Pathless pedaled9/17/2023 In one area called Ponsonby, we saw people would scurry out into the center of the street like a mouse and wait until the traffic was done then scurry to the other side. You would think in business districts businesses would want pedestrians to be able to cross the street. We were shocked when we saw the sign that peds must give way to cars. It's not perfect here in the states but in New Zealand cars have the right of way. RR- I missed pedestrian rights! That was a big shock. GK - What about some things you missed about the U.S.? Some people who were skeptical about cyclists and thought they would tip over their cows or light fields on fire became converts because they saw the positive impact the cyclists were having on the community and local economy. RR - I'd say the Otago Central Rail Trail because it is a great example of using bike tourism to revitalize areas along the way. It can be headache with a full size bike, but there are tourist buses all over everywhere and it is easy to hopscotch to the best parts to ride. LC - One of my favorite things in New Zealand was the ease with which you can get a bus connection, and if you have a folding bike it can be even easier. GK - What were some of your favorite things about riding in New Zealand? Even something as simple as greeting you with a smile when you come into town is great. Just do one small thing and then one small little thing on top of that. So a sign that says 'cyclists welcome here' or a bike lane into town, anything that shows that we realize bikes will come here and we want them here is good. LC - When you're on a bike you feel like the rest of the world doesn't want you there sometimes because a lot of places you go you're running into a lot of friction. Sometimes we'll have fun with them and ask if they let people come in on wheelchairs, and they say "of course." We ask if they allow strollers in, and they say "of course." They don't see what the disconnect is. Sometimes when we start to wheel them in, the hotel is like, "ah ah ah" It's like they don’t realize that this is an important part of our trip. If you're a motel, allow people who come on bike to park the bikes in the rooms. RR - One of the most obvious and simple things that costs hardly anything is just advertising "we welcome bikes" or having some sort of simple signage. GK - You’ve traveled by bike across many places in the US, and now New Zealand, so what do you think are the most essential things communities and regions can do to make bicycle tourism more inviting and encouraged? While they were here, I had the opportunity to ask them a few questions about their travels, and pick their brains a little on promoting bike tourism in Santa Monica. The stunning series of videos and blog posts entitled The Kiwi Chronicles was posted to the Bicycle Times website in installments as they made their way around the Country.Īfter returning to LAX recently from New Zealand, Russ and Laura spent a couple of days hanging out in Santa Monica. Their New Zealand trip was video documented for Bicycle Times, who helped sponsor the adventure. They’ve traveled by bike all across the United States, and more recently they took a tour around New Zealand with Brompton folding bicycles. In 2009 Laura and Russ decided to cut the cord on having day jobs, sold off the majority of their belongings, and loaded up their bikes to start an open ended journey with some savings and using their talents to make a little money along the way.
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