Category Archives: Bicycle Advocacy

Goldfields Weekend: September 28-30th – NEW PLACES AVAILABLE

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Due to some unforeseen illnesses there are now a few places available for the ever-popular Goldfields Tour. 

This year’s ride is based in St Arnaud, with rides to points of interest, including a winery lunch ride.

Allan Marshall, ride organiser, has spend many hours finding the most interesting and safest rides over this years Grandfinal Weekend.

Allan works hard to keep costs down so, if your budget it tight, you should still be able to manage this weekend.  Transport and accommodation are already organised.  All that’s needed is you, your bike and your overnight bag. 

For you footy addicts, Saturday afternoon is reserved for the Grand Final (and there’s lots to do in the local area for those otherwise inclined).

For more details contact Allan Marshall (0418 992 672) as soon as possible (deadline September 5th so details can be finalised).

Some snaps from previous goldfields rides…

Rod & Rosemary
Kelly checks the bike trailer
Kelly and Karen in civvies
Heather’s new book has just arrived…
Russell as prosecutor
Robert tries out the feel…
A mid-ride rest
Allan in front of his grandmother’s house where he spent a lot of time in his youth. This photo was taken on Allan’s last Cycling Geelong Maryborough tour in 2010.

 

Ted Wilson Trail Update

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Church Street end now re-opened, but beware of temptation

Finally, after over a year, the Church Street end of the Ted Wilson Trail and western end of Church Street have reopened.

The shared path along Church Street that leads to the Ted Wilson Trail (newly re-opened Church Street on the left)

However, avoid the temptation of the new sweeping path down the hill to Fyansford!

Ted Wilson Trail northbound on the right.
New path to Fyansford – maybe?

The path makes and abrupt halt at the bottom of the long hill – at the edge of the estate.  When it will be finished nobody knows.  Cyclists need to pedal back up the hill and take the usual route along Hyland Street to access Fyansford.

“Fyansford” end of the new path from Church Street to Fyansford

Riding along the re-opened Ted Wilson Trail isn’t all roses either.  The path is seriously overgrown with weeds, which are beginning to compromise the integrity of the path surface.  Hopefully, CoGG will soon rectify this.  (If you have Snap, Send, Solve  on your phone – send in a request to have this fixed.  The more people who do so, the more likelihood of fast action.)

We note that the Ted Wilson Trail is now closed between Bacchus Marsh Road and Anakie Road for 5 months from 8th January till 8th June.  Cyclists detour to Matthews Road, and have to negotiate the very busy multi-land roundabout at Cox, Anakie and Matthews Road.

Path closure sign on Ted Wilson Trail near Pioneer Road.

Support new Cycling Infrastructure for Geelong – have your say

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To promote the safety of separated bicycle infrastructure, these kids have produced a music video…

Please find the time to comment on Geelong’s proposed new cycling infrastructure – https://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/yoursay/item/8d51c8881af246e.aspx

To view the detailed plans, there’s one final drop-in session from 3-6pm, next Tuesday (February 13th) from 3-6pm.

Let the strength of our cycling voices lead to positive, safe cycling infrastructure!

2017 – Our Cycling Year in Pictures

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It’s been a wonderful year of cycling.  Cycling Geelong has run rides every week on Saturday, Sunday and Thursday as well as special rides:  Robert’s Melbourne rides, Allan’s Maryborough, Allan’s Red Rock Ride, Tina’s Moonlight rides and On Ya Bike! in Seniors Month series.  We have cycled at least 48156km on club rides (this only includes rides entered on the Cycling Geelong website).

We’ve had 5 regular dinner meetings, as well as a social gathering in February and our Christmas function in November.  Thanks to Stephanie, Geoff and Heather for organising these.

The Green Spine along Malop Street is open between Yarra and Moorabool Streets.  The new cycle-friendly crossing of the railway on Little Malop Street is also open.  Work continues on the Barwon River -Moorabool Street access trail.  Thanks to Heather and Dave for their work on the Bicycle Infrastructure Committee of CoGG and to Bike Safe Geelong for their continued advocacy across our region.

