Bike Northland organised a Community Group Ride as part of the Whangarei Silver Festival held in September this year. Over 20 cyclists on a range of bikes turned up to share our exploration of the city bike paths. It was a very casual pace ensuring that no one was left behind providing plenty of opportunity for riders to meet new people and share their cycling stories.
We checked out the new Locky Docks at the library, with a quick demo on how to use them. With there being so many different bike styles these days everyones bike sits in the locks a little differently, so it is a good idea to take your time initially to work out the best method for your bike. After a few times it becomes super quick – often finding your card, (or phone for those who prefer to use the app), is the longest step in the process.
Our group ventured up the Te Kamo Shared path all the way to Station Road along the recently opened Stage 5 section. From there we joined the road and wound up and over Eden Terrace to link into the gravel path that follows the Waitaua Stream around the bottom of Vinegar Hill and links into the Hatea River in Tikipunga. A short stretch on quiet roads around past the Whangarei Falls and we were back on the shared path via Puna Rere Drive. It was fantastic to have a couple of Parafed Northland members join us with their pilots on tandems too.
