Festival of Cycling
14/12/09 18:20
Sun, hail, heat, southerly winds.. Spring in Dunedin... its totally gorgeous when its nice, but totally impossible to predict. More predictable was that I would be off the pace in my first race since ages, the festival of cycling in Chirstchurch. It was awesome to push the body again, but boy did I suffer! The course rolled along a road for a while before hitting a steep climb. That’s when I got dropped :) The rest of the ride was actually super fun, racing around the techincal tracks on the Port hills. It was no beginner track, that’s for sure!
The festival was super well organized, with mass participation events on saturday, with over 1500 riders. On Sunday a downtown criterium showcased the top roadies to the public. There was also a celebrity tandom and I had heaps of fun riding with one of the event sponsors... we didn’t win, but we did beat Mark ‘Cabin’ Leashman, which was the most important thing ;)
The following day Laurence took me up to Craigieburn and showed me some of the awesome tracks up there... I was riding a new bike too, which just blew me away. I’m amping for summer and having time to do more trail riding. NZ has so many sick places to go... now I just need to find the time to get out there a bit more often !
I crashed a Ground Effect XMAS party... good ol NZ style with Fish n Chips... so good :)
The festival was super well organized, with mass participation events on saturday, with over 1500 riders. On Sunday a downtown criterium showcased the top roadies to the public. There was also a celebrity tandom and I had heaps of fun riding with one of the event sponsors... we didn’t win, but we did beat Mark ‘Cabin’ Leashman, which was the most important thing ;)
The following day Laurence took me up to Craigieburn and showed me some of the awesome tracks up there... I was riding a new bike too, which just blew me away. I’m amping for summer and having time to do more trail riding. NZ has so many sick places to go... now I just need to find the time to get out there a bit more often !
I crashed a Ground Effect XMAS party... good ol NZ style with Fish n Chips... so good :)
Dunedin Day of Climate Action
24/10/09 22:49
Today, Oct 24th, the world has shown its support for our worlds leaders, towards bold action this December in Copenhagen.
In over 170 countries, with over 5000 independent actions, people have come together to repeat the three most important number of our era... 3, 5 and 0 !
Here in Dunedin we had a huge 350 spring food festival with an estimated 12,000 people taking part. We also had surfers in the ocean and around 200 riders showed up for a 10km cruise along the water front.
We were welcomed by a wonderful spring day and it seemed like everyone enjoyed the ride. Thanks heaps to MTB Otago, R&R Sports, Anja, Derek, Simon, Nina and all the other people that have been helping with 350 riders to pull this off
In over 170 countries, with over 5000 independent actions, people have come together to repeat the three most important number of our era... 3, 5 and 0 !
Here in Dunedin we had a huge 350 spring food festival with an estimated 12,000 people taking part. We also had surfers in the ocean and around 200 riders showed up for a 10km cruise along the water front.
We were welcomed by a wonderful spring day and it seemed like everyone enjoyed the ride. Thanks heaps to MTB Otago, R&R Sports, Anja, Derek, Simon, Nina and all the other people that have been helping with 350 riders to pull this off
20/09/09 09:59
This Saturday is the International Day of Climate Action... People all over the world are making creative actions to spread awareness of climate change and to show our leaders that we care about it and want a bold policy taken to Copenhagen this December. Photos from the event will be sent to central park new york and around the world.
In my home town of Dunedin there will be a massive Spring Food Festival, held in conjunction with the farmers market. Along side the festival we will have a nice bike ride to have some fun and show the locals how great some of our cycle lanes already are! We hope for 350+ riders, so need everyone possible to come and participate!
When : 24th OCT, 1030
Where: Behind the railway station, Thomas Burns Street.
What : 10km ride: cruise along water front to boat sheds, mass photo, then back.
Why : all of the above and because bikes are part of the solution and so much fun...
After : Lock your bike up and join the Spring Foods Festival !
