Bike Taupo Pedal Talk 27

Kia Ora Bike people and welcome to issue 27 of our newsletter. Lots of reading for you to check out and enjoy....

Spring membership - Its that time of year again when you can purchase an annual membership at a reduced rate for the remainder of the year. Spring membership is avaliable from 1st September 2015 to 31st December 2015 at a cost of $40 for a family or $25 for an individual. Membership will be avaiable at all the usual outlets around Taupo and also online.

"If your mind can conceive it, then your heart will believe it" - that's the mantra of Māori sportstar Jed Mildon, who's just made extreme sports history - as the first person in the world to master flipping four times on a BMX.

His gravity-defying stunt has the world watching in disbelief. In less than a month, it's been viewed more than 10 million times on YouTube. In between his globe-trotting, reporter Ruwani Perera managed to sit down with the Ngāti Kahungunu boy, at his home in Taupō. Check out the interview here http://www.maoritelevision.com/news/sport/native-affairs-flying-high

Name that Photo competition

Just a bit of fun to see how inventive you can be, we are having a competition to see who can come up with the best caption for the below photo.

Winning caption will be in to win one of our cool Great Lake Trail Tee shirts to look stylie in when the warmer weather hits.

So, put your thinking caps on and email me at admin@biketaupo.org.nz with your best querky caption

and we will announce the winne in the next newsletter with the best captions.

PS: I dont actually know this person, but always happy to include a photo you may want to embarrass your mates with!

Plus: heres a good way to get lots of bikes to the start of Waihaha track....

The Hub Kitchen is a great stop after or during your ride to keep those energy levels up. Perfectly located at the end of Huka Falls Road opposite the road up to Craters Car Park. Park up at the Hub and you can start/finish your ride with a good coffee boost. They are currently running a "rider Fuel Up" which offers you their mini hub breakfast complete with bacon, eggs, hashbrown and coffee all for $16. What a deal, get in there people!!

Enjoy your wheels in whatever format they roll in and I look forward to reading those photo captions....

Cheers, Melissa

Words of Wisdom - from our leader

Tena koutou from me and thanks for reading our latest edition of Pedal Talk. I hope you have all managed to get out on your bike at least once over the last month. The weather of late has meant that we have had the opportunity of experiencing all sorts of character building weather including snow and some good frosts. It has certainly taken me a bit of time for my fingers (and ears) to defrost after my morning commute, but it is a great way to start the day with some exercise and cool (very cool) fresh air.

I would like to congratulate our operations manager and one of the founding members of Bike Taupo, Pete Masters for getting a honour in this years NZ Honours. One of the things he was recognised for, was his service to cycling. Pete, for those who don’t know him, has been behind, or an important part of, most of the MTB tracks around Taupo. he still spends many hours of his own time each week working on the tracks and planning and building new ones. An honour well deserved, well done Pete. On other fronts, we have been very successful over the last couple of months with getting funding for new tracks, signs, counters and bridges, so you will see a few changes and improvements to the trail network around taupo over the coming months. Well done to our super administrator, Melissa Johnson, for constantly applying for funding from every source possible, not a bad strike rate of late. We have also had some good discussions with the local council about improving the safety of the taupo urban roads as well, one of these initiatives is about identifying urban commuter routes and making them more bike friendly. What is your favourite way to get into town, we would like to know. We are also moving further with the development of a walking and biking bridge from the amphitheatre across to the Countdown side of the road. The intent of this is to create an unbroken biking link between Aratiatia and 5 Mile Bay, make events easier to hold and most importantly make a safer crossing for school kids who run the control gates gauntlet each morning. This will be an exciting project and will make a difference for Taupo. If you are interested in being involved in any of these projects in some way (funders especially) please drop me a line.

I would also like to take this opportunity to once again thank all of our partners and supporters. Make sure you check out who these great people and businesses are on our partners page because with out them we could not achieve all that we do.

“Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of riding a bike.” ~ John F. Kennedy

Rowan Sapsford

Track Crew News

Eastern Tracks

Other than a bit of water damage on the downhill near Huka Lodge, the tracks are in good order. A new bridge is on its way to replace the current Paddy’s Bridge. Chad and Pete have also been killing trees for Greening Taupo.

The Hoka One One Taupo Marathon went smoothly on 1 August 2015. Positive feedback was received on the tracks.

Craters

Kinda Grinder continues to make its way up the hill. The bottom section of the track is getting plenty of riders already; all of which have great things to say about the track.

Cole’s Killer has recently been reworked to be more user friendly. A key change was the removal of the old bridge that crossed Buzzard. Sections of the track are still difficult to judge and it remains a challenging ride with too much speed. Downhill and cross-country riders alike have had good things to say about the revamped track.

Buddha is up and running again and is being ridden. Section photo as to the left,

Signs are on their way for these new tracks and to mark out the changes made to existing tracks.

Several other projects have kicked off in the Park over the last few weeks:

1. Wave Ride – Getting this finished

2. Scragg’s Kid’s Link - shorter link for kids back to Scragg's return

3. Structures are going into Scragg’s using the PD Boys every Wednesday, photo as per right (dog not included)

4. Jack’s Play Ground – beside the car park under the power lines.

Great Lake Trails

From first hand experience and second hand feedback, the tracks are riding well. There is a little bit of damage in Chinaman’s from cattle but nothing that requires urgent attention.

Also we are looking for some lovely volunteers to may like to help us out on Saturday 5th September for the off road marathon, you will get to ride your bike, perv at all the runners and we will even feed you, what a great day out!! Email the track crew if you are keen.

Big thanks to all those who help us out on the tracks 🙂

Track Crew Contact Details

Email trackcrew@biketaupo.org.nz

More info: http://www.biketaupo.org.nz/news/track-crew

Winter is always a little bit calmer for Kids Bike Taupō. There are fewer bookings and then the weather cancels a few too.

It is quite nice to be able to focus on the kids under Year 4. We have decided to make non riders our main priority and this means spending more time at early childhood centres and the juniors at the schools. With the new bikes funded by 100% Lake Taupō Charitable Trust, we are seeing the difference it makes when you ride a modern bike. We had a boy in Turangi who was only 2 years 6 months old and he learnt to ride on two wheels on the new 12” bike. These wee bikes are designed for little legs. Having the right equipment makes it possible to ride so young. It is so much easier to learn when you are younger. It can be real challenge trying to help a child if they haven’t had the opportunity and they are 7 or 8 years old.

We are trying to get all schools to book us for at least 5 hours every 6 months for their juniors. We can do groups of up to 30, when some kids have their own bikes and adults come to help. The idea is then to pick up on those who need more practise and give them the attention they need to be riding as well as their mates. With the whole class riding well, we can work with everyone to improve skill and then to go out on adventures. The best thing that is happening is that the parents and teachers are ‘getting it’. They are learning about properly fitting helmets, the right size bike to learn on and to remove training wheels. We are suggesting that new entrants have access to little bikes at lunchtime and the big kids can help them to learn.

At the other end of the spectrum, year 5 and 6 kids at Waipahihi School want to build a Pump Track at school. We had a very useful session at Spa Park looking at that Pump Track and the Dirt Jumps and then riding some of the Rotary Ride. Is it too much to dream that all schools will have some kind of cycle track?

Term 4 timetable has already been sent out to schools and dates are filling fast. Term 4 is always a time to get out and enjoy biking. Bertha gets to see the hole district over the warmer months.

The BMX Cub is very supportive of the Kids Bike Taupō Programme. It is a great place to take a class. The good riders can show off, but those learning don’t get left behind. Random Ratbags on Monday after school is a fantastic opportunity for our local kids to ride a bike and display their talent or improve their skills. We appreciate that the BMX Club gives us access to their track. They do a lot of work there and it’s wonderful that they share.

