The Oceanway (Gold Coast, Australia)

Odiwan · The Oceanway (Gold Coast, Australia)

Yesterday, I went for my first true long distance pump. It was on the Oceanway set of paths on the Gold Coast. I say set of paths, as there are a few gaps where I had to travel on the bike lane of the road to get from one stretch to the next, but most of the way was continual.

Here is the link to the council's website :
http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/t_standard.aspx?pid=1746

I started at the southern end, and went as far north as you can go (the last couple of km's are dirt path) before I turned around and came back south to Burleigh, which is about half way. All up, it was about a 45km ride (I think that is about 30 miles) which, though a lot shorter than what some of you guys ride, is my longest ride to date. Other than a few drink stops (very brief), my only real stop was at Main Beach, on the way back, for a bodysurf (all the way up the swell was about 1 foot, but Main Beach was about 2-3, so I didn't resist, beautiful little waves Laughing

). In total I was riding for about 4 hours.

As far as quality of ride goes, most of the Oceanway has quite wide cement paths, which have corrugations every couple of metres, but aren't too bad. Though there are some stretches where you go "kuthunk kuthunk kuthunk" (I found the best way was trying to get my pump to hit them at an angle... bit like "crack" slalom). Overall, though, it was a lovely ride.

Today I felt great, and would have loved to done it again, but as I was visiting my Mum, I had to settle for a quick demonstration of pumping in a small carpark. Oh well, there is always next visit.

I got to hand it to Pavedwave, 2 months ago, I was posting questions about how to pump, now I am pumping for up to a couple of km's at a time, pumping up hills (little ones anyway Smile

) and starting to get some distance. Pumping is the sh... shinizzle Very Happy

Odiwan

I just uploaded a bit of footage on youtube, and posted the link in the video submissions forum, for any who are interested.

I have a question, one that has plagued me for years first as a cyclist, and now as a LDP noob, is even more confusing. The question is pedestrian slalom; or rather how to minimise potential collisions. As it was a bit windy on my latest run I was calling out "coming through to the right" and variations on that. By the end of the run, I was vertaully screaming at people to avoid collisions Embarassed

So, my question is: when using shared paths what do you guys do to avoid hitting people? I found that 70% of people, are courteous and keep to the left (Australian) or move out of the way when I call (to which I always say thanks!), but there is this pecentage of people who ignore all the signage and just wander whereever on the path, and look most offended that they would have to move for a skateboarder (though it isn't much better as a cyclist). Mad

I know that if I am breaking the rules and skating where I am not supposed to (frank admission here, though I am sure that I am not alone) i will always give way to pedestrians, slow up, stop, whatever rather than even look like hitting someone. But the shared paths... i don't know

So what do ya do? Call? Scream? get a bell? Get an Airzound? (at 115db I think that is excessive but it has crossed my mind). What are your methods for communication with pedestrians?

Winnersh

I try to make a little noise as I'm approaching people. Does the trick most of the time. Barry came up with a neat idea to attach small bells to his front truck (the sort of bell you would find on a cat's collar).

Or if that fails, you could dress up as a Morris Dancer.

wafflesole

or, for some reason, i have a 'bear bell' which works.

gets annoying after a while though.

PeanutButterMthrFkr

I usually wear some chilled out fingerless slide gloves when I skate no matter what...comes in handy for pedestrians...just slap the pucks together for a good warning sound!

Odiwan

Cheers for all the suggestions. I have never seen a Morris dancer beforw, and then I youtubed it. I cracked up laughing when I imagined someone pumping in a costume like that that

I think after all of the suggestions I am going to keep on riding silently, and when someone is in the way a combination of calling out, and PeanutButterMthrFkr's suggestion, only using the rollerblade wrist guards instead of slide gloves. Hopefully that will avoid collisions.