Recent Rides
Sorry folks – I can’t believe it has been 3 months’ since the last newsletter… Let me update you with what’s been going on.

For our Rec Riders, 13 riders (5 tandems and 3 single bikes) revisited the Bayswater- Lake Monger Loop in June, which we may have to finesse yet again to locate a coffee stop that can accommodate us all. In July 12 of us (4 tandems and 4 singles) rode along the lovely Canning River from Bull Creek to Kent St Weir on a very chilly morning. A variation to the route on the way home located not only the Clontarf Miniature Railway but a miniature BMX track. Once Hab and Adriana had spotted this they were over the grass in a flash and lined up for the first jump! Turns out, the mountain bike tandems have enough clearance to negotiate the crests and dips of a BMX track. The Cannondale, not so much. Video of our escapades can be viewed here:
https://youtu.be/tnLRvy0NVFA

Unfortunately the August ride was cancelled due to bad weather.

Club rides have suffered a similar fate to the August rec ride, with 3 of the last 7 abandoned due to bad weather. The rain also played a part in the ride on July 5th (Vic-Park – Jandakot loop). It wasn’t wet but it had been raining and the tarmac was damp, with loose sand and twigs washed over it, causing at least some of the seven flat tyres experienced over the morning. Paul and Forest had one puncture each, Hab and Adriana also stopped to change a tube and then had to do it all again when the valve on the second tube broke clean off. But Trevor took out the prize with one puncture repair before he even left home and two on the road, at which point he took the option to phone a friend and get a lift to Sassy Cookie. It was a long day out but everyone maintained their good sense of humour and we all parted friends.

In other Club Rides 9 members and friends (3 tandems and 3 single bikes) rode Bayswater to Mt Henry and back on Aug 2nd and 10 cyclists (3 tandems and 4 singles) completed the Jandakot loop without a single mechanical incident on Aug 16th.

Upcoming WATCAC Rides

• 6th September – Club Ride – Father’s Day Western Suburbs Explorer. Departing from VisAbility at 8:30 am
• 13th September – Rec Ride – Matilda Bay Meander. Departing from VisAbility at 8:30 am
• 20th September – Clinic – Location dependent on numbers. Please advise if you, or someone you know want to attend
• 27th September – Club Ride – To Be Advised.

Upcoming Community Rides

• Sat 17th Oct – Gravel Grinder Challenge – Moora to Watheroo 57km and 88km
• Sun 18th Oct – Ocean Ride for MS – 50km Fremantle to Hillarys
• Sun 22nd Nov – Santos Great Bike Ride – 52km Around the River

Let us know if you hear about any other community rides that you want to be involved in.

Tandem Riding Clinic
A clinic for new pilots and stokers is planned for the morning of Sunday 20th Sept. If you know of anyone who is vision impaired and wants to try out cycling please encourage them to come along. Similarly, if you want to encourage a friend or family member to pilot for you bring them along.

At the time of going to print we are planning on hosting Retina Australia at this clinic, much as we have done for SENSES in the past. Details are yet to be confirmed and the location will depend on their numbers. If you can volunteer as a pilot for this event please email WATCAC@googlegroups.com and let us know.

Mountain Bike Clinic
The second Mountain Bike Clinic was held on a perfect afternoon in July – cool but sunny with just enough rain the in the morning to damp down the dust without making it muddy. Jason from Rock N Roll did another great job of coaching us over logs, rocks and other obstacles and leading us through some tight corners and climbs. I think that those of us on the single bikes were more nervous than those on the tandems and the stokers demonstrated tremendous courage and trust in their pilots. It was an exhilarating day and despite talk of needing protective gear and/or superhero capes no skin was lost and only a few bruises were sustained.

Be sure to let a committee member know if you would like to participate in any future mountain biking events.

SW Tour
Planning for the SW Tour is almost complete and I can tell you that the accommodation looks fabulous and there are rides for all abilities planned for each day. If you have already expressed an interest in coming along you will be emailed with the details shortly. If you want to come along and haven’t let Jo know yet then do so quickly as places are limited.

The Tour will be based in Busselton from Friday 23rd Oct to Monday 26th. WATCAC are subsidising the trip so it will only set you back $50 for accommodation.

We Care About You
A lot of thought is put into planning our ride routes to make sure that they are safe for all to ride but, just like using a car or walking on a shared path, riding a bike can be risky and accidents happen. Should something happen to you we would like to be able to contact someone dear to you to let them know what’s going on.

For future rides we will be asking you to supply emergency contact details and it is recommended that you carry similar information with you. To help out a dymo labeller will be available prior to our next few rides so that you can stick emergency contact information inside your helmet. If you have an issue with WATCAC recording and keeping such information please let a committee member know.

Happy and Safe Pedalling

Jennifer