JULY  2010

A newsletter of the

NORTH WEST TASMANIA RECREATIONAL CYCLING GROUP

Chainmail 73 (printable version)

RIDE PLAN -    SUNDAY  25^th JULY

Wynyard Ride

Ride starts 11.00 a.m.

Meeting point

Old Bass Highway (Scenic Drive), East Wynyard by the swimming pool and toilet block car park

The rides

Option 1: Wynyard – Table Cape – Flowerdale.

About 20km.                                                                           Some challenging hills

Through the Town, along Saunders Street to the Cape Bridge. It is uphill from here with a few ‘flattish’ breaks in between to rest those leg muscles. When we reach Tollymore Road which turns off to the left, we have the option of continuing on 2km up to the lookout on top of Table Cape. The effort is always worth it for the view on a good day. Otherwise, continue along Tollymore Road to the Bass Hwy. This is a pleasant undulating but not too difficult ride with great coastal views across to Boat Harbour and Rocky Cape. On reaching the highway, turn right and within a km turn left into Gates Rd off the highway. Gates Rd is a well graded gravel road and generally suitable for most bikes. This leads down into the Flowerdale Valley crossing the railway at the bottom and then intersecting with the Preolenna Rd. Continue on the bitumen through the intersection and across the railway line again crossing the Flowerdale River Bridge heading towards Wynyard. The road climbs back out of the valley past the old cemetery and rejoins the Bass Highway for an easy downhill ride back to Wynyard.

Option 2: Wynyard town area and Doctors Rocks.

Variable dependent on riders, but under 15 Km                         Easy ride

For those still feeling immobile from their  indulgences,  the town area and Doctors Rocks is an easier flat ride. From the carpark, ride back into town, along Saunders St, then back through the town centre and follow the coast road to the Doctors Rocks geological site. The option from here, is to return the same way, or head west along the highway and try out the new widened highway shoulder back to the Mt Hicks road roundabout. If riders are unsure about the thought of faster highway traffic, a return via the coast road maybe your option.

Option 3: Fossil Bluff.

Variable dependent on riders, but under 10 Km                                           Easy ride

From the car park, go through the town, down Saunders Street, cross over the Inglis River at the Cape Bridge and turn an immediate right and follow the river along to Fossil Bluff. A golf course, a small housing estate, and a beach with fossil encrusted cliffs will greet you at the end of this easy ride. Return the same way.

Helen Franks

Ride Organizer

PREZ SEZ

Cycling in Tasmania is at a crossroad.  The largest group in Tasmania is Bicycle Tasmania.  It has had no President since last August – no one will step forward to fill the gap left by Tim Stredwick.  Tim is also President of the Tasmanian Bicycle Council, and he has made it clear that he will be standing aside at the end of his term this year. Last year, Keith Price accepted the Vice President role under duress.  So the TBC will not function if no one steps forward.

So Bicycle Tasmania has had a meeting to look at its future direction involving Bicycle Victoria and Cycling Tasmania.  Attached is a summary of where those discussions are going.  There are possible implications for this group as we are part of the TBC, and Bicycle Tasmania is the major stake holder based on size of membership.

The Annual General Meeting for our group will be held in September this year, after the return of our Secretary Joan from her overseas jaunt.  We have changed Presidents after two years, so you need to be looking around for this and other position holders for the Executive.

This month’s Chainmail has been distributed via the website.  I hope that you find this a convenient way to secure your copy.  The website does allow people other than members to find out about the group, and get the most recent information.  We have several members who have joined as a result of finding out about us at the website.

The website will also allow us to get feedback from our members on issues – some, such as the direction of cycling organizations in Tasmania might need us to get your views quickly so that your views can accurately be reflected when we talk to other groups.

Thanks to Roger for arranging the last ride at Gunns Plains.  A bit cold but a good turn up for the middle of winter. Beautiful Wynyard is the next venue.  Hope to see you there.

Cheers,

Keith

THE FUTURE OF CYCLING IN TASMANIA

Please find below a summary of the meeting given to me by Mary McParland of Cycling South.  Below that will be a summary of the insurance options that would flow with the different oprions.  Please read this with an eye to what this could mean for our group.

Bicycle Tasmania held a future directions workshop last Sunday. It was great to see nearly all the TBC member organisations represented at the meeting. Presentations were provided by Cycling Tasmania (the peak body in Tasmania for competitive cycling) and Bicycle Victoria (the largest cycle advocacy organisation in Australia). The Bicycle Tasmania Executive will be meeting to evaluate the opportunities and advantages of an association with either of those organisations.

It is an interesting time to reflect on how the TBC fits into either possible model. From the TBC perspective I would expect we would like to see:

- Public liability insurance coverage for member organisations

- Personal accident and third party injury and property insurance for individual members

- A voice to represent transport and recreational cyclists at a state level (eg: influencing government policy, campaigning for infrastructure, supporting local volunteer campaigners)

- Sustainability for the organisation and a paid staff person to support the objectives of the organisation.

I have made some notes on the offers made by both parties below and attached insurance information obtained from the website of both organisations. The comments below are my interpretation and a lot of the detail of how either model would work is still unclear.

Bicycle Victoria

Offering to support BT through its membership services based on a similar agreement they have with Bicycling WA http://www.bwa.org.au/

BT would retain its own identity, website etc but BV would provide the membership services under a BT brand. Surplus membership funds would be used for employing a BT campaigner to work on campaigns statewide and support volunteer campaigners.

Individual membership is straightforward but the model doesn’t accommodate for organisations such as BUGs to become members (although individual BUG members can join BT). Insurance would only cover individual BT members.

Advocacy would include support with Ride to School Program, Ride to Work Day.

Bicycle Victoria members living in Tas would be invited to join under Bicycle Tasmania branding which would increase the membership of BT (as member benefits are unchanged).

This model still requires a local BT board – perhaps there is opportunity for TBC exec members to join the BT exec at the next BT AGM where there will be a number of vacancies so that all areas of Tasmania are represented on the board.

Cycling Tasmania

Offering to host BT under its umbrella (along with Triathlon, BMX and Mountain biking) to form a single peak body for cycling in Tasmania. http://www.tas.cycling.org.au/

They weren’t clear in their presentation how BT would fit under their model but $20 from each individual membership would be returned to the club. It wasn’t clear whether affiliated organisations such as BUGs or recreational cycling groups would fit underneath BT or as a separate member group directly under Cycling Tasmania. This will need clarification.

They have indicated that they are prepared to work on national programs such as Ride to Work Day and have some advocacy involvement through the Amy Gillet Foundation.

It wasn’t clear whether a BT executive was still required or whether BT would become an advisory group underneath the Cycling Tasmania Executive.

Other options

There may be some convoluted alternatives to incorporate a relationship with both Cycling Tasmania and Bicycle Victoria. Any suggestions?

With the TBC AGM coming up later in the year it’s probably a good time to reflect on what direction the TBC wishes to take and whether we want to jump on board this process of re-assessment and re-evaluation of cycling and peak bodies in Tasmania. Bicycle Tasmania is the largest member of the TBC so the decisions they make for their future will have an impact on the TBC.

It would be great to hear your feedback, insights and comments and have some discussion around this.

Regards,

Mary McParland

Secretary

Tasmanian Bicycle Council

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor,

I am a interested observer of humanity, and I note that several couples who are  members of your group are either going or about to go overseas very soon – and I have contacts in Scotland and Belgium that have promised to keep me aware of what they are doing.

I look forward to keeping you informed.

X (Name supplied to the editor)

If you have any matters of cycling importance. Please forward them to me for consideration.

Editor