"Using" our bikes!
Well, now that we are members of a Bicycle User Group, I guess you could say we have been inspired to be "using" our bikes more. In other words, compared to last year, Marc and I, at any rate, have really been making an effort to get out and on our bikes.
We'd love to be able to say that riding our bikes has replaced using the car, but our locality and practicality (carting 3 kids around) does make that difficult. I should make an effort to ride into Woopi from Sandy occasionally though... something to work on.
As some of you know we have managed to ride our road tandem into Coffs from Sandy down the dreaded highway - 23km each way to the City Centre for the Community Ride. (Last time we thus totalled 82.7km, and, yes, Garry, Marc flogged us all the way home that day so that we made the 30 kph average speed mark.) That will get harder to do as the sun rises later and later each week, despite having bought good lights.
After piking out of riding in the rain last Saturday, this week we have risen early two mornings to ride down the highway again, up Bruxner, back along Central Bucca road, and back up home, which at 45km isn't too shabby. If you ever wanted to know why we ride tandems, (and particularly a road tandem) I can give one of the reasons as being "speed". This morning we got a new max speed record of 90 kph (on Bucca Road). Yes, it did feel FAST!
On Sunday we took to the mountain bikes (yes, single bikes!) and headed for the hills west of Sandy. We feel quite ashamed that it has taken us 10 years to start exploring the state forest a mere 5 km from home. There's actually quite a lot of it out there!
We did a 28km round trip, first heading south, then west and around to come back 'out' up at Woopi near the Flora Reserve (Woolgoolga Creek Road). There were a few hills in there.. some rideable ones (one of which Marc has now dubbed 'Gasping Hill' in honour of my lack of aerobic fitness - and stupidity in not actually engaging the lowest gear when I thought I had). We had to push the bikes up 'Boyd's Hill', (and it was steeper than that hill we pushed bikes up on the Repton ride, John!). We'll keep exploring the area, checking out different forest roads, with the aim of maybe leading a MTB BUG ride out that way next year maybe! Or if anyone is interested in any 'unofficial' exploratory riding out that way with us, let us know. We have reached the point of leaving thesloths kids at home for a few hours on a Sunday while we go out and enjoy ourselves.
With all the different types of bike riding options available, we've now decided that too many bikes is never enough, and we're getting single road bikes. Marc's bought himself one on eBay - picking it up on the weekend - and we're investigating one for me. I've heard about a group of girls intending on doing some road bike rides on a weekday morning, so I'd like to see how I go with that.
All in all, we are certainly bigger?...better?... bicycle users than we used to be. And undoubtedly a bit fitter as well.
Anyway, enough about us... I basically posted this in the hope that it might be a catalyst for some more contributions from BUG members. It would be interesting to read how others 'use' their bikes in between BUG rides.
Send your post to this email address: trace(at)exemail.com.au - replace the (at) with @ and I will ... post it!
Tracey Schmidt
PS. Our apologies re this Sunday's breakfast ride. We have to be at a netball carnival all day.
We'd love to be able to say that riding our bikes has replaced using the car, but our locality and practicality (carting 3 kids around) does make that difficult. I should make an effort to ride into Woopi from Sandy occasionally though... something to work on.
As some of you know we have managed to ride our road tandem into Coffs from Sandy down the dreaded highway - 23km each way to the City Centre for the Community Ride. (Last time we thus totalled 82.7km, and, yes, Garry, Marc flogged us all the way home that day so that we made the 30 kph average speed mark.) That will get harder to do as the sun rises later and later each week, despite having bought good lights.
After piking out of riding in the rain last Saturday, this week we have risen early two mornings to ride down the highway again, up Bruxner, back along Central Bucca road, and back up home, which at 45km isn't too shabby. If you ever wanted to know why we ride tandems, (and particularly a road tandem) I can give one of the reasons as being "speed". This morning we got a new max speed record of 90 kph (on Bucca Road). Yes, it did feel FAST!
On Sunday we took to the mountain bikes (yes, single bikes!) and headed for the hills west of Sandy. We feel quite ashamed that it has taken us 10 years to start exploring the state forest a mere 5 km from home. There's actually quite a lot of it out there!
We did a 28km round trip, first heading south, then west and around to come back 'out' up at Woopi near the Flora Reserve (Woolgoolga Creek Road). There were a few hills in there.. some rideable ones (one of which Marc has now dubbed 'Gasping Hill' in honour of my lack of aerobic fitness - and stupidity in not actually engaging the lowest gear when I thought I had). We had to push the bikes up 'Boyd's Hill', (and it was steeper than that hill we pushed bikes up on the Repton ride, John!). We'll keep exploring the area, checking out different forest roads, with the aim of maybe leading a MTB BUG ride out that way next year maybe! Or if anyone is interested in any 'unofficial' exploratory riding out that way with us, let us know. We have reached the point of leaving the
With all the different types of bike riding options available, we've now decided that too many bikes is never enough, and we're getting single road bikes. Marc's bought himself one on eBay - picking it up on the weekend - and we're investigating one for me. I've heard about a group of girls intending on doing some road bike rides on a weekday morning, so I'd like to see how I go with that.
All in all, we are certainly bigger?...better?... bicycle users than we used to be. And undoubtedly a bit fitter as well.
Anyway, enough about us... I basically posted this in the hope that it might be a catalyst for some more contributions from BUG members. It would be interesting to read how others 'use' their bikes in between BUG rides.
Send your post to this email address: trace(at)exemail.com.au - replace the (at) with @ and I will ... post it!
Tracey Schmidt
PS. Our apologies re this Sunday's breakfast ride. We have to be at a netball carnival all day.
Labels: between BUG rides
posted by Coffs BUG member at
11:08 am
4 Comments:
Now 90km/h is impressive but isn't that exceeding the speed limit? You guys are scary!
I would be very keen to join you both on some MTB rides in your area. I think we could use those weekends in between our BUG rides to explore places we haven't been.
As well as the fun of discovering new places you can formulate a ride for the calendar next year.We always need to be expanding our repertoire of BUG rides.
I love to go on new rides. I have favourite old rides too but don't enjoy repeating rides too frequently. That Bongil Bongil ride I led in February was the result of exploring the area all without a map. I just indulged my curiosity.
I'm pretty sure the speed limit on Bucca Road is 100kph! Btw, you can be sure we wouldn't have been doing 90 if I'd been in charge! - you know from the Repton ride how much more tentative I am. Marc reckoned the forest rodes would be a hoot on a full MTB tandem (they exist) - and I reckoned he'd give me a heart attack.
We like our topo maps! Contour lines can be very informative! Actually I'll have to buy the one to the west of the Woolgoolga map, would love to ride via the forest roads to Glenreagh some time.
Will have to work out some Sunday for an exploratory ride then.
Hi Saturday riders
As it was pretty grim on Saturday morning I felt guilty that I didn't ride. So on Sunday I took myself off on a 57km ride around Coffs, Boambee and Sawtell areas. My aim was 70km but well! The new bike certainly goes a lot faster and is easier to ride than the old mountain bike.
I must say that the ride was nothing new but it did highlight that there is safe riding out there in the way of cycle paths and light traffic areas. My downhill speed did not exceed 50km as my breaks and I are still learning how the bike handles etc.
Happy cycling.
57 km on your own is pretty impressive April! When did you get your new bike?
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home