Cycling with the children

Had a short cycle up and along the Te Atatu Peninsula cycleway, with my niece and her sons this afternoon. Love the monocycle attached to the back of her bike, that allows her youngest son to have an active and involved cycling experience too.
Heading up Yeovil Rd to the busy main street. We crossed at the pedestrian crossing and went along the cycleway on the road initially.
Then it was a wonderful free for all, along the new pathway.

Cohen loves peddling behind his Mum, and keeping up a steady commentary on the way.

Twilight ride in to the practice for Christmas in the Park tomorrow

We decided to make the most of the balmy evenings to do a cycle in to the domain tonight at 5.45pm from Te Atatu Peninsula. This is the stop on the Waterview bridge.
Bought takeaway burgers in Kingsland to eat in the park when we got there.
The burger place used to be a petrol station.
Finally got there and cracked open our cider.
We were joined by niece Nicola and her family. She brought her bike to do the return journey with us.


Got home at 9.45pm. Wonderful to cycle in the cool of the evening. I think the round trip was 31kms.

Twin Streams, Henderson and back

This last weekend was the Christmas Parade through Te Atatu Peninsula, so four of us took the opportunity to dress up our bikes and hit the streets. Unfortunately we weren't part of the actual parade, but we made the most of the empty main road and the crowds and cycled up and down in front of everyone before the parade started, until we were SHOOED off by an officious gentleman in uniform!
Yesterday, John and I cycled from Te Atatu to Henderson and then I showed him the Twin Streams cycleway, which is great. This is us resting on the bridge across to the Falls - which has been closed due to vandalism for the last month or so. Nice to finally get across but it would be nicer if they replaced the splendid light shades that were either smashed or taken.

The Twin Streams cycleway has the occasional tile and ceramic work embedded in the path.

Stopped at 'Just Plane Interesting' for coffee before heading back. The Pohutukawa are all out and make quite a show on the side of the new Te Atatu cycleway. Merry Christmas All!

Ranui/Swanson and back with bruises, broken mirrors and bent wheels

Cycled from Te Atatu today, on a meandering journey that took in Huruhuru stream and bridge (where John lost his mirror to the water), and the cycle path along Henderson creek, (where John fell off and grazed his shin), to the trip up to AvantiPlus off Lincoln Road, (to straighten John's wheel). Still, it was an adventure, and a bit of a trip of nostalgia for him, going through some of the places of his childhood.
and we ended up in Swanson at the Redwood Cafe enjoying a sturdy lunch and great coffee.

before coming back via Corban Estate Art Centre, and this display of old bikes forming some sort of fence to the pile of old hairdryers. We looked at the gallery and then made our way home.

Out and about in Onehunga

It was a briskly windy day today but three of us went over to Onehunga, and cycled along the path which went on for some way into the backblocks, following the edge of the inner harbour.
Wind behind us in this direction felt pretty good. Lovely broad path, that three of us could have cycled abreast had we so chosen.
The nearby work on the airport motorway.
Naomi and I following on closely behind John, who shot this over his shoulder.
Container park and customs area.
Naomi stopping while I took the photos.
Yet another factory at the back of Penrose.
Pleasant overbridge with a train or two passing in the distance.
Not sure this was the most respectful way of perusing the old gravestones, but we covered a fair few of them this way.
Lunch at the Library cafe.
Mmmm. And (below) the wharf area of Onehunga, and the old bridge, now a pedestrian and cycle path only.
The main motorway to the airport.

The small and meandering path on the Mangere Bridge side of Onehunga area.

And below, the short film I took of our voyage back toward the bridge.

Halloween day cycle to Kumeu and Riverhead

It was a simply glorious day today, and so we made quick plans to get out on our bikes and go to Kumeu, via Henderson and the train up to Waitakere. This is Helen and Jenny about to set off.

This initial journey to Henderson is about 11 kms along this rather pleasant meandering pathway.


Getting to Henderson 10 mins after the train left, we had a 50 min wait, so spent it having a coffee across the road.
then hanging out at the station. Had to take bikes up and down escalators to get here.
Loved the murals/billboards on display to the waiting passengers on either side of Henderson train station.

Finally the train came and we loaded our bikes - a mere $3.60 to take ourselves and them up to Waitakere township.

.. . where John awaited us. He'd flown in from Whakatane this morning and got to Waitakere to wait for us there.
It was then a hefty ramble up and down hills to Kumeu and discover Carriages cafe closed. So we headed inland to Riverhead and had lunch there. Naomi joined us for this.



Back via the vineyards and a spot of wine tasting at Soljans, (carrying a bottle for dinner tonight in my panniers).
All up, Helen and I did 50 kms today - not too bad really. John did about 28 kms and left us at Waitakere township. My knees are feeling it now - need to lose some weight and am in the process of doing just that. Great day.