Bright and early on Sunday morning the TelstraClear Challenge kicks-off and up to 9000 cyclists will ride across the Auckland Harbour Bridge, I’ll be one of them.
It’s not a new thing for Auckland, we’ve done it before remember? But it’s legal this time and you won’t be lied to by officials or hassled by cops this weekend.
I’ll admit I had some reservations about this event. Paying a sizable amount of cash for the privilege just didn’t sit well with me. The problem being I don’t see it as a “privilege” at all, I see it as a “right”. But change takes time doesn’t it?, and if I put down my protester’s hat for a moment and let the red-mist clear things begin to look brighter.
I’m now of the opinion that any access to the bridge is to be welcomed. Protesters, marathon-runners, cyclists – it’s all good. The more people that can see the future from the top of that iron lady, the more chance we’ll all get a permanent taste of it.
If you’re one of those 9000 – take it all in, live the moment and have a great time. If you’re not riding and want to support cycling in Auckland drop in to Smales Farm (Takapuna) Sunday morning from 8am and join in the fun. Lots of bikey-stuff is planned for young and old in what looks like a festival of cycling.
It sounds like a really awesome thing, and I would love to do it.. but I have a week old son, a wife on maternity leave (and just had a csection) and no money to pay for the privilege..
It would be great if they could some how find a way to let people do it for a donation or something – perhaps they dont get any merch or certificate or something..
It was a good event, and a shame we cant do it every day!
We made a good cycle out of it by biking from our place in Mt Eden to Ponsonby, doing the event, back to Devonport via Mt Victoria for some views, breakfast at Devonport then ferry to town and back to Mt Eden. Never seen so many cycles and cyclists on the ferry (If you squinted hard you could imagine you were in Europe??) the way it should be!
Was all set to go and booked in Sept. Perhaps I was a little slack on the multitude of emails sent running up the event but at the last minuite I found out that no kids under 13 were allowed to cross the bridge! What a let down. Perhsps I shouldnt of assumed that kids would be a pretty important user group in the experience. Perhaps I forgot I lived in NZ and had to double check that something so natural was "allowed"
Just why werent kids allowed over? One of you posty peeps could do a good blog about why the organisers saw fit to exclude this age group. I got a pretty flimsy excuse from the organisers saying that kids might crash into each other and they wernt "ready" for the experience. What a load of clap trap! Sure, you have to limit the numbers and manage the risks in other ways eg kids only with parents or kids under 5 only on parents bikes or tag alongs etc etc. It seemed though, that was all too hard when they needed to focus attention and all important "bridge time" on the "real bikers". You know, the ones with alien helmets and bulging lycra.
Considering at 13 you are only a few years off your driving licence I think the day missed a great chance to bring on board the next generation of cyclists and ratepayers for a harbour cycle crossing. Perhaps that was the idea?
Bring back the direct action crossing -far far better!
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@Tom
I was disappointed by that restriction too but maybe the age-limit will be lowered for next year as it all ran so smoothly?
I think 8 and above could have ridden the 15km with no problems.
I would have liked to tow my daughter in our trailer and as it was ended up substituting my 13 year old with his 11 year old brother ;^)
Tom, we have a "safety culture" in NZ. I mean, we fence pools, it can't be long until we fence all our roads too, and then all dangerous suburbs and…
Okay I am kidding, but that's where the restriction came from – and I can submit to you the high likelihood that it came from the authorities, not the organisers themselves…
Yes I was a bit dissapointed too. I would have taken my 6 year old boy on his Trailer Bike (tow bike) even though he would have been moaning about the long wait to get going!!