#72

JUNE  2010

A newsletter of the

NORTH WEST TASMANIA RECREATIONAL CYCLING GROUP

RIDE CALENDER   2010

Sunday June 27^th Gunns Plains                                     Roger Lee

Sunday July 25^th Wynyard – Table Cape                      Helen Franks

Sunday August 29^th Squeaking Point                                Helen Plaister

Sunday September 26^th Sprent                                             Roger Lee

Sunday October 17^th Great Western Tiers Ride (No 4)       Helen Plaister

Deloraine

Sunday October 31^st Circular Head – Stanley                     Helen Franks

Overnight Saturday 30^th

Sunday November 28^th Devonport                                     Helen Plaister

Sunday December 26^th Ulverstone                                     Roger Lee

RIDE PLAN  -   SUNDAY  27^th JUNE

All Depart 11am from Gunns Plains Hall.

(Toilet available) Please note that the shop is once again open.

Option A – Preston – Motton –

Challenging 2hrs – 22km

Steady climb 5.5km up Raymond Road, passing Leven Valley Vineyard/Gallery and Preston Falls.

Turn left on C125 at T-junction and pedal to Stan Wing Lookout (at 11km mark from start). Then zoom 3.5km down to Gunns Plains turn off. (Next left onto B17)

Descend through forest to Leven River and toilets at Bannons Park. Then pedal the final 5km through fertile farmland and riverside to the shop/starting point for lunch and chat.

Option B – Wings Farm and Caves

– flatish – Approx. 11km

Ride down B17 and across main bridge over Leven River. Animal lovers may visit Wings Farm Park 1.4km to right. Then South on B17 along river flats and Lowanna Road to Heka.

Turn back across Leven River on Marshals Bridge Road and continue via caves back to start near shop.

Want an earlier start and an extra 16km? Then meet Roger Lee at Pioneer Park just past Riana for a 10am departure. Undulating and a big downhill.

NB Passengers in vehicles travelling from Ulverstone may enjoy an extra 9km of downhill and flat riding if they were to unload their cycles at Gunns Plains turn off, several kms past North Motton.  Allow approx. 45 Mins.

Roger Lee  -   64376101

PREZ SEZ

The Giro d’Italia is over.  The Tour of California is over.  The Tour de Suisse is on.  The Tour de France is about to start.  Are you doing enough training?

By the look of the numbers who were at the opening of the Ulverstone to Turner’s Beach pathway today, there is a great interest in the use of such facilities.  I have not seen so many bikes in the one location since railway stations in Europe.  It was wonderful to see, and it is wonderful to see that a pathway of such quality has been made available in our area.  So congratulations to all those involved and responsible.  Let us look forward to other pathways being built so that we can have safe cycling facilities all along the coast.

Thanks to Helen for her plans for the Mole Creek weekend.  The weather on Saturday was not that good, so only three of us rode from Latrobe. But the weather on Sunday was remarkably good – ideal cycling weather and no wind this time!  Well done Helen.

The next ride is at Gunns Plains and this is always an enjoyable place for some good rides, so we hope that you can join the ride organiser Roger to take part.

For the next 2 months I will be placing the Newsletter on the website.

I will send an email to you to let you know to look at the website for it.  Have a practice this month.  Just click on the hyperlink here and see how easy it is – at www.nwrcgi.org and follow the links.

I hope that you can get free to join the ride at Gunns Plains.

Cheers,

Keith

NW COASTAL PATHWAY POLICY

(THE TASMANIAN GREENS)

Wow …a pathway from Devonport to Smithton!!!!!!!!! Many of us that peddle for fun and fitness have discussed at length about how great it would be to enable visitors and locals an opportunity to really enjoy the beauty of our special North West region.

If there is a plan…then there are significant opportunities for action.

A North West Coastal Pathway will attract cyclists as they make an exciting choice about whether to cruise around Tassie by going inland or to Launceston as a first choice after departing the Spirit. Riding a trail that connects towns and villages and their produce, artistry, and flavours, as well as shuffling haemoglobin through our veins and arteries, has to be encouraged.

Take some time to read the attachment…it will be worth it.  Below is the Executive summary of the Policy.

North West Coastal Cycleway – Devonport to Smithton

An Election Commitment From The Tasmanian Greens MPs

• 75 new direct full time jobs over the construction stage

• 5 new permanent full time maintenance jobs

• $15 million for construction costs

• $2.5 million injected into the local economy annually

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Greens’ election commitment is to:

Construct a world-class North West Coastal Cycleway between

Devonport and Smithton, as the first step towards the Greens’ vision

for Tasmania to become a premier cycle destination of international

acclaim.

1. The North West Coastal Cycleway (NWCC) will be constructed in

two stages:

Stage One: Devonport to Wynyard – approximately 75

kilometres (50-60 kilometres of new track linking municipal bike

paths). A $350, 000 feasibility study will be conducted to identify

the best route.

Stage Two: Wynyard to Smithton – The NWCC feasibility study

will also identify the appropriate route to extend the cycleway

from Wynyard to Smithton. This second stage will provide further

opportunities to capitalise on the burgeoning bicycle tourism

market.

2. Stage One: Devonport to Wynyard:

Estimated $15 million construction costs;

Create 75 new direct full time jobs over the construction

stage;

Create 5 new maintenance jobs – permanent full time;

At least$2.5 million will be injected annually into the local

economy;

A range of flow on benefits, such as indirect jobs in

accommodation, hospitality, and other areas will be created

within local communities along the route.

3. Once both Stage One and Stage Two are completed the North

West Coastal Cycleway will consist of an uninterrupted and worldclass

route of approximately 150 kilometres from Devonport to

Smithton.

4. The North West Coastal Cycleway will provide opportunities for:

Residents to commute safely between major metropolitan

areas of the north west coast;

A range of recreational activities to be conducted in safety;

Local communities and businesses to capitalise on the growing

bicycle tourism market.

5. The North West Coastal Cycleway will provide an obvious starting

point for bicycle tourists arriving in Devonport on the TT Line,

encouraging them to explore the north-west rather than either

head inland, or travel east towards Launceston.

The Greens are committed to establishing Tasmania as a world

leader in bicycle tourism.

The full policy can be found by clicking on the following link:

http://mps.tas.greens.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/NWCoastalCyclewayPolicy_NMcKim_Sept09.pdf