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

Scott Drummond has sent me details of a bike film festival to be held in Sydney from the November 11th – 15th

Scott and four other co-producers, Andy, Ash, Josh and Karla, want to take the opportunity to reach out to  let you know more about the festival.

The five  have been working on organising the festival for the last four months, and with just over a month to go they’re finalising the details of the film program and the program of events. Here’s a break-down of the five-day festival so far:

Wednesday 11th November - BikesRock opening night party
Featuring bands The Middle East, Talons and The Canvas Kites, and DJs – venue to be announced.

Thursday 12th November – art show openings
Francophile Velostyle – Will French at the Monster Children Gallery
Photography show curated by Julia Shauenberg – venue to be announced

Friday 13th November – film program opening at the Chauvel Cinema, Paddington
7pm film session
9pm film session

Saturday 14th November – film program continues at the Chauvel Cinema, Paddington, street party
Free ride – culminating at the street party
Street Party – featuring BMX and trials showcase
7pm film session
9pm film session

Sunday 15th November – BFF BBQ
Festival wrap BBQ in the park

Scott also says:

We’re excited to say that we have the full support of the City of Sydney and a number of festival sponsors (Crumpler, Onitsuka Tiger, Bianchi, Knog and more), which is half of the battle when organising a festival of this scale.

The support is great, but the festival is really all about Sydney’s cyclists, whether they ride BMX, fixed, road, mountain or whatever. We wanted to personally reach out to you to consider spreading the word about the festival through your network and to turn out for what we hope will be a great festival.

We appreciate that it’s a good ride into the city – maybe you could organise a group ride into the city for a day-trip to the festival? It could be a really fun day out and a great chance to connect with other cyclists and cycling advocates.

We just wanted to properly introduce ourselves and to start a conversation with you about the festival. We’d love to talk more about the details of the festival, and, of course, we would really appreciate your support in celebrating Sydney’s growing bicycle community.

The race was preceded by a  charity ride of 120 riders led by Simon Poidevin, with the hope of raising $200,000. This year the ride included an 80km start at Mittagong for women.

The charity ride heading out of Picton towards Razorback set a cracking pace

As the race proper rolled through Picton  in 3 separate packs, a group of us offered  water bottles to the riders, so they could rehydrate before tackling Razorback. After the race had passed we headed across to Camden to see the finish.
Camden main street was in festival mode with a street fair run by the Lions Club. The main street was closed to traffic and the street was lined with stalls. Circus performers, clowns and many children’s favourite characters  entertained the crowd. (Photos at end of post )

The barriers along the finish straight were lined with people and, as the lead bunch thundered across the line the crowd went wild.

The clock was stopped at 3:45:31 (a 21 minute race record!) by Richard Lang from the Budget Forklift Team, 2nd was Jonathon Cantwell  and 3rd  Bernard salzberger, both from team Fly V Australia.

NSW Premier Nathan Rees and the Member for Wollondilly, Phil Costa were among the VIP’s on hand to present the winners with their prizes. Mr. Rees also presented a cheque to the race organising committee on behalf of the NSW State Govt. for $20,000 as official sponsors.

A poor photo of Richard Lang about to cross the finish line

2nd and 3rd across the line

Nathan Rees has a chat with Phil Costa

Winner of Division 2 Benjamin Harvey

KOM Winner, Peter McDonald of Team Drapac Porsche is presented by Nathan Rees and Lauren

Richard Lang, Jonathon Cantwell and Bernard Salzberger on the podium

The winning team Budget Fork Lifts

Children's characters and circus performers created a festive mood while the crowd waited to see the final dash for the line.

Alan Willock  writes:

We had a very short briefing before the ride and then took off in a fairly brisk pace.

The police were amazing in the way they kept us moving and even blocked off traffic for us to get the 200 or so riders through.  The pace quickened and although the ride is not a race it soon became a friendly competition.

From the start to the Cawdor turn off we averaged 32kph.  Baz dropped off the pace a little at Camden Valley Inn with me dropping back at the Cawdor turn off.  I should have done the same as it cost me on the climb up Old Razorback Rd.  Having said that we still managed to keep the leading group in sight.

Baz caught me up about 1km from the top and we met up again at the  rest area at the top. Gina and Leisel turned up shortly after and we had a bit of a break before heading down Razorback on Remembrance Drive.

I would have to say that this was the most memorable and enjoyable ride that I have ever been on.

It’s amazing how much better the ride was with the excellent roads and  the full police escort.

After a coffee in Camden we all walked down to the roundabout at the entrance to the main street to watch the pro-riders finish their race

And what a fine spectacle that was with everyone of us being left stunned by the blistering pace set by the race leaders on the up- hill finish.

I think I can safely say we will be back next year to do this ride again.

Aquafit Charity ride on Razorback

Pro riders racing up main street to finish

Goulburn to Citi race leaders setting a blistering pace, approaching the finish

Mulga Bill

Alf  Cantrell
Festival Coordinator writes:

I am writing to ensure that all our bicycle enthusiast friends are informed that the Annual Yeoval Country Energy Mulga Bill Bike Ride, sponsored by Darryl Grant Cycles of Orange, is now well into the planning stage for this year. Although many of you are unable to make the distance, we do hope that lots of your members will make a long weekend of it and travel to Yeoval for this exciting weekend of Festival.

This year we have worked very hard to ensure that a very good safety record is continued, and with the help of the RTA and both Cabonne and Wellington Councils,

The Ride has been split into two sections. Both sections are to be operated on asphalt roads and under closed Road Conditions. Both rides are on very quiet and picturesque routes, with the more professional, faster riders being on separate route to the mum and dad family groups, who are slower and tend to use up the whole road as they enjoy the experience

Both Rides will start and end in Yeoval with registration early, ready for a 10.30 am start. Light Breakfasts will be available and the start and finish will be in the Banjo Paterson Bush Park on the Wellington end of town. Here we have plenty of parking and the main festival is across the road at the Showground on the Sunday. The same cost as in previous years – $5 adults, $3 children, $10 Family. At the Start it will be more professionals to the right and mums dads and families to the left. The more professional will ride to Cumnock and back a return distance of some 52 kms. Mums Dads and Family Groups will ride over the new bridge on Buckinbah Creek and the on the RTA Bicycle pathway to the Bournewood Road, which will be closed to through traffic for the duration of the event. Every 3 kms they will pass through a town from the Paterson Mulga Bill Poem – Conroy’s Gap, Castlereagh, Eaglehawk, Walgett and the final turn around point will be Dead Mans Creek – a return distance of 30 kms, keeping in mind that the participants can turn around anywhere along the road, riding only the distance they feel comfortable with.

The Lucky rider of the day will be drawn and the beautiful new Bike donated by Darryl Grant Cycles of Orange will be their proud new possession. The Draw will be at the Festival at 2.30pm sharp and the winner will have to be present to collect. All riders receive a wristband and this not only covers them for insurance but also allows them free entry to the Festival.

Looking forward to seeing you at the Mulga Bill Festival as we endeavor to increase our number past the 630 riders we had last year. The website has all details:- www.mulgabillfestival.com.au