Part One and Part Two

Part One: Fun in the Sun when it eventually came out
Here's our pix from Sundays Cyclovia in Sydney Road, Brunswick. 'Twas grand day for Melbournes cyclists, more pictures at Cyclovia

We did it!
Cyclovia Sydney Road - Moreland, the first of its kind in Australia, was held on Sunday 28 May 2006. Around 10,000 people enjoyed a great day in Sydney Road. For 6 hours "life to the street" was a reality in Moreland.

This great Cyclovia was possible thanks to the great effort and enthusiasm of the volunteers. Thank you. The site coordinators, Alex, Juliana and Arthur, the team leaders and all the marshals along the cyclovia made possible to change Sydney Road into a great party of people of all ages.

Great work from BrunsBUG, Moreland Council and everyone responsible for organising this fantastic event, now **we want** one in our area!

Part Two: Tool Time
Pay a visit to Wheels of Justice. Yes, I'm grumpy again, and so should you be too.

Newman, you fkng idiot.

Busy somewhere else

20th May 2006, Ride of Silence in South Melbourne

The Age: Cyclists to ride in silence in memorial
Processions of cyclists will ride silently through three Australian cities this weekend in memory of those killed each year on their bikes. The annual Ride of Silence will be held in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane this Saturday at 10am (AEST), following rides in other countries including the United States, Canada, the UK and China on Wednesday. "It will be a slow ride, similar to a funeral procession, and we will be wearing black armbands in memory of those killed and red armbands for those injured," Melbourne ride coordinator Rob Eke said.

Say, it's long time between drinks for blog posts. Actually we're too busy organising other worthwhile activities (see above). Like kicking this long overdue website into shape. Attempting to figure out crappy, badly designed engineering fuckups marvels like the Pigdon St roundabout with the locals. Trying to decipher the bizarrely machiavellian world of bicycle advocacy. What Fun. Here's some pix from the Ride of Silence. Who was that Mystery Man who rode past Fed Square at approx 10.05am and didn't bother to participate or say hello? Hey, don't some 40,000 Victorian cyclists pay $85+ in membership fees per year towards their salary to represent us? Hello Oh well, some people are Far Too Important to mingle with common proles. Or far too detached and lacking in self awareness to realise they're their own worst enemy in the PR stakes. Cripes now I've really put myself in the scheiße. **blows raspberry**

Some Mothers do 'ave 'em

Sweet creeping baby Jaysus H. Chroist. The spectacularly spastic things some cagers are capable of when they get their knobs knickers in a knot. And in a noice suburb like Kew .. fcuksticks!

Channel Seven - gotta love it when ya see yourself on telly

In other news we found ourselves down in a meedya scrum in yesterdays delightful 'Scottish Mist' alongside the banks of the gently flowing Yarra. I attempted to emulate The Chasers Logie Bonehead antics but alas I only scored only two bonehead appearances, both courtesy of ABC news and Channel Seven, as opposed to Chas's magnificent 34 boneheads at the Logies. Jo Stone from Ch7 interviewed a DarebinBUGer and moi, but since we were so happy, upbeat and photogenic, they didn't bother use it in the evening news
bulletin. At least I got to mind Peter Batchelors bike helmet as he took questions. At least it was all in a good cause. w00t!

Apologies to the startling brevity of this post, as one is rather time poor and have a website to upgrade from it's current fridge magnet status, a BUG meeting, several submissions to write and the Ride of Silence this weekend. Now excuse moi as I dive headfirst back into to it all. kerplunk!

Tuesday May 9th: A wonderful day

Tuesday was a wondrous day. Not only for the bravery of Todd Russell and Brant Webb's rescue team, and the quiet dignity of Larry Knights family and the entire Beaconsfield community. Our teeny-weeny itsy-bitsy non-miracle for today is that yours truly can now breath through both nostrils. Unfortunately my organic hard drive is still non compos mentis. Fugging tonsils. Anyway enough high-pitched whinging, here's further good news, flippant news and mildly bike themed news...

'Twas a Dark and Stormy Night in the buslane on Hoddle Street

The Farren Collection on Friday night. It duly transpired to be an delightful evening, despite the dark and stormy conditions. About 20+ brave cyclists attended the warehouse in Richmond, where Charlie and Paul gave a fun, informative talk about their extensive antique bicycle collection, it's mostly pre-1900 origins and fascinating social history. After Friday evening I realised I really do need to procure a pair of overbooties, since walking around on cold, wrinkled wet feet certainly ain't fun. Especially when they start to cramp... I was wearing thermals which helped to wick off the moisture but alack, that didn't help after a southbound 246 bus threw a huge spray of water over me while cycling down to Richmond. Possible solutions? Full length neoprene, silicon glue on the undersides of SPD cleats or reusable zipties around the ankles? Failing that, I'm seriously considering bushwalking/skiing gaiters in future wet & woolly conditions.

