citizen cyclists making urban spaces liveable

22 December 2010

Cockatoo Island Chic

back of the ferry

Well the ride on Cockatoo Island a few weeks ago turned into a (retrospectively amusing) exercise in logistics!
Around 20 or more of us met up at Circular Quay and took the ferry over to the heritage listed Cockatoo Island, collecting film-maker Mike Rubbo and friends at Woolwich with their own bikes PLUS an extra 6 bikes PLUS the "Sociable".... all in all about 30+ bicycles....

Sydney Ferries were fantastically helpful after they got over their shock and the poor ferry guys helped us find space for all the bikes as we headed over to the Island for our ride.
The sun shone, we rode, we picnic'ed, we filmed, I fell off my bike like a 12 year old and still have the bruised, scraped knees to prove it and a good day was had by all.

Thanks to everyone who joined the madness - couldn't have done it without you!
And BIG thanks to Dr Charlton for the vintage bikes that he kindly donated to Sydney Cycle Chic after the ride.  The "Charlton Collection" will be available for use on our future rides.....

Mike's film featuring the sociable is wonderful - not every day that one gets to ride a piece of bicycle history.  More on the ride and the "Sociable" over at Mike's blog.



How lucky we are, sunshine, boys, bikes AND Sydney Harbour.

bike boys at the back of the ferry

Arriving on the island, checking we had all the bikes.

arriving on the Island

The Sociable in action - all about the balance!  And Meredith, who hadn't ridden a bike for many years but thought it might be fun to start again on this?

very sociable     filming the sociable

It was a bit gusty at times as Paul discovered.

a sociable moment

the bike picnic

Filming in the huge Turbine Hall.

filming in the turbine hall

industrial photographs     meredith test riding the electra

1 comment:

ian_rm27 said...

Thanks for these memories.I remember docking there on my ship 'Iron Duke' in 1979 when Cockatoo Island was still a working dockyard.It seems so strange, to see it deserted, with people riding their bikes around the place.

cheers,

Ian