Whooo hooo, we made it over the harbour bridge!

Fortunately today dawned bright and sunny, and so I set off to join thousands who were supporting 'Get Across' in protesting the lack of a cycle/path across the harbourbridge. It was also 50 years since the bridge was built, so a good reason to push our cause.
I arrived to find a startling number of cyclists and pedestrians all ready to put pressure on the powers that be to let us across. Despite words that it wouldn't happen.
There were speeches. . . this is the banner for getacross.org.nz
Clambered up a hill for this shot.
The bridge . . .
Then we moved toward where there was a police barracade.
You can imagine a few chants and grumblings from the mob. . .
Heading back to turn up the road which is the onramp to the bridge.
Some breakaway cyclists got through the cordon, and it was all on after that. Four lanes of northbound traffic were held up at least an hour, so that we could all 'do' the bridge. Yay.
Heading towards it now.
Over my shoulder. . .



Met a fellow cycle blogger who took my photo and I took hers.
Pig condition protesters as well. . .

Deep sigh.

And here's the news link from the NZ Herald.

Perfect cycle to Pt Chev

It was one of those perfect days this morning upon lifting my eyelids, and so I had to fossick around for warmer clothes and head off toward Pt Chev for a coffee - a 21 kms round trip down the motorway and along.
On the way, came across another Handlebra at the supermarket with her basket full of silverbeet and a bleary eye after celebrating her 50th last night. She LONGED to come too, but couldn't.
Heading to the motorway I see the cyclepath is still getting a look in with the bulldozer.
View of the city from a hillock not far from the entrance the motorway. Sigh. Perfect weather.
Someone skuttled past me towards Te Atatu.
LOVE this section of the motorway path - through the mangroves and out of the sight of traffic for a bit.
Photo taken over my shoulder.
The road goes ever on and on. . .
Folks who passed me on the long stretch.
Tide out and mudflats showing.
At Pt Chev you decide whether it's safer to ride the sidewalk or the road.
I did the sidewalk for a while. . .
And after Meola Rd, took to the wider road. The end is in sight. There's a cafe at the end of this road.
Perfect.

Let's get across the harbour bridge

This is all happening on Sunday morning. Apparently 10,000 people have signed up to show support for the cycleway across the Auckland Harbour Bridge. I surely hope that the wonderful visions of what it could look like on this website, are realised. More to come. . .

Still churning those wheels between showers

It was a surprisingly fine weekend despite some dire predictions, and so today Helen and I got the wheels out and started them toward the library at Henderson against a sturdy headwind.
A pleasant trip through swathes of Autumn leaves on the path in places, and great colours in some of the trees we passed.
. . . and hardly a soul on the track. We made it back just before the dark looming clouds that had threatened the return journey burst into a downpour. Whew.

New cycle lane mysteriously arising from grassy park

WHAT?? Look what I saw from the bus window the other day as I departed the Peninsula for the distant skyline of the city! Some kind of path in the park - coming from nowhere and ending up close to the pony club. But it says it's a CYCLEWAY!! Who'd have thunk?? In a recession too. I'll be going up and down it like anything. I cycled there this morning on the footpath, just for these photos (and in a rare break in the rain this week).

. . . a decent distance from the main road too. I guess we'll be able to pelt along it, until we hit the motorway onramp just beyond sight in the lower photo. I'm not looking this gift horse in the mouth, that's for sure. Who knows what else they have planned.

Crisp late Autumn weather and perfect for cycling

We of the Handlebra Easy Rider Club who hit the road this morning on this perfect for cycling day, caught up with a group of four who had just left the Peninsula and were headed the same way. They called themselves SCOFF, or 'Social Cyclists Over Fifty Fraternity', and fitted right in. We showed them to great cycle path along the Henderson creek and we all stopped for a chat and a coffee at the Falls Restaurant.
This taken over my shoulder as we left the Peninsula and headed toward the cycle path.
Once we were on it, it was free sailing in the summery weather.
Touches of colour in all the trees and lots of dead leaves to sweep through.

Long black shadows and not even midday yet.

The only shot with me in the picture as we approach a bend.
After coffee, SCOFF headed off.
And we three ventured further into the district and then turned and ran over the same trail home.
past this great little church which had an Indian congregation in full song as we swept by.