About a dozen cyclists later decamped to the Land of Goat where much merriment, chips and deep-fried goodness were to be had. Actually I've never witnessed so much chippage and acrylamide outside a deep fryer, hence everyone present was nicely fed and watered. We must organise another similar event again & I hope those present enjoyed the sugar-laddened psychedelic donuts. Suuugggaaaarrrr is my friend. Especially in cold weather.

T. F. Gumby: No, no, no, my brain in my head. (specialist thumps him on the head)
Specialist: It will have to come out.
T. F. Gumby: Out? Of my head?

As numerous aus.bicycle viewers know, a.b's very own hippy, uber-cyclist, Glenvale Crit champion, co-founding Goatage participant and overposter disappeared last year to the UK. If you've been perusing his blog entries you'd know he's enjoyed many an cycling adventure, eurodoof danse par-tee, combined beverage and culinary experiences on the continent before 'settling down' in the UK for boring employment reasons. Unfortunately young hippys health recently took a rather nasty turn, but never fear, he's now on the mend! Doctors at Charing Cross Hospital have created medical history and syphoned five pints of excess Merrimans Old Fart off his brain.

Le Tour, less than 60 sleeps to go .. Something tells me I'm gonna regret this casual observation. Have a gander at the Le Tour frontpage. Did the website designers create an deliberate imitation of an infamous interwebbie image? Or not.

Drink!

From India: A fridge powered by bicycle? Cool! Killer app developed for bikes! Vegetables? pah! Tinker with this application a bit further and hey presto, cold beer while you're out singletracking!

US: The League of American Bicyclists is promoting Bike-to-Work Week from May 15-19 and Bike-to-Work Day on Friday, May 19. Thirty-five of the United States of America are organising Bike Month activities. What happened to the other fifteen M.I.A states? Off doing burnouts in their custom monster trucks or sherpherding the kiddies to school in their Chevvy Tahoes?

In more wondrous news, Del'Emma and Dan quietly took the plunge into wedded bliss on May 1 and are now respectively Mr and Mrs Hale. On behalf of the residents of Beer Can Hill, may we pass on our heartfelt felicitations. If either of the happy couple just happen to read this, a sumptuous wedding hamper is being brewed complied by our highly trained brewmeister. Delivery soon-ish.

Australian Rides of Silence

Brisbane and Sydney have now organised rides, so as I receive the information, I'll post the updates to Bicycle Justice. As previously noted, the worldwide Ride of Silence takes place in the US from 6pm on 17th May. We've made a group decision and decided this time is not appropriate for Australia, in winter in the dark on a weeknight, and thus for safety and visibility concerns our Rides of Silence will take place on Saturday May 20 at 10am.

Also I've done overdue housekeeping on the Wheels of Justice forum. This forum was created as a spillover for the yahoogroup, so go ahead, register and post away to your little hearts content. Please keep any contributions reasonably on topic or I'll read the riot act if you abuse this feature or use very naughty language.

This Friday evening in Melbourne there's a cyclist gathering at the amazing Farren Collection in Richmond, followed by the usual visit to the Land of Goat. So don the gortex and overbooties and we'll see you there.

Melbourne Memorial Ride of Silence May 20th 2006

Posted on the Bicycle Justice blog, so I'll post it here too

Melbourne memorial ride to honour the memory of ALL cyclists killed whilst riding their bicycle. 10am Saturday May 20, 2006

:: Leaflet available here ::

Assembly: 10am Federation Square footpath corner Flinders St & St Kilda Rd, facing Flinders Street Station.

Destination: approx 11-30am Parliament House Spring Street.

Route: City CBD streets approx 5-8km time permitting , several loops of Swanston, Collins, Elizabeth Street and Bourke Street.

Protocol: Two abreast, stop at red lights, obey all traffic laws, no corking, move slowly at speed of funeral procession, wear black armbands, wear any signage you think appropriate to stop disrespect against cyclists.

Invite: friends, family, to attend and speak at finish, we aim to have media, celebrities and cycling advocates address at beginning and conclusion. Authorities are advised this is an apolitical, peaceful memorial occasion.

Note: The worldwide Ride of Silence will take place from 6pm on 17th May in the USA, this time is not appropriate for Melbourne, in winter in the dark on a weeknight, and thus for safety and visibility concerns the Melbourne Ride of Silence will take place on Saturday May 20 at 10am
http://www.rideofsilence.org

Russell Mockridge, Anthony Marsh, Amy Gillett, Luke Harrop, Darren Smith, Saul Pasque, Matty Cole, Penny Croft, Alan Scott, Ian Humphrey, Kyle Forth, Ken Kifer, and too many thousands of others in our communities and across the world have died whilst riding their bikes, it is a sad and poignant thing that too many have died doing what they love and celebrate in their life. We shall not forget them, be there, bring friends!!

Other cities feel free to join us in this moving tribute to the memories of our cycling kin. An initiative of Melbourne Wheels of Justice, Melbourne Ride of Silence and various Bicycle User Groups of Melbourne.