The Ride Stuff

Sydney Morning Herald

Friday December 12, 2008

Mark McKeown

MARK MCKEOWN TAKES IN THE TOLL-FREE VIEW RESERVED FOR CYCLISTS ON THE HARBOUR BRIDGE DURING A PEDAL-POWERED TOUR OF THE CITY.

THE weather forecast is bleak but spirits are high among our troupe of cyclists as we ride in circles at Campbells Cove, Circular Quay, to make sure we are comfortable on our borrowed two-wheelers before the big ride.

Beside me ride Rod and Debbie, a retired couple from Kenya. They sold their business and are spending a few months travelling the world. Rod describes it as "a very delayed gap year". A few decades late for schoolies, he still sounds like an adventurer. Three weeks ago he was quadbiking in New Zealand and broke his wrist. "He was straight back on the quadbike the next day," Debbie says.

Rod is so excited by our tour, he seems to have forgotten about the enormous plaster cast on his arm. He's more concerned about his seat being the wrong height. His wife gently brings him back down from the clouds. "We are doing the tour for sightseeing," she says, "not for the Tour de France."

Eventually our guide, Dominic, shouts: "Let's go!" We kick our stands off and roll out on our matching bicycles towards our first stop, Dawes Point, under the Harbour Bridge.

It is peaceful watching the world go by as we ride around the harbour, stopping now and again to hear stories about ancient Aboriginal burial grounds and Sydney's oldest houses.

I smile as we see pedestrians carrying briefcases and rushing around in suits while we pedal slowly through the parks with the wind in our hair and all the time in the world. But we soon start to pick up the pace and the gentle hills seem to turn into mountains.

The ride up through The Rocks to the Harbour Bridge takes in a few stops. Dominic tells a story about the Hero of Waterloo, one of Sydney's oldest pubs. Underneath the pub there used to be a secret tunnel that ran from the cellar all the way to the harbour used to smuggle rum from the ships, he explains. Everyone is fascinated by the story - but secretly relieved to have a break.

Finally we reach the bridge; the wave of bobbing red helmets has become slower and the gaps between us longer on the way up the hill. My already battered ego shrinks as Rod - broken arm and all - overtakes me up the hill. But the view from the top makes it all worthwhile. On one side the world buzzes by in fast-moving cars and trains but on the other there is nothing but air sweeping down over the sparkling water of the harbour.

We soak up the view exclusively reserved for cyclists in their purpose-built lane along the western edge of the bridge. As I glide over the crest I power out on the downhill in high gear and momentarily feel like a pro. I notice a sign - "Car toll $3.00" - that makes the ride even more rewarding, knowing I'm saving money and getting fit at the same time.

A little while later we ride along the boardwalk to Luna Park. We shoo a flock of seagulls out of the way and continue our leisurely ride as the waves gently lap against the dock. Our guide tells us the huge smiling face of the entry has been changed seven times since the park opened in 1935. The first had to be removed after the rubber it was made from melted in the sun and started sliding off, he says.

After the biggest hill of the day, it is lunchtime. We park our bikes against a tree and sit down at Observatory Hill, surveying our morning's work from the 180-degree perspective of the harbour.

After a good rest it is time to move on. We smile at our fellow cyclists and passers-by as we ride along the boardwalk at Darling Harbour, through the city, up to Hyde Park and all the way to The Domain, Mrs Macquaries Point, the Botanic Gardens and along to the Opera House.

As we reach the end, Rod still isn't tired - he is as excited as he was at the beginning. "You can get so much closer to seeing the whole city on a bike. You can't see nearly so much from walking," he says. "You feel like you really get to know a city and see it all like this, rather than just sitting in the back seat of a taxi."

The rest of the group agrees. At the end of the tour, I feel like I have learned a lot about our city in one sitting - even though I suspect some of the convict stories may be tall tales.

The only bad part of the whole experience is my sore behind. Something tells me I might need a little more practice.

Tour courtesy of Bonza Bike Tours.

you try it

Bonza Bike Tours has a range of cycle tours around the city each day of the week. The Sydney Harbour Bridge tour departs from The Rocks on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 10.30am and takes five hours. The $129 cost includes bike hire and lunch. Phone 9247 8800 or see bonzabiketours.com.

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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