More Chch cycling events coming up

It might be feeling more and more like winter (not where I currently am…), but the Christchurch cycling calendar still has a few more activities coming up that may be of interest to you:

• The next ICEcycles free bike maintenance workshop is on this Sat 23rd May from 11am-2pm at the new Phillipstown Hub home. Have you got a bike that needs some TLC? Or maybe you don’t even have a bike but would like one? Perhaps you would like to learn a few more skills to build/repair your own bike? Come along and see what the ICEcycles team can do for you. And if you have any old bikes or bike parts that could use a better home, bring them along!

(remember too that the royally approved RAD Bikes continue to also provide bike build/repair services every Wed evening and Sun afternoons)

• Spokes Canterbury will be having their Annual General Meeting on Thu 28th May, 5.30-7.30pm at CPIT’s Whareora building (bottom end of Barbadoes St, rm W2.10). Come along to hear Michael Ferigo from Chch CC talk about the Major Cycleways Programme and Will Andrews from the Cycling Advocates Network (CAN) talk about the Dublin Cycling Campaign. Yes, there will be a few formalities to get through to start with (who knows, some of you might even like to get a bit more involved with Spokes…), plus a few light refreshments at the end.

(Speaking of AGMs, the Chch Coastal Pathway group will be holding their Annual Meeting on Tue June 30th; more details later…)

• Then next month we get into the shortest day of the year with the now traditional Winter Solstice Bike Ride. 5.30pm on Sun 21st June. Starting from the Armagh St gates, this is a very cruisy 5km ride around the perimeter paths of North Hagley Park before retiring to Fiddlesticks for refreshments and fine conversation (or something that approximates that…). This 4th annual ride is all about the lights this year (did you know that 2015 is the International Year of Light?), so get your bright and flashing bling on! Apparently over 2000 people have already indicated that they’re coming this year – imagine that convoy snaking around Hagley Park!

Unfortunately I won’t be able to join you for any of these events – I will be busy mingling with cycling bods from around the world at this year’s Velo-City international cycling conference, being held in Nantes, France next month (recall that last year’s conference was in Adelaide). If France is a bit far away for you, fear not; next year Velo-City will be in Taipei, Taiwan, so start saving your pennies now!

Will you be along to any of these events?