Explore the O’Keefe Rail Trail

Explore: the inaugural Cycle the O’Keefe event showcases the whole rail trail to new riders. Photo: City of Greater Bendigo

By Geoff O’Sullivan

It finally became possible to travel off-road all the way from Bendigo to Heathcote in May 2015 when the extension to the O’Keefe Rail Trail from Axedale was completed. Now a new, not-for-profit community event is showcasing the trail for locals and visitors alike.

At nearly 50 km long, the trail joins the three towns and traverses forest, grazing lands and, most spectacularly, Lake Eppalock. The trail had been over 20 years in the making with the last section between Bendigo and Axedale opened in 1999. Some ten years later a new community group, the Friends of the Bendigo-Kilmore Rail Trail, began lobbying for the old trail to be upgraded and extended, and over the next few years missing bridges were replaced and the trail crept slowly towards Heathcote.

The extended and upgraded trail has been a boon for the communities of Heathcote, Axedale, Knowsley, Longlea, Junortoun and Strathfieldsaye providing a safe recreational facility and a boost to visitor numbers coming to explore the region. It’s also created opportunities for new community events like the O’Keefe Rail Trail Marathon which began last year and brought together volunteers from across the region to plan and run the event.

This year the marathon is being complemented by the inaugural Cycle the O’Keefe being run on Saturday 22 April by the combined efforts of communities along the trail in conjunction with Bike Bendigo. The event offers bicycle riders the opportunity to ride part or all of the trail with the support of a team of event marshals and in the company of other like-minded explorers.

Local cycling identity and Olympic gold medallist, Scott McGrory, is the event’s ambassador and, along with his family, will take to the trail – at a gentler pace than his medal winning effort. Priscilla the Powerful Owl will be out on the trail offering a prize of a helmet and bike light to the first rider to spot her. The organisers are hoping to tempt people who haven’t ridden for a while back onto their bikes, and showcase what the new trail offers to those who haven’t yet seen it.

The event offers a range of distances.

• Family Ride (Mia Mia Derrinal Road) 5 km
• Knowsley to Heathcote 16 km
• Axedale to Heathcote 26 km
• Junortoun to Heathcote 42 km
• Ultra Ride 70 km

If you need transport for you and your and bike from Heathcote back to Axedale, that’s available too, but you’ll need to let the organisers know when you book your selected distance.
For more information contact me, Bike Director Geoff O’Sullivan, on 0414 414020 or see
http://www.theokeefe.com.au

Ride smarter, not harder

By Geoff O’Sullivan

Just ask: if your mates seem to be doing it easier, ask for their advice on how to improve. Photo: US Airman Nathan Doza

So you are a weekend cyclist who also gets out during the week.

But each time you head out it seems like hard work and everyone else looks to be doing it easier than you are.

Guess what? Some are and others are still working hard but they look like they are enjoying themselves.

Being mentored by an experienced cyclist will help improve your riding and make it a more enjoyable experience for you.

Ask a cycling mate or an experienced cyclist you respect for some tips or help and I am sure you will find it a rewarding experience for you both.

Or call into to your local cycling store and ask about coaching.

But first of all get your bike set up right, seat height, handle bar position, tyres checked and pumped, chained and bike cleaned, ready to go.

There will be those in your bunch that are finding the faster flat ride easy and the hills very tough and other cyclists enjoying the challenge of hills and so they put in an extra effort.

A trained or experienced cyclists will talk to you about cadence (how fast you’re spinning the pedals – connect up your cadence meter).

They will also talk about which gear to use at what time and while it may take some adjustment your cycling will benefit and so will your legs.

Watch most of the professional riders and they seem to “spin” as they often use the small ring/lower gearing as this takes the load off your legs and can give you that effort time when required.

An experienced cyclist will also help you with your climbing efforts and guide you through your gear selections.

They’ll talk you through the “kick” effort sometimes required toward the top of the climb so you can beat your mates to the top.

The same principals can be applied to flat riding.

So talk to those around you in the bunch and see what they are doing to improve their cycling in this wonderful past time.

You don’t need to compete at the top level to be competitive or to grow in your chosen sport – just enjoy it and be a smarter rider!

