by Vaughan Hunt | Oct 17, 2013 | Event Reports
The recreational rides organisers had the idea to add some variety to our Sunday rides by planning a trip starting a bit further away from home and on roads not regularly used by our club members. Thus the ride from Mangaweka was conceived.
To make the logistics easier, a bus was hired which picked up the approximately 40 riders for just over an hour journey to Mangaweka.
And on time at 8:15 the group set off up the (rather nice climb) towards Rangiwahia. The previous days of heavy rain had brought down a large number of slips and the soft Papa Rock (that muddy greyish sandstone) covered the road. Pretty soon both bikes and riders were were evenly plastered with the stuff.
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by Glenys Taylor | Oct 17, 2013 | Archive(News)
In working out the points that have been achieved over the handicap races that have been held so far some interesting numbers have arisen.
The first race in the series was the Pahiatua Sealed Handicap. In this event which was an interclub event there were a total 36 entries but only half of these were Bike Manawatu members. Allriders started at the same time and although Robert Stannard was first over the line the winner of the Cup after adjusting for the sealed handicap was Frazer Allen.
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by Glenys Taylor | Oct 17, 2013 | Archive(News)
The weather unfortunately plays a big factor on who gets out and rides in any event. Obviously the hardy soles that knew that they needed to accumulate points from week 1 to be in with a good shot to win prizemoney at the end of the season came out to Kairanga for the first chance to grab points.
Thanks to Horizons Regional Council for again allowing us to use their yard and to MDC for erecting the signs on the course.
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by Vaughan Hunt | Oct 13, 2013 | Event Reports
What a lovely ride we had on Sunday 13th October from Mangaweka back to Palmerston North. The weather, albeit a bid windy (very windy actually) was dry, there was a great turn out of people of varying strengths and all appearing to be enjoying the lovely countryside and company of others. It is a shame therefore that again I feel the need to write an article expressing my frustrations (I’m putting it mildly) about rider selfishness.
Shortly after leaving Cheltenham and as the wind continued to blow, there were a few people in our group (two groups having merged at this stage) who were struggling to keep up and as I tend to do, I moved up to the front to ask that the speed be cut back. To my annoyance, the group continued on at the same speed and I decided to drop back to ride with and support one of our colleagues. We rode the last 25 kilometres by ourselves, without any other cyclists in sight, they perhaps clearly more interested in coffee than helping a fellow cyclist. I certainly don’t mind doing this if there is only 2-3 kilometres to go, but how could a group of experienced cyclists and yes, there were some very strong and experienced cyclists in this group, leave someone to struggle on their own, especially with so far to go. Out of a group of approximately 30 cyclists, I would have thought it quite appropriate that 3-4 riders drop back to help those that are struggling.
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by Glenys Taylor | Oct 13, 2013 | Archive(News)
The weather leading up to this organised Bike Manawatu ride from Mangaweka back along the Country Road through Rangiwahia to Kimbolton then back to Palmerston North had looked gloomy and dismal to say the least. But weather forecasters don’t seem to quite get it right for our neck of the woods. So the bus had been booked and everyone who had booked had been told to be at Memorial Park at 6.45am so bikes could be packed with the plan to leave Mangaweka around 8.30am.
A stop in Feilding to pick up the 2 local lasses saw their bikes put inside the bus. And off up through Halcombe to SH1. Just past Hunterville there were a few spits of rain on the windscreen but by the time the bus arrived in Mangaweka this had passed. The bus was quickly and efficiently off loaded of people and bikes. Mike Christie gave the bus people along with the other people that had decided to make their own way to Mangaweka a ride briefing and Ken Young who had driven the course the day before detailed a couple of areas to be careful of.
And they are off.
A steady pace was set and the Rangitikei River bridge was crossed without drama.
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