Recent tandem participation and FIT-ability activities

TANDEMS ON FIT and PEDAL POWER RIDES

FIT Friday morning rides are available for tandems to join the regular Friday rides - either coached or uncoached.
Saturday morning Pedal Power rides are regularly attended by tandems.
The tandems are also available for individual rides - at the agreement of the stokers and pilots at times suitable to them.

Forthcoming FIT-ability participation events

Watch here for more information to come in the following months.

Hartley Challenge 2008

FIT-Ability's tandems were once again given the opportunity to participate in this year's Hartley Challenge. Last year, 3 tandems took part and rode with Disability ACT. It was so good we had to do it again. This time, we had 6 tandems, meaning 12 riders, which is the maximum number allowed in a team. We used our 4 tandem road bikes, and 2 privately owned bikes belonging to one of the stokers. This gruelling 3-day cycling event was testing for some of our riders, who are recreational riders and their first time doing this. This year, the Dream Team, i.e. us, so aptly named the ‘Tangerine Dream' was under the motherly wings of the very cool ‘Go Bananas' aka the Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets (FFFM) team.

'The Post-Hartley Challenge Grief & Debrief'

Hey hey Tangerine Dreamers!

After our first real test began with loony Lauren suggesting we ride in the rain on Day 1, David & I saved (too late) by a flat, we must have been relieved to finally arrive at our accommodation a bit delirious, to find no roof, no keys, and no luggage, then having to hurry off to dinner in a disgusting state with helmet hair (which was being reminded by our driver, to the distress of some sensitive member).

Day 2 even better! Dropped chain before the gate, flat before the roundabout, 2 more flats further along, then got hassled by a Go Bananas member who knowingly broke "THE LAW". Great effort on the climb after the river! After surviving the wind & piling into the bus at Sponars Chalet, we were greeted by dried out pasta & cold apple pie but never mind, we managed photos at Charlotte's Pass, then the green bike died on us and Gloria Jeans answered our prayers (hallelujah!)

Day 3, blue bike died & went to heaven too. After settling in the bus and stretching my legs (oops! leg), and discovering to my delight that one could recline the seat, it was actually quite entertaining watching the rest of the bunch out there battling the elements. Then, we were chased by camera crew along the Monaro Hwy, it was like 'Paparazzi chases the likes of Paris Hilton on bikes'. Finally, the piece de resistance, Bob & Judy's flat before the Oval. We have truly lived up to Murphy's Law - anything that can possibly go wrong, HAS gone wrong. Yay!

In the end, we were still a team and like real tangerines, sweet & yummy.

Special thanks to:
FFFM Go Bananas team, without them we would not have this team.
Jeff - driver/tooter
Terry - observer/bike mechanic
David, team leader
Lauren, co-team leader
Julia, for providing the team mascot (guide dog Zania)
Bob & Judy, for putting up with the problem bike
Kerry - good value for money
Glenn - for providing the use of the prize Cervelo bike
Lindsay - for winning the bike!
Len - budding photographer
and Patsy, for bringing the bike parts from Canberra

Well done everyone!

Canberra Junior and Women's Tour 'Come and Try' time trial for riders with disabilities

The Canberra Junior and Womens' Tour (4-6 July 2008) ended with a bang! Yes, a big one, from us, FITAbility & Pedal Power, the dynamic duo & tandem partners in crime. How so? Well, read on and you'll find out.

Praise to the organisers of this event, to have them include a ‘Come and Try' time trial for riders with disabilities. There were 9 entries, including Michael Milton and Jane Armstrong, our Canberra paralympian cyclists who will be off to camp soon for Beijing. 5 entries from our end, i.e. over half of the field:

Tandems:

Kay Pendlebury & Brandie O'Connor,
Lauren Brand & Julia Dalbo,
Dave Finch & Ross Morton,
Edwina Jans & Debra Gradie.

Brandie, Julia & Ross are vision-impaired, and Debra an amputee.

Single bike: Jing Huang (amputee).

The other 2 entries were young Griff and his pilot Andrew, and young Matthew on his single bike.

The time trial was basically a start from the criterion circuit (Mt Stromlo), out left onto Uriarra Road for some distance, a turn around and back the same way, a total distance of about 9.5km.

There was a head-wind going out, and everyone whinged about the first climb after getting out of the crit, Edwina & Deb had no idea of the rolling terrain that was to come (first time on Uriarra Road for both), but how sweet was it coming back with the tail-wind and downhill back into the crit! In fact, Kay & Brandie came first, a minute ahead of Michael's time! The idea of Kay becoming a grandma pilot for the Paralympics was put forward to her. She would be a very young grandma of course. Brandie is concentrating her efforts on rowing now, so we wish her well for the London Paralympics in 2012.

Also best wishes to Michael and Jane, we will be watching out for you on TV (on ABC)! Go the Aussies!

The Festival of Ability - November 2007

The tandem bikes were at the Festival of Ability which was held on 30 November 2007 at Queanbeyan Park . The event celebrates the International Day of People with a Disability and their achievements and recognizes the contributions they make in our community. It also raises awareness of issues that affect people with disabilities in our community. Tandem test rides were provided to the community. Lindy Hou, who is a vision impaired tandem cyclist gold medallist, was a guest speaker with back-up music provided by Jimmy Barnes.

Hartley Lifecare Ability Cycle Challenge - November 2007

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Left: Rosemary Robinson, pilot and Jing Huang, stoker
Right: Lauren Brand, pilot and Belinda O'Connor, stoker
participating in the Hartley Cycle Challenge 2007

The Hartley Cycle Challenge was held over 3 days from 23-25 November. It is a 450 km cycle event that raises awareness and money for people with disabilities. This year five people with disabilities including three on tandems participated with the ACT Disability team. Over the 3 days the tandems clocked between 200 and 400 kilometres from Canberra to Kosciusko and back. It was challenging cycling up the mountains but exhilarating descending. Speeds of up to 82km/hour were reached. Over $500,000 was raised for Hartley Life Care. Riders included Lauren Brand, Belinda O'Connor, Rosemary Robinson, Jing Huang and Glenn and Lindsay Cocking.

The Tour de Femme - November 2007

On 11 November 2007, the Tour de Femme was held. This year five FIT-ability and one out-of-town tandem bike took part in the 20 km race. Congratulations to Brandie O'Connor and Ray Wells who won the tandem bike category.

FIT-ability Program Receives Vision Australia Award - 14 June 2007

The Vision Australia “Making a Difference” awards are awarded to 90 organisations each year. This year Penny from FIT and Lauren from Pedal Power received an award on behalf of FITAbility from Vision Australia. The awards were presented at a ceremony which was held on 14 June. Sharon and Bob, two of our riders, attended. Also it was an opportunity to speak to other vision impaired and blind people about tandem riding.