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Riding for Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre

  • Magenta adventure

      4 December 2015

    By now you'll have heard about Lightpath. It's the magenta-coloured magic carpet ride for peddlers and pedestrians through the middle of Spaghetti Junction. It opened this week, and the first cyclists to ride it were a bunch of school kids wearing capes.

    I wasn't wearing a cape, but today I tried it on my way into work. Here's the video evidence. There's something extremely cool about riding on a pink cycle path through the middle of a motorway junction under a giant Red Peak flag.

    It's like being instantly transported to a future New Zealand where sustainable transport options are prioritized and our national flag reflects our confident, diverse democracy.

    My magenta adventure was part of the 600km ride I am doing to raise funds for the Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre. Together with a bunch of very generous people we've raised over $2,000 for this inspiring organisation that helps kids with special needs.

    If you've already donated, thank you! If you haven't, you can support this great cause here: https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/riding4raukatauri/

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  • Halfway over the bridge

      19 November 2015
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    On Sunday I achieved two milestones. I hit the halfway mark on my Ride for Raukatauri, and biked the harbour bridge with Sophie.

    Thank you all for your support for the Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre so far.

    Bike the Bridge was a blast, and I can recommend it to anyone keen to explore a piece of Auckland infrastructure not normally accessible en vélo.

    The best bit was cycling for a couple of kilometres next to a guy on a penny farthing. Whoever invented the penny farthing didn't care much for gears, or brakes for that matter. Watching a dude wearing authentic MOTAT-issue knickerbockers struggle up the hill, I realised I was witnessing the original hipster fixie in action. In fact, I'm surprised you don't see more penny farthings around town given their fixed-gear credentials.

    After we'd crossed the finish line, we pushed on to Devonport, caught the ferry to town and continued on our biking adventure to Crave Cafe in Morningside. The celebratory eggs bene were the best I've had. The great food was bettered only by the good vibes and a chat with a friendly dog called Jake.

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  • Creeking through the kilometres

      17 October 2015
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    Last weekend I hit 100 kilometres on my Riding for Raukatauri challenge to raise some dosh for the Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre.

    I'm one sixth of the way to my goal, and I managed to clock up the milestone as I rode past Auckland's only urban waterfall.

    As majestic as any Waitakere Ranges cascade, this wild suburban weir is part of Te Auaunga (also known as Oakley Creek). It's not far from Unitec, just down the hill from Blockhouse Bay Road, and only a few hundred metres from the Northwestern Motorway.

    I'm always amazed that this natural wonder remains relatively untouched, surrounded by punga and other native flora, so close to the city. But it's not just the waterfall that amazes me about Te Auaunga.

    The path along the creek offers glimpses of the original farm wall from the Oakley Farm Estate (see two larger photos), where the original Whau Lunatic Asylum was built in 1865.

    The whole place is an archaeological and wilderness treasure trove. I hope that one day it is protected by some special act of Parliament and large wads of public cash, and accorded the same love and attention as the Domain or Cornwall Park.

    Thanks for all your support for the amazing Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre so far. I had a message from the centre to say how much they appreciated the generosity of everyone who has donated, and how important the support is for the work they do for kids with special needs.

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  • The rain and the chain

      2 October 2015
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    Today was one of those days when you really, really don't want to get up early and ride into town. It was raining hard when I woke up, and even though it was clear when I left the house, it wasn't long before the precipitation began again and I was wishing I had windscreen wipers on my specs. Then to top it all off, I managed to mangle my chain on the hill heading up to Newton Road. I'm sure passing motorists were thinking kind thoughts as I hunched on the side of the road trying to coax the greesy chain back into place with cold, wet fingers. But it's much easier to ride to work on a rainy day when you're doing it for a good cause! Thanks for your very generous support. I kept myself going today with the thought that we're helping more kids get their hands on a kazoo, and that has to be a good thing!

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  • First weekend ride!

      21 September 2015
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    Having recently entered my 40s, and woken up to the fact that I am now probably too old to make the All Blacks, I'm in definite mid-life crisis territory. But instead of buying a Harley (I can't afford a Harley), I've decided to burn fat rather than oil and ride my bike to work more often. I've also decided to give myself a weekly 50 kilometre target, which means doing a few longer rides on the weekend. This was my first weekend ride, along the Northwestern Bike Path from Mt Albert to Te Atatu and back. I spent the time admiring the view, thinking about the flag debate, and seeing #RedPeak everywhere.

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