The Ted Wilson Trail and western approach along Church Street remain closed – over 10 months since the initial ‘1 month’ closure.

Closure of Ted Wilson Trail at Church street – photo posted in August 2017 when the path had been closed for 6 months.
Still closed on 23rd December

January

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February

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March

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April

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May

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June

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July

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August

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September

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October

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On Ya Bike! rides for Seniors Month

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November

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December

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Commuting by Bike

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Summer is almost with us.  Consider using your bike for transport – not just a social jaunt.  Geelong is the perfect place to cycle commute – good climate, not too big, reasonable (and constantly improving) bike facilities and pretty flat.

Even in the USA cycle commuting is taking off…  Watch the video to hear these personal stories.  Perhaps we should make our own about the joys of cycling in Geelong.

Amsterdam: Cycling Heaven – 5 reasons why

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Geelong moved a step closer to becoming a leading cycling city with the opening of the first stage of the Malop Street Green Spine last week.  There is now a one-way cycleway westwards from Yarra Street to Moorabool Street.  As funding becomes available, it is planned to extend this further along Malop Street.  City of Geelong is to be congratulated for this step towards making the Geelong CBD more people-friendly.  (Unfortunately, at least for the present, if you’re travelling eastwards, you still need to use the old bike lane with the hazards of fast-moving motor vehicles, and opening car doors.)

Amsterdam has one of the highest rates of cycling for transport in the world.  It wasn’t always so!  I recommend you read In the City of Bikes:  The Story of the Amsterdam Cyclist by Pete Jordan (available at the Geelong Regional Library) to find out how Amsterdam transformed itself into a cycling Mecca. 

This is despite the fact that for much of the year, Amsterdam has an unfriendly climate for cycling.

Making a city where most trips are done on bikes requires utterly discarding conventional car-centric ways of thinking about transportation. Norman Garrick

With Geelong’s easy terrain, wonderful climate and the beginning of the Principal Bicycle Network, we’d love to see Geelong transformed to a place where cycling is the norm.

Five reasons why Amsterdam works so well for bikes

For more, here is an article on the five reasons why Amsterdam works so well for bikes.  Underlying all this is designing transport for people rather than cars.  In a city with a greater urban area population of 1.8 million people, traffic deaths are 2/100,000 of population.  Australia’s rate of traffic fatalities is close to triple this.

Look at any photo of people cycling in Amsterdam.  You’ll see  mixture of male and female, ages and many assorted bicycles.  One measure of how well our infrastructure makes cycling safe is the percentage of females riding bikes.

Cycling in Amsterdam. People go about their daily lives using bikes for transport. Low speeds and good infrastructure mean that cycling is safe for all. Image from http://www.local-life.com/amsterdam/articles/cycling-in-amsterdam

Barwon River Circuit: Saturday 21st October, 2017

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There were at least 24 cyclists on this morning’s overcast ride around the river.  It was great to see people from far and wide, including Kelly and Karen commuting from Corio via the Ted Wilson Trail (and conquering Hyland Street on the return journey).

The riders were met by Tina and Gavin at the Breakwater (though Tina’s was a social visit only, due to family commitments), and president John (who’d been chasing the ride) at Queens Park.  Nancy and Heather also joined the group for coffee at Barwon Edge.

The river was reasonably quiet, but this morning’s ride was marred by the aggressive comments and behaviour of one jogger, and a bit of a problem with a couple of out of control dogs in the leash free area.  The Barwon River trail is a shared path.  Cycling Geelong’s riders kept their good temper, and unfailing politeness.  After all, everyone is out on the path for recreation and enjoyment – whether,  pushing pedals or a pram, jogging, or being taken for a walk by their canine friends.

All path users should keep to the left of the path.  Cyclists are required to give way to pedestrians.  However, it is also the responsibility of all path users, including pedestrians, not to block the path, and to control dogs whether in on-leash or off-leash areas.