In the last few weeks I have been part of a two different bike actions.
The first is the regular Critical Mass reclaim the streets ride ~ this happens the last friday of every month where a collection of cyclists meet at the Albert Park fountain at 5.30 for a ride through the city. Critical Mass is a concept that is done worldwide and is based on a few key principals relating to safe cycling and bike riding advocacy.
The second was the inaugral Frocks on Bikes ride which took place last saturday along Ponsonby Road, a significant amount of people (with a great percentage wearing frocks ~ both boys and girls) met at Western Park and took to Ponsonby Rd to do their part for climate change. This is a great way to encourage people to come and cycle ~ cycling in big groups is fun and safe and also it shows the public that bike riding is a valid altetnative to motor vehicles.
Cool to be in NZ being one of the first countries able to blog our ‘blog action day’ post…
If you hadn’t read my last post about blog action day it’s a day we’re “bloggers around the web will unite to put a single important issue on everyone’s mind“.
So I guess I can talk breifly about my last 3 weeks of bike experience. I recently have purchased a new bike (a GT Avalanche 3.0) and have over the last 3 weeks been riding it virtually everyday and kitting it out with essential bike attachments:
Bike Lock
Water Bottle Holder
Bike Computer (Speedometer, Odometer)
Rear Mud Guard
Rear safety light
Front safety light
I’ve been riding it every day to work via the Post Office which is now my morning ritual – and meditation – which may be hard to believe considering how intense it can get riding on the roads with cars and Auckland drivers. But also been down at the local skatebowl which has a few jumps around the place learning new skills like Bunny Hopping, Stoppies and Wheelies..
I rave about it to everyone I know because I’ve been having so much fun and its such a practical way to get places! Nice and quick and healthy and fun – I love riding around off curbs and pulling wheelies.. also its somewhat gratifying being part of traffic and negotiating safe passage through some pretty awful drivers.
So if you havnt been on your bike for a while or you don’t have one – consider hopping on next weekend and taking a ride around to your local park or beach – it’ll be worth it.
So it’s 21st season amongst alot of my friends and I’m really enjoying it because its partying as usual just with a whole lot of people from your past – different schooling era’s and the such – that you havnt seen in years. Plus looking forward to having mine early december!
Friday was cool – after quite a stressfull day it was nice to come home to my loving flatmates (past/present) and my loving friends and all their intertwining relationships all sitting around in the sun and hanging out. Max, Fran, Ella and I then went and had renkon/burgerfuel on a table in Western Park which was awesome and nice (and chilly!!). Then Ella, Eleanor and I went up to chicane where Dan works and had a few drinks there which was cool – Dan’s manager even shouted us a vodka shot (with apple sours by the way – amazing!!). We then proceeded to rent out Bridget Jones’s Diary and blobbed out to it!!
Saturday night the guys and I all met up at Max’s and we all head off to Katherine’s 21st which was good fun. Then off to the flat for Cam’s 20th before we eventually head home and all crashed out.
Sunday was spent mostly playing halo online with the guys but we also got outside and went for a bike and at skate a tole bowl.. I just got a new bike last weekend and I love it – been riding around everyday which is soo much fun – and getting to work is so much easier now!!
Here is my playlist for kFM 07/10/2007:
Joanna Newsom – Swansea
Ani DiFranco – Coming Up
Bob Dylan – Oh Sister
Anika Moa – My Son
Beth Orton – Heart Of Soul
Ben Harper – Waiting For You
Cat Stevens – If I Laugh
Matt Sweeney & Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – What Are You?
Dinosaur Jr – I Got Lost
M. Ward – Radio Campaign
M.I.A – Mango Pickle Down River (with The Wilcannia Mob)
Dntel – Rock My Boat (feat. Mai Doi Todd)
Death Cab for Cutie – I Will Follow You Into The Dark
Devendra Banhart – A Ribbon
Fly My Pretties – Catch The Light
Heatmiser – Plainclothes Man
Heavy Jones Trio – This Town Is Underground
Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins – Happy
Iron & Wine – Naked As We Came
Bright Eyes – A Song To Pass The Time
John Lennon – Oh My Love
Feist – Lonely Lonely
Fat Freddy’s Drop – Del Fuego
Antony and the Johnsons – Hope There’s Someone
The Decemberists – California One Youth And Beauty Brigade
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