KIWI BREVET

In case you haven't heard, the inaugural Kiwi Brevet is happening right now. It's an approx 1100km multi-day bike ride around the top of the South Island with as much off-road as possible. GB locals Lisa Savage and Tony Bateup are doing really well! Check it out at http://www.kiwibrevet.blogspot.com/

Bike week ride at Project Rameka

Kids and their carers are invited to a mountain bike ride at Project Rameka on Sunday 14th Feb, meet 10am by the big totara tree at the start of the Rameka Creek gorge to sort transport up to the Project. Those who are capable of biking up the road are encouraged to do so; otherwise, car-pooling will reduce the number of vehicles driving up.

The ride is probably more suitable to kids 10yrs and older, but younger kids have ridden it - at the official opening of Great Expectations in November, one 6yr old boy did the circuit twice (with dad running along behind) and a 10yr old did it 4 times! Wednesday working bees have improved the track even more since then.

All kids must have an adult carer with them (e.g. a parent) who is responsible for safety and behaviour. Riders/walkers/runners use the track at their own risk. There are some quite steep drop-offs at the side of the track in places so care is needed. The track itself is suitable for most riders and has been well-used by many people over the summer. Time for more locals to enjoy it as well!

BBQ to follow, sponsored by Nikki Ryan. More info available from The Quiet Revolution.

Track building - Rameka project

Work has started on the lower part of 'Great Expectations', one of the tracks currently in progress as part of the Rameka Project. The picture above shows the point at which 'Great Expectations' will meet the technical Downhill track 'The Odyssey' (on the right of pink tape)

There are now two, weekly working bees, on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at 5pm, with the Tuesday spot now focussing on the lower part of the project. As you can see from the photo some of the track is through dense bush and there is still an imense amount of work required to finish and maintain these tracks, all members and non members are welcome to contribute to these evenings as well as any other spare time, no experience of track building is required, but long trousers, long sleeves and gloves are reccommended!

Rameka Track counter

Neil Murray from DOC gets his hands dirty installing a counter on the Rameka Track to record usage numbers. There has been a rise in Mountain Bike riders using the track possibly due to the new 'Canaan Main Loop' cross country track being finished and ridden by large numbers. The 'Gold Creek loop' a smaller, family friendly loop is being constructed at the moment and has a funding application in to help pay for it's completion. It is hoped it will be finished by November 2010.

Well done Reece!

Reece Potter gets 3rd overall in the South Island Cup at last week's Championships in Nelson. Despite puncturing and crashing on his first seeded run, Reece managed to get back on his bike and finish 8th but carried points through rounds 1 and 2 in Christchurch and Dunedin to give him 3rd overall in Under 17's an all round top effort, well done Reece!

Reece & Dafydd DH pics

Reece and Dafydd having a little play on Reece's DH track, follow the link below for more sic pics!

http://picasaweb.google.com/gbmountainbikeclub/ReeceDafyddDH?pli=1&gsessionid=0w6_cXgznj3mqbx65fwyZg#

FAO all cyclists...

Just before Christmas, the TDC Newsline magazine reported that speed limit changes are finally to be considered by the Engineering Committee.

It is very important that we support these rational reductions proposed by TDC to speed limits on our narrow, heavily used roads.

Submissions can be emailed to: robin.scherer@tasman.govt.nz

Submissions close on 1 February.

Here are the details:

Proposed speed limit changes

Various local roads across Tasman district

Tasman District Council wishes to inform the public of proposed changes to a number of speed limits on various local roads across the district. These changes will require the Council to amend its current Consolidated Bylaw – Chapter 4 “Speed Limits Bylaw 2004”.

Under Section 86 of the Local Government Act 2002, Council is required to publicly notify any changes proposed to a Bylaw, enabling interested parties to comment.

Council recently reviewed the speed limits on local roads in line with the Land Transport Rule Setting of Speed Limits 2003.

Maps showing the existing speed limits and proposed changes are available for perusal at Council’s Service Centres and Libraries in

Richmond, Motueka, Takaka and Murchison.

The following schedule sets out both the proposed changes and where no change is proposed.

COLLINGWOOD - Map No. 2

Ruataniwha Drive & McDonald Place

Existing Speed Limit 100 kph

Proposed Speed Limit 50 kph

Extend out the Urban Traffic Area with a permanent speed limit of 50 kph to encompass Ruataniwha Drive and McDonald Place.

Haven Road

Existing Speed Limit 70

Proposed Speed Limit 50

Extend out the Urban Traffic Area with a permanent speed limit of 50 kph in a westerly direction along Haven Road to a point

measured approximately 400 metres west of the intersection of Tasman and Elizabeth Streets and revoke the existing 70 kph

permanent speed limit.

PARAPARA - Map No. 22

Parapara Beach, Bishop, Pryor and Parapara Esplanade Roads

Existing Speed Limit 70 kph

Proposed Speed Limit 50 kph

Create an Urban Traffic Area encompassing all of the said roads with a permanent 50 kph speed limit and revoke the existing permanent 70 kph speed limit and 50 kph Holiday speed limit which currently apply.

PATONS ROCK - Map No. 3

Patons Rock Road

Existing Speed Limit 100 kph

Proposed Speed Limit 50 kph

Extend out the Urban Traffic Area with a permanent speed limit of 50 kph along Paton Rock Road in a southwesterly direction towards SH60 to a point measured approximately 200 metres southwest of Battery Road.

POHARA/EAST TAKAKA & TAKAKA - Map No. 5,6 & 7

Abel Tasman Drive (Takaka to Motupipi)

Existing Speed Limit 100 kph

Proposed Speed Limit 80 kph

Extend out the existing 80 kph speed limit at Three Oaks to the start of the existing 70 kph speed limit at the settlement of Motupipi.

Abel Tasman Drive (Motupipi to Pohara)

Existing Speed Limit 100 kph

Proposed Speed Limit 80 kph

Put in place an 80 kph speed limit extending from the northern end of the existing 70 kph speed limit at the settlement of

Motupipi to the start of the 50 kph speed limit at Pohara.