What little cycling I have done has been as lovely as ever. On Sunday I took a couple of visitors on a short tour of the island.
As well as finding how easy it was to get about by bike and how attractive the island was, they were surprised at how few cars we met in the lanes even though we rode from St Aubin’s Bay to the North Coast.
There must be a message for local would-be cyclists in that last sentence. However if you are confident on your bike, abandon four wheels on Wednesday 22 September, and cycle in because it’s Green Travel Day.
In fact any means of green transport is favoured, and that includes car-sharing. So cycle, walk, share a lift or find a more inventive way to travel.
There are prizes for the most creative way to travel; the best green travel convert and the best regular green traveller. The Old Guard cycle shops, The Cycle Centre, Lawrence de Gruchy and Boudins are each putting up £100 vouchers for three lucky winners.
Find out more at: www.gov.je/greentravelday or visit the Royal Square between 7.30am and 2.30 pm. See you there!
Sprint Bonuses
Has the season for pop stars to do charity rides begun again? Since the beginning of September Kasabian bassist Chris Edwards, together with his brother Jason, has been riding Land’s End to John O’Groats to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust.
See how they did: http://jaychrislejog.com/Site/Welcome.html
Following on from last week’s praise for Nottingham’s student cycle hire facilities, I see that a recent survey by the Campaign for Better Transport on car dependency in various English cities put Nottingham top of the list, followed by London. Bottom of the table were Peterborough and Milton Keynes.
The report said that Nottingham did well because of high bus use; few cars used on the school run and a growing tram network. At the other end of the scale, they say that Milton Keynes was designed for car use, and that car drivers can get to work in ten minutes or less!
One wonders what they’d make of Jersey?
See the report here: http://www.bettertransport.org.uk/campaigns/traffic_reduction/scorecard
Are you the victim of that driver who doesn’t see you, or who possibly doesn’t care anyway? Have you thought of wearing a helmet-mounted camera? Well for possibly the first time ever, helmet cam footage has been used to convict a dangerous driver. The video that was used in evidence has been removed from the internet, but this clip explains the benefits of a helmet cam: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biuACJBpt_w&NR=1
Alas not coming to Jersey yet is the Artcrank poster party. It’s been showing at the ‘Look Mum No Hands’ cycle cafe in London last weekend after enjoying a successful run in the USA. http://www.artcrankpostershow.com/
The final stage of the Vuelta, or Tour of Spain, took place last Sunday 19th September. When the dust settled, Englishman Mark Cavendish had won the green Points Jersey with three stage victories over the three week tour, and almost a fourth win in the last stage in Madrid.
See how Cavendish won stage 18: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rMdyxEmptc
If you like upscale, as they say these days, Italian and stunning, then the new range of Cipollini bikes and clothing is for you. If you don’t know who Mario Cipollini is, don’t fret let’s just say he brought rock and roll to the peleton.
Here’s the promo video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2CjJqFdBdM
I may have mentioned a few weeks ago the tie-up with Rapha cycle clothing and Paul Smith the well-known designer, and mamil(middle-aged man in lycra). Here’s the latest offering from the Rapha-Condor team and Paul Smith. I’d like to say that ‘there’s many a good tune played on an old fiddle’, but you can identify the real heroes whatever they’re wearing. See what you think: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmUvEKUlhps
And finally
It must have seemed like a rerun of the Keystone Cops, when two young offenders, currently doing time for assault and robbery, made the snap decision to abscond from a cycling proficiency test. One of the teenagers has been recaptured whilst the other remains at large!
Arthur Lamy is a freelance writer and Blue Badge tourist guide: www.arthurlamy.com