Locals share favourite rides around Bendigo

By Geoff O’Sullivan

Close to home: Bendigo boasts rides close to town for all abilities and interests. Photo courtesy City of Greater Bendigo.

Grab your bike and cycling mates and tick off these favourite local rides.

Short rides

Start at the north end of Lake Weeroona near the rowing sheds and cross Weeroona Avenue to head down the Bendigo Creek trail. It’s a slightly downhill, fully sealed 5 km to Howard Street Epsom. Call into the White Hills Botanical Gardens for a break (toilets available) on the way. This is a great ride for kids or someone who hasn’t ridden a bike for a while.

Or turn right just after the start of the Bendigo Creek trail and follow the signs to the O’Keefe Rail Trail. Cross over Napier Street and Bob Street, head through the railway tunnel and out onto the gravel trail. It will soon take you to Heathcote, but you could turn at McIvor Highway and head back for a 12 km ride.

Medium rides

If you haven’t already grabbed a free local rides brochure from the Visitor Information Centre in Pall Mall now is the time. It gives you details of medium length road rides throughout our beautiful region. Or grab a cycling mate and head out past the One Tree Hotel in Spring Gully, turn left down Tannery Lane, then right into Strathfieldsaye. Grab a coffee then head across to Junortoun, pick up the O’Keefe Rail Trail and head back into Bendigo.

Or drive down to Harcourt, hop on your bike and ride along the old Calder Highway – next to no cars on a great road surface in another beautiful and quiet country setting. Enjoy the wineries of the area then head back to Harcourt for a coffee.

Long rides

You don’t need to join “organised” rides to cycle up to or over 100 km. Although they can be great fun, you can organise your own small group and make up your own track.

A couple of mates and I rode this the other day.

We headed out to Spring Gully, through to Sedgwick, turned right up the North Harcourt Road, down through Harcourt and turned right into Golden Point Road at the infamous Faraday school. This took us on a beautiful downhill road to Chewton and into Castlemaine where we breakfasted in one of the many great coffee shops. Next stop Maldon for another coffee and back to Bendigo after a great morning’s ride.

Cycling with mates is great for your physical and mental health and if you’re not riding regularly you’re missing out on its many benefits.

Where to ride – decisions, decisions…

Lake Weeroona: Bendigo has some great trails offroad trails to get you excited about getting back on the bike.

By Geoff O’Sullivan

So it’s time to get back onto the bike and go cycling for fun and fitness. It may have been a long time since you rode a bike but things have not really changed.

Borrow a bike, get the old bike out of the shed and encourage a neighbour, friend or family member to go with you. Its much more fun with a cycling mate. Summer is on the way so you know it’s time.

Check the bike is in good working condition and if not take it into your local bike shop today, and ask them to service it for you. Grab a pair of runners and a helmet and arrange to meet your cycling buddy at a designated time and place.

There are plenty of sealed and non-sealed bike/walking paths to cycle on in our area. Paths around Crusoe and Kennington reservoir, Lake Neangar and Weeroona plus Spring Gully Creek tracks and paths from Kangaroo Flat to Epsom plus Bendigo is surrounded by bushland.

Call into the Visitor information Centre in Pall Mall to pick up a “where to cycle” brochure.

One of the best places to meet your cycling mate is in the car park of the Bendigo Rowing Club at Lake Weeronna, from there you can head down the Bendigo creek path to the Botanical Gardens keep going to Epsom and come back on the same track. Or you can turn off the path and head out the O’Keefe trail.

If you are keen to do some road cycling there are so many great rides and bunches you can join. Again the Visitor Information Centre has maps of local road rides and a Manky (map on a hanky) you can put in your back pocket to take with you on your ride. The maps and Manky have distances, show hills you can climb (or avoid) and timing guides so you can head out with the knowledge of knowing where you are going. For further information on local rides call into one of Bendigo’s friendly bike stores.

We have some wonderful places to ride in this great city and I would love to see you out on the bike every weekend. Make it a regular thing fresh air sunshine fitness and great fun and don’t forget to call into a local coffee shop before you head home. It’s all part of the experience.