August BUG update

Bike Friday morning tea was well attended and constructive, with plans for October's Ride2Work day starting to roll, and some great suggestions for the BUG. It was great to see some new faces, and share morning tea with vibrant fellow cyclists.

-I have added links to the Ride2Work website, where you can register and access all sorts of information. It is Victoria centric, and I hope SA gets into the act next year. Do register for the chance to win a bike.

-Our initial plans for Ride2Work day on the 4th will be a free breakfast. We already have some volunteers from the BUG, but many hands make light work so please let me know if you are going to be around and would like to help out. We intend to theme the whole week as 'car-free' and should be able to organize a BBQ lunch for the Friday, which falls on national Walk to Work day. We also would like to support David Ellis who is cycling from Adelaide to Darwin to raise money for kids with cancer. A voluntary parking fee and contributions for the breakfast and BBQ would be great ways to raise money.

-I have added a link to the Bikedirect maps. These are fantastic maps showing bicycle routes and grading roads in terms of their 'cyclability'. The maps are regularly updated but no longer available in hard copy. I have the old version in hard copy in my office if anyone would like to have a look.

-It is wonderful to see so many organisations working hard to promote cycling. There is plenty of information out there, and I have provided some links for your perusal.

Happy cycling!

Welcome to the Waite BUG

Greetings BUGers,

The Waite Bicycle User's Group has one single aim: to encourage cycling. We promote cycling as a legitimate form of transport, with multiple benefits to the cyclist, the community and the environment. We are a workplace BUG, but welcome all sympathisers to the cause.

We are based at the Waite Institute in the south east corner of Adelaide, home to world class research by the University of Adelaide, SARDI, CSIRO, AWRI and other organisations, and continue to grow. We are a vibrant workplace in a wonderful setting, steeped in history and full of intelligent, fit, healthy, environmentally aware staff and students.

Our current activities include regular 'bike Friday' breakfasts on the last Friday of each month, and a special car-free day in October. We provide a link to South Australia's cycling bodies. We share local cycling news, hints and tips, can co-ordinate group entry to cycling events, and provide advocacy. In reality, who we are and what we do is defined by every individual in our group. Our most important strength is a sense of camaraderie that all responsible cyclists share. We believe that the best way to encourage others to cycle is to actually cycle ourselves, hence our motto, "On your bikes, BUGers!"

So welcome to you all. Remember that you get out what you put in, so ideas and contributions are always invited. This is not a place for your current BUG co-ordinator to self indulge. We should all feel equally able to contribute and should all take ownership of this BUG.

Current BUGers are already on our email list.

Should anyone else wish to join, send an email to waitebug@gmail.com with "membership" in the subject field, or post a comment on this blog.

This blog will be a repository for BUGstuff emails and other information for all to refer to in your own time. Your current BUG co-ordinator is not particularly internet savvy, but if any BUGers out there would like to maintain a website, let us know.

Happy cycling,

Ryan