Guest blogger Robert has big plans for 2018…
Youth brings with it dreams devoid of boundaries; the desire to achieve all things and everything, the strength and ability to follow through. Very quickly however things change, the wish list of dreams expands, the time left available and ability to achieve, finite. Priorities need to be made. The fashionable term for this is the ‘Bucket List’. I am pretty sure many participants in the ‘Tour Aotearoa’, who are currently or have recently biked their way down the country in some very challenging conditions, had this adventure high on their bucket list. For me, a pipe dream, but certainly some of the New Zealand National Cycle trails are prominently featured on our personal little list.
What about ‘local’ items on a bucket list though.? How often do we say about a place or activity that is pretty close to us…
“I have never been there, or done that…must do it one day”
I got to thinking about this recently whilst riding with a group of local St Albans folks on one of the twice monthly rides around the city, following mostly (but not always) one of the major cycleways.
This particular day it was the Uni-Cycle route and we stopped off for 20 minutes to walk through Riccarton Bush. One of the participants commented that he had lived in Christchurch his entire life and had never been to Riccarton Bush. It is only metres from the largest shopping centre in the South Island!! Another ride through the Red Zone took us through Richmond Park and Woodham Park. Both these parks are lush, green, peaceful and relaxing, yet how many of us have actually been there?
This brings me on to Biketober 2018. After the success of Biketober 2017 the volunteer group has decided that it would be a disservice to the city not to have another one. This year however, things will be quite different; some of the major events on offer in 2017 will not be happening (such as the Asia Pacific Cycling Conference, City of Cycles Event of Heritage Week, Open Streets perhaps, and the Meet in the Middle walking/cycling event).
Planning has begun already: we understand that NZ Bike Expo held at Wigram Air Force Museum will be happening again, this time on the week-end of October 13th – 14th. We again are looking at running the Bike Passport scheme to coincide with NZ Bike Expo because it gives interested people and their bikes an incentive to attend, whilst promoting and supporting local businesses.
In the absence of other major events (that may or may not come our way), the organising group are working on Biketober 2018 being a series of themed and co-ordinated events that encourage as many community organisations as possible to organise their own biking related events. These events will be promoted on the Biketober website along with the many biking activities organised by the various biking groups (e.g. Frocks on Bikes, Bikes in Schools programme).
Our ideas so far for biking themes, one theme per week:
To get things started
- Get on Your Bike – is it ride-ready?
- Spring into Riding – Get the Passport and start planning
- Try something new (MTB ride, cyclo-cross, Adventure Park)
- Go somewhere new, Tick off your local Bucket List
Bike Expo Week
- Is an e-bike for me?
- Passport Prizes
Local Shops and Markets
- Who says you can’t shop on a bike
- Visits to the Mall (how is the parking there?)
Come to Town Week
- Ride the City like the 1950’s
- Central City Activities and promotions
- Street Art and the Rebuild progress.
Other ideas flying around at present include:
- Ride ( and eat ) like the French. A food theme
- Bike to Work Week ( why take the car)
- Bike for Fun without the carbon, just anywhere at all.
So the ideas are flying around. We welcome anyone to join this planning group in a voluntary capacity to help bring these ideas in to land, and make them happen. There are plenty of opportunities here for anyone with a flair for planning and creativity, promotion and marketing skills and contacts (including a FB and IT fetish), and of course help out on the day (or the month of Biketober).
Does that sound like you? Get in contact at biketober@gmail.com – next planning meeting is this Tuesday evening (13th).