RobiNZ Personal Blog

Modern 'cars' aren't safer for those outside them

A mention in David Slack's (brilliant) More than Feilding Substack led me to an opinion piece by Auckland (National) List MP Paul Goldsmith opposing reducing speed limits 'because cars are safer' and he included the Auckland CBD in his argument. I wrote to him... Sent: Saturday, 6 May 2023 16:19 To: [email protected] Subject: Cars are not safer, for pedestrians Hi Paul, Take issue with your 'cars are safer' and citing reducing CBD speed limits in Auckland as an example of poor policing in this recent NZ Herald article: "Auckland Transport has proposed the entire area of the CBD inside... Read more →

Missing Greg at the Hokitika Wildfoods Festival 2023

Today it's the Hokitika Wildfoods Festival 2023. This time last year I was in Hokitika, mid-ride on the West Coast Wilderness Trail, and had hoped to see, Kiwi musician, Greg Johnson performing at the 2022 festival. It was a bizarre coincidence as his music played a significant role in my decision to take off around NZ on a bike and he lives in Los Angeles. When I rode the trail was decided, by other fixed events, before I even realised the Festival was that weekend, never mind Greg was performing. That our paths crossed on the remote West Coast of... Read more →

Cycling to look at the new electric and hybrid Italians

The Fiat 500e, but not yet the Abarth 500e, is just being launched in NZ. I got an email invite from Andrew Sims who had the 500e press preview car for test drives today (Sat Feb 11) & tomorrow prior to the Autumn public release. Decided not to waste their (limited) time booking one—as I won't be buying—but was curious to see the 500e in the metal. I typically go for a bike ride on Sunday but with Cyclone Gabrielle approaching, forecast arrival Sunday evening through to Tuesday, Saturday was a better bet. The morning was dedicated to my usual... Read more →

Congratulations Adventure South, 30th Anniversary!

So true, I didn't write the script for this video, but could have because experienced it... Congratulations on thirty years Adventure South NZ, who I've travelled with since 2003. Read more →

Cycling across town on Auckland's wettest day

Although a tropical storm was forecast it wasn't expected Friday January 27, 2023, would be Auckland's wettest day on record. Our average January rainfall, remember a summer month, is ~52mm and we got ~260mm on one day. It was raining all day but peaked in the early evening, at times over 60-80mm/hour depending where measured. It turned out to be devastating for many; four lives lost and massive property damage city wide. I was fortunate not to be impacted at all; the house was fine, and we just had an overnight power cut. This post isn't about the event, the... Read more →

Te Awa River Ride | Hamilton to Cambridge | Time Out 2021-22

A new section of the Te Awa River Ride (Waikato River) recently opened; from Hamilton Gardens to Tamahere. It links the Ngaruawahia-Hamilton and Tamahere-Karāpiro sections I've previously ridden so I shot down to Hamilton for the day to complete the set. This ride concentrates on the new part as already covered the Hamilton CDB and Cambridge path in those earlier posts. Ann St Park I threw my Tern BYB folding bike into AHBART (Abarth 500 Esseesse) and headed back to Ann St Park, Beerescourt, Hamilton, near the CBD. Found it when I rode the Ngaruawahia-Hamilton section and was a good... Read more →

Commuting on my new 'free' Tern folding bike

A new job in the central city meant having to think about commuting. Bit of a novelty after ten months of choosing when I travelled! Driving and Parkable Parkable Shared Parking Application I drove for a couple of weeks, while settling in, and used a Kiwi parking share app to avoid making the likes of Wilsons Parking richer. Driving takes about 50-60 minutes and my route, following GPS traffic suggestions, does not use the motorway. Parkable makes parking easy and (more) affordable. While you can book long term, week or more, parking on Parkable I just used the daily casual... Read more →

The wrap up: 10 Months Cycling New Zealand | Time Out 2021-22

So, it ends: 10 months, 2 weeks (317 days) cycling or drive/cycling across most of New Zealand. Highlights? So many... there are 95+ blog posts... but a few highlights: Expected, but unexpected In many cases I knew what I was getting into, but sometimes it was the unexpected which added delight: Farewell Spit: I'd long wanted to visit but the combination of a small group, fantastic guide, and unusually calm, for the West Coast, weather made for an exceptional day in an incredibly special place. Loved my Takaka Rocks home too. Lake Dunstan: A fantastic trail, keep an eye on... Read more →

Waikato River Trail | Mangakino to Waipapa | Final Time Out 2021-22 Ride | Waikato

I've been cycling, or road trip cycling, since 25th September 2021 but seems all good things must end. It's a good end, as start new job in a couple of days, but makes this my last 'official' ride of the Time Out NZ 2021 - 2022! Decided to pop down for the day to finish the Waikato River Trails, the Mangakino to Waipapa section that was closed when last in the area (May 2022). Part of the trail passes through a commercial forest area, currently closed weekdays but open weekends. That's how I came to be on the misty shores... Read more →

New Lynn to Avondale Pathway St Jude Street crossing death trap

Rode the new’ish New Lynn to Avondale Pathway today and saw how an inadequate road crossing is going to injure/kill people. It was this “crossing” (red on map) at St Jude Street, close to a road intersection and near to the rail crossing. St Jude Street is the connector between Great North Rd and New North Road with additional traffic from Blockhouse Bay Rd. All of these are major urban corridors and can be very busy. If not the nature of the road leads to reasonable speeds as people ‘race the railway crossing’. The crossing was slightly changed, for the... Read more →