to the elite women the cycling history books contain many club members’ names.

At the executive and committee of the club, a strong presence and support of women brings a balance to the male influence. The Life Members Hall of Fame in the year 2000, saw Eileen Spencer, Carol Anderson and Heather Bennett being inducted recognising their unerring support of Cycling in the Bendigo District and beyond.

Nana Naps essential

Part of the routine: don't fight the afternoon nap, it's all part of the recovering cycle.

Australia Day – our own nation’s day and long weekend and the roads are usually very busy not only because of the holiday but also it is one of the last free weekends before school go back.

A custom on our country highway and byways are the road slogan warning us of the feeling tired, battling the yawns, weary and driving? Advice of the Road Traffic Authorities is to take a power nap or get out of the car and revive your drive.

Long weekend see service agencies offering cups of tea or coffee and a biscuit encouraging drivers and families to take a break and arrive alive and survive. Combination of the rest, the stimulant of coffee or tea, and food in the stomach all add to relieving the stress and concentration of driving and tiredness. 

Bendigo cycling club honour roll

Winning club: Ian Grindlay - Billy Stevens - Merv Dean (Dec) - Brian Sonnerman - Frank McCaig (Dec) celebrate another win for the club. (Date unknown.)

The Bendigo and District Cycling Club has been extremely fortunate in the calibre and stable of riders that have been club members over many decades. The history books of cycling, locally, state wide, nationally, and internationally have been written on the name of many great athletes in cycling belonging to the Bendigo Club.

While events may no longer be run the history still remains that Bendigo has always been a competitive strength to reckon with. While it is risky to attempt to capture all the riders names as there is always the chance the we can miss recognising a significant contributor of the sport.

Moments like these!

Ever have one of those moments where things happen that make you wonder what is behind our being? Find more and people sharing the “what are the odds of this” moments in their life, quite often is said the six degrees of separation, where someone knows that someone who is linked to our lives and circumstances.

Take them as you will, I enjoy hearing the encounters of others. Like the local rider preparing for a ride across Canada and getting the right contacts on what the conditions and environment is likely to be encountered.  There are a number of internet sites across the world for back packing tourists for getting a hot shower and accessing a sofa to sleep on where people register their availability, allowing travellers these small comforts away from home.

There is a cost!

2012 –  you’re about to start with a new beginning in cycling or any other aspect of your life as your new year resolution there is a cost factor that may well need to be considered.

Entering into cycling starts with an initial outlay of purchasing the bike that suits your vision of cycling whether for commuting, riding trails on the weekend, or wanting to join , recreational road riding. Having a budget figure of expenditure is essential or money will slip through your fingers. The bike choice then will require pedal choice and shoes to match. Good sound advice is selecting a well fitting helmet as this can be all that is between you and the road in an event of a fall. Clothing is another area where choice seems to come with some reservations but once the element of comfort is experienced in having a reasonable pair of cycling Knicks  and good gloves you won’t regret the outlay.