NewsArticleBody
Every year around 80 folks from downunder and even 'upover' get together with their Bike Friday folding bikes for a big little-wheeled bash in a remote and beautiful part of Australia. This year, Bike Friday Sales Consultant Peter Berra and Bike Friday Co-founder Hanz Scholz were able to attend. Thanks to Bike Friday Club of Sydney leader Christine Floyd for this wrap up, and to Pete and Christine for the photo gallery. Check out the Australian Bike Friday Club, and afiliated clubs in Sydney and Canberra for more information on little wheeled activity downunder.
Imagine a wine growing region in South Australia, a pretty little town with plenty of restaurants with great food, warm April autumn weather, and over 80 enthusiastic Bike Friday owners and you have McLaren Vale - the perfect setting for 8th Annual gathering of the Australian Bike Friday Club. For 4 days there was plenty of activity - exchange of ideas, tales of rides done over the last 12 months, meetings with old friends, welcome to many new members, and plenty of riding. Here are a few of the highlights
Wednesday afternoon and Thursday mornings watching the arrival of Bike Fridays and riders-noteably Hanz Scholz and Peter Berra from Eugene. There were those who rode from Adelaide airport, towing their trailers along the railtrail; and those who looked very satisfied, having just completed a 9 day ride along the Murray River to get there.
Friday: ABFC President Margaret Day led a ride to beautiful Maslin Beach and along it! This was followed by the portage of bikes up the cliff path and back to the road. Some then indulged in lunch at the wonderful Star of Greece restaurant overlooking a peaceful sea, while others dispersed to sample the wines of the area. [Hmmmm ... I hear murmurings from Pete that this was a nude beach ... Christine is clearly not letting on all the details here... you'll just have to go to the photo gallery for the full Monty! - Ed]
Saturday: There were two rides. Alan Capell and David Foster led a large group up and down every hill in the area's beautiful countryside. Derek and Sherry had a memorable blow out on the rear wheel of the tandem, - just before an exhilarating ride down Penny's Hill - which is part of the Tour Down Under route when speeds of 120km are experienced. The other ride wasn't quite so lumpy - but did include a climb up the famous Willunga Hill.
Saturday Night: The Dinner - this year at a vineyard, of course (there was no escaping the wine). Entertainment was by the Bachettes under the baton of Trish Covell and accompanied once more by Tony, Nic, Dave and Roger. Quite a good balance - 4 voices and 4 instruments! They tackled 2 quite spiffy pieces (by Bach) - words modified to the BF environment by Roger - Trish has been assured that that being able to sing is not a requirement of BF ownership and considering the talent she was working withshe did well! Much fun was had by all.
Sunday: The luncheon - we had to ride to it! Again at a vineyard And then it was all over and good bye till next year in NSW.
Many thanks to Margaret and Bronwyn for organizing another excellent gathering. - Christine Floyd
 Best of the Gathering according to Bike Friday Sales Consultant for Australia, Peter Berra: As the Australian rep in Eugene for Bike Friday for the past 4 years, I jumped at the chance to to travel nearly 24 hours straight to that mysterious land 'down under'. Mission: to meet almost ONE THIRD of our nearly 250+(and quickly growing) Australian Bike Friday owners. Awesome! Surprisingly, the United States with over 288 million people, is approximately the same physical size as Australia with only 20 million people. I had no idea what to expect; random thoughts suddenly flooded my mind about what I should bring and wear. I knew from National Geographic channel that this continent is the home to many strange and exotic animals, deadly spiders, as well as some of the most venomous snakes in the world that can kill you if you accidentally step on them... [Not to mention the killer koalas ... - Ed]. I initially pictured us going to ride in the outback with kangaroos and camels on some wild odyssey [Crocodile Dundee meets Indiana Jones? - Ed] ... Well, we arrived in Adelaide, which is wine country, landscaped with lush vineyards, old farm lands, and the scenic coastline with cycling trails that go forever. "No wurries", our Aussie Bike Friday cyclists told me, "you probably won't see those kinds of things here." We rode many long & wonderful kilometers together over the week. The 85 customers we had the pleasure to camp with were very hospitable and outgoing to make sure we had a wonderful stay during our short time here. They shared stories of future plans and recent vacations on their little wheels. They also gave us a taste of their traditional Australian meals ... okay it was MORE than just a taste, it was like every meal we had fresh homemade bread & pastries, an assortment of meats & delicious cheeses, ripe fruits & veggies, and a collection of Aussie coffees, beers & wines to top it off... and I thought America was the land of 'nothing exceeds like excess.' It was a trip I will never forget, and a long-awaited journey where I could finally match the faces with all the names and personalities I have been working with over the years. I also enjoyed meeting Kelly-Ann Wickham and John Pittendreigh of Epic Cycles, our first Australian dealer. They have a Family Tandem, Tandem Traveler XL and New World Tourist on the floor to demo. You can order your bike through Epic and they'll ease it through Customs for you. Support Epic and they'll be able to graduate to purchasing framekits from us, making the bikes more economical for folks downunder. I am already looking forward to seeing you all again and sharing the adventures we will get into next year. |
 Rosemary Hutchison: We'll never forget you. Rosemary Hutchison was excited about buying her new Bike Friday. She went down to the bank a little earlier than she needed to organize the deposit, says Peter Berra of Bike Friday in Eugene. She and her husband Alan, active members of the Melbourne Bicycle Touring Club, had recently ridden the length of the UK from the Orkney islands in far north Scotland to Penzance in the far south east, on their Tandem Traveler XL and were looking forward to buying two new single Bike Fridays to add to their collection. On her way back from the bank, she stopped by the post office and sat briefly on the seat outside to read her mail. At that moment, a truck swerved off the road and struck her. She died instantly. That was Thursday, April 15, 2004. At Bike Friday, we're still stunned and saddened by this freak accident. I personally remember meeting Alan and Rosemary after my Cuba slide show at the MBTC, discussing how we'd meet for the 2003 Australian Bike Friday Club Gathering in Beechworth. Rosemary, 63, had survived 4 breast cancer operations 14 years ago. "She wasn't letting the grass grow under her feet," says Alan. She devoted her life to singing in the choir, home renovations, and bike touring with her husband. Alan, we're all thinking of you and I hope we can get together to ride again. Everyone has you in their hearts and we know that Rosemary is still there, her spirit not letting the grass or anything else grow under her pedaling feet. From Peter Berra: Alan says their tandem was one of the best things they ever did together. They covered many happy miles together on it. I remember our time together cycling and talking about their recent 2003 loaded tour of Orkney, Scotland, where they visited the actual stone cottage where Alan's great-grandfather John Hutchison was born in 1854. They shared with me the history of John and his great-grandmother Elizabeth and how they sailed for Australia in 1851 and joined the gold rush in Central Victoria, where they established their roots. It seems like we were all together just last week. I am happy knowing that I had the chance to meet both of them and spend a wonderful week with such a beautiful person. We will miss her, and her memory will live with us forever. - Peter From husband Alan Hutchison: The picture was taken on Friday 5th September 2003, the morning after we had celebrated our eighteenth and last wedding anniversary together. Buying the tandem was one of the best things we ever did together. It has left me with some wonderful memories to cherish of a happy and wonderful wife sharing our travels in a spirit of togetherness - Alan +++ Links: Australian Bike Friday Club (incorporating Bike Friday Club of Sydney and Canberra) Epic Cycles, Bike Friday's first Australian dealer. For more information, follow this link http://www.bikefriday.com/abfc. |