65km, Moderate Pace, some traffic on road (some are good quality unsealed), moderate hills

Meet 9am Bundanoon Hotel, Erith St Bundanoon

This medium ride begins with a moderate climb and a short section of rough road with a shallow causeway ( OK for road bikes ), then undulating through quiet and scenic rural roads. Stop for lunch at the Canyonleigh General Store.Return to Bundanoon via Exeter

Call to confirm – Phil: 8795 0564 or email

A Versatile Box Trailer to Tow Your Bikes, Camping and Adventure Race Gear.

An exciting new product has come on to the market for cyclists, and in particular, adventure racing enthusiasts.

It is a box trailer with a specialised top which can take up to 7 bikes, leaving the trailer free to take your camping or racing gear.

No more struggling with bikes on car roofs and gear squished in the boot.

No need to take more than one car to an event or on a camping trip.

With this trailer you can pack up the whole family’s gear, their bikes, the tent and cooking gear and have plenty of room for the kids and their friends in the car!

Trax Adventure Trailer

For more info go to www.traxgear.com.au

A crew of nine inspirational young adults will be cycling through Bargo on 3^rd of April 2010 with a mission to inspire youth to think about sustainable consumption in their everyday lives. On arrival in Bargo the bike riders will have covered 1200kms of their 1300km journey.

The Otesha Project (Australia): Cycling for Sustainability launches their East Coast Tour at the Sustainable Living Festival in Federation Square, Melbourne on the 19^th of February. The tour will take them to regional schools along the South East Coast of Victoria and up through the Sapphire Coast to Sydney.

Since 2000, The Otesha Project (Aus.) has pedaled across Australia educating youth and raising awareness about environmental sustainability and social justice issues. Otesha is the Swahili word for ‘reason to dream’ and is the underlining philosophy of the organisation. The Otesha crew combines theatre performance with interactive workshops to empower high school students to consider their life choices to ensure a positive and sustainable future.

Current consumption behaviours in Australia have far reaching consequences that are both unsustainable and inequitable. The negative impacts of these practices usually affect the most disempowered people in society, including young people who now face an uncertain future. For Rachael – tour coordinator – the experience of the bicycle tours is fulfilling on many different levels:

“I’m thrilled to be on tour bringing this important project to regional schools. These tours are the perfect way to inspire youth to be the change of the future. Also it’s just a great and fun experience shared by everyone involved.” she says.

The tour participants from all over Australia have spent the past six months working hard collectively to plan the tour and create the three interactive workshops focusing on some of the major sustainability issues concerning youth: Consumer Choices, Culture Jamming and Food. As well as the workshops the tour will also present their hilarious ‘Morning of Choices’ theatre performance, which encourages the audience to consider their own choices made during an average morning.

The Otesha Project (Australia) is seeking support from your community; any donations of food would be welcomed, and we’d love to engage with other sustainable community initiatives, so please contact Kate Tucker at info@otesha.org.au.

Notes to Editors:

• The Otesha Project (Australia): Cycling for Sustainably – reason to dream

• Currently seeking support as our 9 cycle team members come through your town:

East Coast Tour (19 February – 9 April).

• Contact:

• Email: info@otesha.org.au

• URL: www.otesha.org.au

If anyone can help these girls with donations of either money or food they would be extremely grateful!

Ride Leader – Phil Rylatt

38km, relaxed pace, some traffic, moderate hills, some cyclepaths, some unsealed roads.

Meet 845am at Rotary Cowpasture Reserve Carpark, Camden Valley Way, Camden (see map) for a 9.am start

A medium circuit ride with a few hills, undulating, mostly quiet country roads with great views of the district. Stop at Cobbitty for coffee and cakes. Highlight is the Brownhill Loop Road (hard packed unsealed section suitable for road bikes)

View from May Farm Rd to Mt. Hunter

Call to confirm, Phil: Ph: 8795 0546 or email

View Highlights of Camden Ride in a larger map

Ride Leader – Phil Rylatt

40km, slow pace, easy, some traffic, unsealed roads

Started 10:00am; Mavromattes Reserve ( off Riverview Rd, Nowra )

An easy flat ride at slow pace. On road ride through delightful, mostly quiet dairy country near Nowra. Some traffic, narrow roads. Roadside fruit and veggie stalls on route so bring panniers or packs if you wish to purchase fresh produce. Bring lunch or snacks to have on the island. Time will be set aside to explore Comerong Island Nature Reserve. Note that sections of road on the island are unsealed.

