Eastern Suburbs Sustainable Garden Trail by Bike

Sustainable gardens by sustainable transport. What could be better?

Bike Eastern Suburbs is excited to be involved with the Eastern Bays Sustainable Gardens Trail. We have organised a group ride to visit several of the gardens finishing with refreshments at the newly opened Sunhill Garden Centre and Cafe. E-bikes and analogue bikes are welcome.

We meet at Bionic Bikes (244 Orakei Rd) at 9.45am on Saturday 24th February. If you want to hire a bike from them, they open at 9.00 (allow at least 30 minutes to get fitted and sorted). We will ride up the shared path via Purewa Cemetery, then down to gardens in Kohimarama, St Heliers, Glendowie and (if time permits) St Johns. The route is about 18km and unfortunately there are hills involved.

It is a no-drop ride so we will wait for everyone to regroup at regular intervals. We estimate it will take around three hours (depending on how amazing the gardens are). If faster riders want to leave the slower ones and take in a couple more gardens, then that can be worked out on the day. Finish is at Sunhill Garden Centre and Cafe at approximately 1.00pm where you will be able to get a complimentary coffee or other drink courtesy of our friends at Bike Auckland and we can talk about the gardens we have seen. After that, feel free to head home, explore more gardens on the trail or plan a route to take in the rest of the gardens on Sunday.
The route is partly on road, but we have tried to keep it to the less busy ones and use cycle paths where possible. We will have a lead rider and a tail-end Charlie who will bring up the rear.

What to bring:

• A bike (of course)
• Money – $2.00 coin per garden.
• Water
• Sunscreen
• A sense of humour, and a willingness to go with the flow. This is our first time too!

Rules: We like to keep it simple, friendly and rely on common sense to keep everyone happy. However, as this event is open to everyone, we need to outline a few things that may seem obvious, just in case someone leaves their common sense at home.

• Please give your name and phone number to the leader in case we lose you. If you want to leave the ride, tell the leader.
• If you are riding with the group, stay in the group. Please don’t pass the leader, you might miss a turnoff.
• Entry to each garden is $2.00 cash. Please respect the wishes of the garden owners and follow any instructions.
• Obey the road rules. Stop at Stop signs and red lights.
• Give way to everyone on the shared paths, even if they are in the way.
• Make sure your bike is in good working order and wear your helmet.
• Liability: This is a free event, run by volunteers, held on public paths and roads. All the organisers are doing is organising a route and guiding service. You are ultimately responsible for your own safety and the safety of those around you at all times. The organisers take safety seriously but accept no responsibility for any injuries, accidents or losses.
• We will have a small first aid kit and the ride leader is trained in first aid.

FAQ
What if it’s raining?

It’s summer in Auckland. We get wet, then it stops raining and we get dry. If it’s forecast to be torrential rain and high winds we will cancel. Keep an eye on the Facebook page for notification in the morning.

What about security for my bike?

You will probably be able to walk down the driveway and leave your bike off the road at most gardens. There are helpers at the gardens who will mind the bikes for us. Bring a lock if you are at all concerned. Outside Sunhill there are bike racks or you can bring your bike into the cafe courtyard.

Can I bring my kids?

It’s 18km and some riding on the road, so if they are small enough to carry them on your bike, that’s fine, otherwise it’s probably only suited to kids 13 and over who are experienced.

I’ve never ridden in a group, what if I can’t keep up?

This is about the experience, it’s not a race. We will be riding at a slow pace and will stop frequently to make sure everyone stays together and we cross intersections safely. If you do feel unsafe or want to pull out for any reason, please tell the leader so we don’t look for you.

What if I want to ride fast and see more gardens?

No problems, just tell the leader you are leaving the group so we don’t send out a search party, and we will see you at Sunhill at around 1.00.

What if I love one particular garden and want to spend more time there?

We have estimated about 20-25 minutes at each garden, but if everyone is engrossed, we will take longer. If one really takes your fancy, you can spend the whole of Sunday there.