Bike Taupo - Newsletter 9

Wowweeeee where have we been not sleeping that�s for sure. Be rest assured we�re back! We have to open this newsletter with huge apologies for being downright slack in getting newsletters out to you. What can we say life has been hectic for us all and not just doing Bike Taupo stuff. Heres some goss on the committee Jonty is now a daddy! Lizzy is going to be a mummy very soon, Lisa hung up her bike to complete the Oxfam 100km Trailwalker - and promises to shortly get back on two wheels! Pete, Richard and John continue to chip away at tracks (doesn�t it look great at Wairakei!) Thomas continues to do what he does best update and drive the website and that is never short of uptodate news, and Mike has been gathering and attending cycle workshops. So heres our juicy, spicy, news typed by Lisa as she gazes at an awesome view of Whakaipo headland, from her home computer desk thinking one day we will be riding over you!!

Remember, if anyone would like to add something to our newsletter that�s cycling related please email us with it .

1. BIKE TAUPO HAS BEEN IN TOWN FOR AGES!

Yep that�s right we have finally made our mark in town with some awesome out of this world tracks through fantastic gullies filled with native flora and fauna. Te toki and Harvey Street gullies are rideable (and walkable). Kids get this great mountainbike experience in their own neighbourhood now (almost like when we were kids ??). The bike and foot traffic on them has been immeasurable (wow what a word). So if you haven�t checked these tracks out yet then take a detour for a cruise.

The best thing is Lizzy and Thomas along with other local individuals and businesses are holding The Gullies Treasure Hunt from 10am - 1pm on Saturday 14 October 2006. This will be a great family activity including a couple of cruisy bike rides through the gullies and huge festive fun on Waipahihi Sportsground. Look out for more on this.

Further in August there�s to be community planting exercise on the Arrowsmith Ave face (beginning of Gully track) to plant some of our glorious natives and re-generate the beauty of our land!! Big thanks to Colin Lunn and Chris Todd for making this gully track happen.

2. ATTENTION ROAD BIKES!!

Green Paint: We have been chatting with Jess from Taupo District Council and she going to be making a bit of a mark in the CBD with the cycle lanes you might even see some green paint shortly - now don�t get excited - it means you�ll all have to start biking to work - the more we bike in town the more chance we get to make our CBD really cycle friendly. Actually we just need to take a look at petrol price increases and well really there�s no excuse for not riding to work on a lovely crisp sunny day and the days are getting longer and warmer. Our spies are reporting more people commuting to work in the mornings along the Lions Walk - KEEP IT UP !!

Eastern Arterial Route: Great news for Taupo and good on the community and council for changing Transit�s mind about fund allocation. We would have missed out! Council have already started planning for this great piece of tarmac and this includes allowing for a Recreational path the length of it - feeding into our gully systems and other routes into town. In fact Bike Taupo has attended the first planning meeting and you�ll be pleased to know we are working hand and hand with Council to ensure this Recreational Path will be user friendly for all modes of alternative transport ie. Biking, walking and even horse riding. Its getting closer!

Road Safety Campaign: Another year has passed with a successful campaign well it must have been successful - we are still all alive! - you will shortly be able to read our report on our website. Compared to last year we have had no negativity and if anything more acceptance. In fact Hastings are now looking at using our idea for their District. It looks like these signs will be popping up every cycle season!

3. OFF-ROAD TRACKS - Where should the Worlds be??

Now that�s a good question! Though, some little birds have told me that the Open Day on the Worlds circuit was a blast over the weekend of the 22^nd July. In fact rumour has that our infamous Pete Masters had to walk a couple of sections but maybe he was just saving his body for the big French tour he embarks upon at the end of the month!! Bon Voyage Pete and Ali - Jouir !!!

Back to ‘hottest: mountain bike park in NZ - and I don�t mean the fact that its geothermal! I think I am the only one who hasn�t tried out the new ‘Outback’. Now apparently whenever you mention this name you�re supposed to get on your hands and knees and kiss the ground ! - It�s that great!!! What is great - we are back in the old block where mountainbiking in Taupo was born and the names Hansel and Gretel were not from a kid�s story-book. Plans for this area are to grow grow grow and its even featuring THE BIG RACE (more about that below!) Big thanks to all working B members and also "The Last of the Summer Wine Building Co" (the company directors being Banga and Dave) for all their work on this track todate. Jump online www.biketaupo.org.nz and check out the pictures.

The Mountain Bike Club races have been a great success with the summer series hitting record participants! More and more people are testing the hot trails at Wairakei.

A new track called Te Totara Gully is progressing rather nicely - it provides for more fantastic biking experiences down river of the mighty falls and on the western side. Our friends up at Helistar have been kindly coptering in logs for us and making life a little easier for the construction of this track. Can�t say enough about friends in high places!

that�s THE BIG RACE. In fact it gets bigger every year with around 15% increase in participants last year. Wait for it there�s now a Fifth Leg of the Cycle Challenge in November. If you have already received your Cycle Challenge entry form then you�ll know all about it. Bike Taupo along with the Cycle Challenge organisers have created the FIFTH LEG of the Cycle Challenge which will be an awesome ride from Spa Park out to Wairakei - spitting you out at the Sale Yards in Poihipi Road where your team no. 2 will take off and continue round the lake! Fantastic - and the ‘wow’ doesn�t stop there because Bike Taupo gets a piece of the pie - yep we get to raise money from the entry fees of this section for much needed maintenance money in Wairakei Park. So if you have a buddy tucked away who just doesn�t do the road bike thing, they can now be involved in the Taupo Cycle Challenge on their knobbly treadly and on some the best off-road tracks around.

4. WEBSITE HOTTIES:

Since our last newsletter we now have the Taupo Mountain Bike Club and Taupo Cycling Club on as links so you can click on them to gain your race results and latest happenings in the Clubs. Great to have you guys on board. Our family is coming together. By the way our membership is up to 1103 yippee! And as I check out this figure there are 14 guests online and sometimes there can be up to 50 especially when race results are out! This is great - now you just have to start logging on with your password and you�ll find out there are hidden areas of the website (i.e. Member List, Meeting Minutes) only members can view - WHY? Because you are all special Hit this link if you LOST YOUR PASSWORD??

5. SUBMISSIONS

We continue to look out for all present and future cyclists. Our big appearance at a Council hearing re Speed Limits is coming up in August. Hopefully if we are winners we can get particularly Huka Falls Road speed limit reduced but we�ll see - its all about policy and guidelines and laws. Some good news is that Mapara Road will be reduced to 80km from Acacia Bay to just past the L�Arte Caf�.

We have been also commenting on some subdivision consents and looking at other funding avenues - oh the list goes on. Busy beavers!!!

6. KINLOCH TO WHAKAIPO BAY TRACK

No, its not dead and buried. Its very much alive and kicking - patience my precious !!

7. UPCOMING EVENTS

Also check out our website and click on the Clubs for regular weekly stuff on the road and on the track!

1. BIKE TAUPO HAS BEEN IN TOWN FOR AGES!

2. ATTENTION ROAD BIKES!!

3. OFF-ROAD TRACKS - Where should the Worlds be??

4. WEBSITE HOTTIES:

5. SUBMISSIONS

6. KINLOCH TO WHAKAIPO BAY TRACK

7. UPCOMING EVENTS