Dianna Harrison from The Taupō District Council Road Safety Team has secured some NZTA funding to begin Cycle Road Safety training. She will coordinate an after school cycling programme in Term 4 with Kids Bike Taupō in support. Watch out in school newsletters, or contact Cath if you might be interested in your child attending. We prefer kids who are age 10 years plus.

Thank you to all the adult helpers who have turned out at their schools and at Random BMX. You guys are the best. You have been donating your little bikes too, and that is making a huge difference. If anyone wants to help, or to talk to me, please see my number and email below.

Thanks also to Mark and Darryn and all the Bike Taupō executive for supporting this programme.

Kia Ora,

Cath Oldfield

KBT Coordinator

027 280 4005

kids@biketaupo.org.nz

Taupo Mountain Bike Club

The Taupo MTB Club 2015 AGM is being held this Friday 21st August at the Taupo sailing Club

The theme for the AGM is Black & White, Get into the spirit dress in your black & whites and your 1st drink is on the house, food is served from 6.00pm

Matt Shallcrass (NZ Cycling coaching) is the evenings guest speaker, Matt has been involved with top level athlete’s for a number of years and has a good insight into what it takes to go from “Good to Great” Matt is based at the Avanti Drome in Cambridge and gets to experience on a daily basis the effort, passion and commitment that NZs Elite and up and coming elite athlete’s put in enabling them to stand on the top step of the podium.

We would like to encourage all juniors, be it Triathlon, Road cycling, or Harriers to attend this presentation.

We also had planned to have Lewis Eccles talk as well Unfortunately for us Lewis has been whisked off half way round the world to Kazakhstan to compete in an international track cycling event, so will be unable to make it on this occasion.

Coaching session

Matt has also generously offered to provide a one off Coaching clinic being held at the Taupo Velodrome at Owen Delany park this Saturday 22nd August (weather permitting) you will need to bring your own bike and associated equipment. We will meet at the velodrome at 9:30 for a few Warm up laps with a 10:00am start. All welcome This event is generously sponsored by “Matt Shallcrass coaching”

Speaking of World Champions, The junior development team has been a huge success story at the Nduro Winter Series, Round 1 & 2. Our Juniors occupied 5 of the 6 Podium spots in the U16 category, The team were looking really professional in the new race Kit. A Big thanks to our local riders Carwyn May, Dave Shaw, for helping out with the Skills training, Round 3 first weekend in September the team’s goal is take all 6 podium spots

If you are heading to Rotorua for round 3 in September please come and join us in the TMTBC tent We usually have fresh baked cakes, BBQ and might even have a few refreshments on hand for the final round, ready to celebrate the success of the squad.

Night Riding

Crafty Trout Night series, Many riders have braved the crisp evenings in the Craters for the awesome crafty trout sponsored night series, Alex Roberts being the man to catch, whilst Greta Donaldson is leading the charge for the women, Great to see the juniors featuring well up in the placings, racing has been fast and furious with lots of battles being played out within the groups

With 2 more rounds to go if you haven’t been, ditch the couch and come and give night riding a go, it’s great fun way to spend an evening.

Look forward to seeing you all at the Black & White evening

Taupo Cycling Club

Apart from the hardy souls still attending the 8:30 (fast) and 9:00(slower) bunch rides on Sunday the numbers of riders on the road appears to be increasing as we ease out of winter. Arrangements are being made for the Spring Series at the race track with an intended first race on Tuesday 6th October. All club members should look out for an e-mail questionnaire and give your views on the track racing and your preferences for the coming season.

Track racing on Wednesday nights should also be coming alive again in the near future especially as the evenings get lighter.

Tickets have gone on sale for the first ever UCI Track Cycling World Cup event to be held in NZ on 5th December. Make sure you get your tickets to support our athletes in what should be a an amazing event over 3 days.

Any questions please e-mail secretary@taupocyclingclub.org.nz or barry@dbcon.co.nz

More Info: http://www.taupocyclingclub.org.nz/sun-morning-rides.html