On my twirls along Yarra Boulevard this morning, I found out about Yarra BUG, a kind of community cell of Bicycle Victoria folks from Abbotsford, Alphington, Burnley, North Carlton, Clifton Hill, Cremorne, Collingwood, Fairfield, Fitzroy, North Fitzroy, Princes Hill and Richmond. They are leading the campaign for the removal of the Gipps St steps, those dreadful steps which cyclists and walkers need to descend from Gipps St heading away from the city and towards the Convent, the Children’s Farm, and Dights Falls. People coming from any of those places and heading towards the Botanic Gardens and the City, nead to dismount and push their bikes up little concrete channels next to the stairs.
The BUG is in the process of incorporating. Until then, membership is free. They are increasing the number of social rides they arrange, the next one being from Dights Falls to the Docklands. They meet at 7.30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month at Suede (284 Smith St). The contact is Chris on 0407 825 467. To sign up to their newsgroup, send an email to yarrabug-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
Their website (set up as a WordPress blog like this one incidentally) is a treasure trove of information. Who would have thought that the Celluloid Cycles Film Festival was coming up on 6-9 April? I learnt to my dismay that I had already tired myself out too much too early to join today’s World Naked Bike Ride (and its afterparty at a secret location). Damn.
Thanks go to Jim Skia of Rio de Janeiro for the magnificent photo.