Contact : info@350riders.org
Rotorua
18/09/09 09:37
350riders had a great showing at the latest Trials World Cup in Rotorua. We did a great ride in the redwoods forest and Harley Spense presented a talk on climate change. One of the trials zones had a great big 350 in the background and we gave out a whole lot of 350rider stickers... so thanks to everyone involved and for spreading the 350 vibe into a new community !
Summit
17/09/09 22:09
I’m still struggling to figure out what’s up and down, and which side of the road to ride on... it was one quick whirlwind trip to the states and back, that’s for sure.
I’m not overly proud of the fact that I flew over there, which certainly doesn’t help my personal carbon foot print much... but I am proud of managing to contribute to what was an amazing summit, with some really influential and inspiring people, to discuss the olympics role in creating a sustainable future.
The summit its self lasted only 2 days, in which time we heard many speakers, including a few famous guys such as Tony Blair and Robert Kennedy Jn. There was around 30 participants and another 70 delegates, mostly from America, but a few from Europe.. I was the only Australasian and just 1 or 4 athletes. My role was to share my experience as an athlete and how I feel we can engage more athletes into environmentalism. I used www.350.org as an example of an organization that has had success in managing to do this.
The best thing for me was meeting people from a broad range of specialities. There were CEOs, lawyers, architects, managers, spokes people, scientists, politicians, former presidents... from a range of organizations and business’s such as green event organizers, clean energy companies, recycling programs, environmental protection agencies etc etc... The only frustrating thing was that everyone just wanted to talk about cycling or New Zealand... I mean, what’s so interesting about that? :)
I was pretty nervous for my presentation, but I think I managed it okay... better perhaps then if Tony Blair decided to go line up in MTB world cup anyway :)
Here is a radio interview I did for National Radio while in Chicago. I talk with Bryan Crump about the meaning of my trip, about sports people and environmental issues...
Chicago's green games
Why an environmentally consciuos cyclist from Dunedin is at a Chicago summit to help support this city in its bid to host the 2016 Olympics. (duration:20′35″)
Natalie promotes green with these cool laces, so I had to have one ;) www.greenlaces.org
Natalie Spilger and Andrew Gardner from 350.org / athletes
Me with Nobel Peace Prize Recipricant, Donald J Wuebbles
I’m not overly proud of the fact that I flew over there, which certainly doesn’t help my personal carbon foot print much... but I am proud of managing to contribute to what was an amazing summit, with some really influential and inspiring people, to discuss the olympics role in creating a sustainable future.
The summit its self lasted only 2 days, in which time we heard many speakers, including a few famous guys such as Tony Blair and Robert Kennedy Jn. There was around 30 participants and another 70 delegates, mostly from America, but a few from Europe.. I was the only Australasian and just 1 or 4 athletes. My role was to share my experience as an athlete and how I feel we can engage more athletes into environmentalism. I used www.350.org as an example of an organization that has had success in managing to do this.
The best thing for me was meeting people from a broad range of specialities. There were CEOs, lawyers, architects, managers, spokes people, scientists, politicians, former presidents... from a range of organizations and business’s such as green event organizers, clean energy companies, recycling programs, environmental protection agencies etc etc... The only frustrating thing was that everyone just wanted to talk about cycling or New Zealand... I mean, what’s so interesting about that? :)
I was pretty nervous for my presentation, but I think I managed it okay... better perhaps then if Tony Blair decided to go line up in MTB world cup anyway :)
Here is a radio interview I did for National Radio while in Chicago. I talk with Bryan Crump about the meaning of my trip, about sports people and environmental issues...
Chicago's green games
Why an environmentally consciuos cyclist from Dunedin is at a Chicago summit to help support this city in its bid to host the 2016 Olympics. (duration:20′35″)
Natalie promotes green with these cool laces, so I had to have one ;) www.greenlaces.org
Natalie Spilger and Andrew Gardner from 350.org / athletes
Me with Nobel Peace Prize Recipricant, Donald J Wuebbles