This turned out to be a lovely ride with many of the members of Shoalhaven BUG joining us. The ride to the ferry was flat and easy, wit interesting scenery of the local seaside dairy farms. On the ferry to Comerong Island it was surprising to see the force of the current as the tide was receding.

On the Ferry Across To Comerong Island

Those of us with mountain bikes had an easier time on the corrugated road to the picnic area and only the mountain bikers could take the track to the end of the island for a swim .

Track to Beach

Beach ,Great for Cycling

After lunch we returned via the main road, tuning off at a hamlet of Terara for a look at this lovely little riverside community. The boys found a beautiful old stone terrace  which apparently was the local “joy house”. Although knocking, there appeared to be no-one home!

Phil Knocking Hopefully

Waiting

Apparently Nowra is not good for coffee on a Sunday afternoon, so we headed off to Berry for a cool drink before heading home.

It was a lovely ride and we thank Shoalhaven BUG for their friendship and hospitality. BARBUG will definitely be joining them for more rides in the future!

Recently a BARBUG member was attacked by a very determined maggie. Twice he swooped, forcefully hitting her helmet. On the third attempt he penetrated the helmet with his foot and got stuck! Poor Janette, here she was trying to stay upright on her bike with a claw scratching her scalp and a very agro magpie flapping furiously above her head! She managed to stop her bike, undo her helmet and throw it to the ground, thus dislodging the angry bird. A very frightening experience for both parties!

After a little internet research I have come up with 2 very informative videos on solutions to this Spring avian problem.

If anyone has any other ideas, we would be delighted to know.

The return ride amazes even more as the road seems to plunge forever downward towards the Nepean Ford. You can only think to yourself, “Did I really ride all that way up?” Then, the climb back  to the entrance gates,  although it is not as hard as the ride up to Avon, on tired legs, seems to never end!

For more information go to: http://www.sca.nsw.gov.au/recreation/upper-nepean-dams

John, Alan, Gina and Jim on Avon Dam Wall

The Nepean Ford

How lucky we are to have these terrific riding opportunities in the Wollondilly Shire. There is something for everyone, no matter what level of fitness.

Just a quick invite to you and your cycling group to attend the 2010 Mudgee Bike Muster.

Held over the Easter weekend (April 2-5) at the Australian Rural Education Centre, Bike Muster is an excellent way to get out into the country and take in some excellent cycling in and around the picturesque NSW central ranges town of Mudgee.

Featuring rides to suit everyone (road, dirt & mountain bike) Bike Muster allows you to ride and explore at your own pace.

Apart from the great cycling there is nightly entertainment on-site, lunches at local wineries, regional produce to sample at the farmers market and a few other fun activities thrown in – it really is a weekend celebration of cycling!

Designed to be an affordable family friendly weekend away there is camping on-site with excellent facilities and even a fully catered option so all you have to do is turn up, set up camp and get out on your bike – how easy is that!

For more information including how to register, go to www.bikemuster.com.au

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to shoot us an email: info@bikemuster.com.au

We look forward to seeing you at Easter!

Cheers,

Peter Scott
Mudgee Bike Muster
www.bikemuster.com.au

Ride Leader – Phil Rylatt

80km, fast pace, some traffic, significant hills, experienced riders

We met at 8.15 m at Burrawang Hotel for 8.30am start

Challenging circuit on some very scenic roads. Ride takes in Fitzroy Falls, Moss Vale, Glenquarry and Robertson for lunch  before returning to the Burrawang Hotel.

Call to confirm Phil: 8795 0546 or email

Afterthoughts

Awesome scenery! . This  beautiful ride starts from the picturesque village of Burrawang. We rode  via Fitzroy Falls through beautiful lush ,  rural countryside to Moss Vale then on to Bowral.  A quick circuit of the velodrome,  before we returned via Glenquarry through forested bushland to East Kangaloon and then to Robertson for a very nice lunch at Pirouette Cafe.  There were a few ups and downs, but the ride was worth every pedal stroke.  A cold beer at Burrawang Pub, with views seemingly to Sydney, was a wonderful finish to a spectacular ride. This one will definitely go on the list to do again!

Phil doing a lap at the Bowral Velodrome

View from Macquarie pass near Robertson

Here is a site well worth reading. The autobiography of a racing cyclist in the 30’s and 40’s.  What bought him to the sport and growing up tough!
It includes early memories of the Goulburn to Sydney Race

http://www.kokodaspirit.com/writing-history/journey-through-time-intro.htm