The Napier-Hastings Commute: Go By Bike Breakfast

This week our guest blogger, Tanya Winter, re-lives the Go By Bike Breakfast last Friday where a group of people rode from Napier to Hastings to support the cause.


Riding into the event after our ride from Napier


The ''Napier crew'' L-R: Rochelle, me, Caroline, Craig, Raoul and Bruce

Friday 24 February was Bike to Work day in the Hawke’s Bay. After a week of iffy weather the sun shone so that people who maybe wouldn’t ordinarily bike to work could dust off their Morrison ten-speed and join the throngs that descended on the Hawke’s Bay Opera House to celebrate cycling. Oh, and chomp on a bacon butty and sip on a delicious Opera Kitchen coffee.

Our crews left Napier from two locations: Caroline, Bruce, myself and Mark Curthey from Transfield Worley left from the Ellison St/Marine Pde intersection; and Craig, Raoul and Rochelle left from McDonalds Taradale. We met at 6.50am at Meeanee to cruise to Hastings. I have talked about riding in bunches in previous blogs, but a bunch of 7 people all of varying cycling abilities requires everyone to be on full alert. Couple that with the mornings getting darker, and we needed to take extra care on our journey over.

The journey was uneventful and fun, with everyone in high spirits. We arrived at the Opera House at 7.30 to a warm welcome, an even warmer bacon butty and a hot coffee. Ross Holden did a great job MCing the event, and a big thank you to the HDC staff who ensured everyone was fed and watered.

Bike Wise month finishes this week. As at today, Hastings District Council staff have cycled 11,200km over the month, and 29% of staff have logged a ride. Fantastic effort.

The Napier-Hastings Commute: Events in the Bay

This week our Guest Blogger, Tanya Winter, combined two events together as she continues her commitment to Bike Wise month (despite the weather!) and supports Art Deco Week in the Bay.


This week has been the worst week for cycling in terms of the weather I have ever experienced. It has rained every day, which has proved to be most frustrating for those of us who are trying to clock up the kms for Bike Wise month. My aim to improve on the number of kms I did in 2011 is becoming a distant dream, unless I get out and do a couple of 100km rides between now and the end of the month! I can see the “Tui” billboard already.

Contrary to what I said in an earlier blog about being a fair weather cyclist, I actually succumbed to cabin fever yesterday and biked into work anyway. It was OK coming in, but I got drenched on the way home. But it felt great being on my bike again.

This week is Art Deco week in the Hawke’s Bay. Many think this is a “Napier thing”, but we have as many (if not more) Art Deco and Spanish Mission style buildings in Hastings, which means we have just as much right to party.

I get a lot of “jibes” from my colleagues about how colour co-ordinated I am. Well, I think I pulled off the ultimate in accessory matching yesterday, when I wore my yellow and black Art Deco outfit. It was quickly pointed out by those around me that my bike is the same colours! How about that?

We are lucky in the Bay that we are blessed with a wide range of fantastic events, and with our amazing cycling network many events and activities are accessible by bike. Some even combining the 2. For example, wine tours that can be done on bicycles; “Belles on Bikes” as part of Art Deco Week.

So the clouds are supposed to break today or tomorrow. Get out and enjoy cycling, and also enjoy those events and activities that are on offer all around us!