Well, OK - so I did not wear a frock in the end...I did plan to as part of the fun, but after spending 5 mins browsing summer dresses in a high street store, I decided that some things are best left 'unexplored'. But, I did wear a Hula skirt, so I sort of blended in!
So what was Frocks on Bikes and how did I come to be there?
It all started last week when, whilst at work, I was browsing the NZ met office web site. I was looking to see what the weather would be like for the coming Thursday which was planned as an IT Christmas picnic. I discovered two things, a) it was going to be cloudy on Thursday and b) a link to Frocks on Bikes popped up with a picture of a pink cruiser bike and a summer dress clad lady... a few clicks later and I was browsing the official Frocks on Bikes web site (www.frocksonbikes.org) and was won over by the anti-Lycra, summer fun and bicycle style being offered. I flicked an email to Caroline saying that we owed it to our bicycles to attend and the event was the coming Saturday.
What is it all about - well, actually it is linked to a climate change loby and sustainable transport...I glossed over that bit in favour of the 'improve Wellington's cycle routes' bit and the 'enjoy cycling, cruse don't race' bits.
Anyway, this morning I spruced up my lovely bike, then I had a lovely meandering ride into the city along the bays of Wellington's harbour inlet, in glorious sunshine - stopping of in a Seatoun cafe first for a breakfast. I arrived in the city early so I grabbed a pint in a waterfront cafe, then a coffee in a cuba style cafe off of Courtney Place... it was here that a passer by gave me the idea of buying a $2 hula skirt, as I had mentioned that Frocks on Bikes may be a little exclusive to feminine clad attendees...so after a quick stop off, I cycled down to the waterfront park where the event was due to start.
As you may have noticed, I was a lone 50's style cyclist today as Caroline decided that since she fell off of her bike last weekend ( a minor tumble due to putting her foot down into a steep road camber), she was therefore nervous about cycling and indeed being in a group of cyclists - but she did wait for me half way along the route, and took a quick snap of me passing by... it is the last shot in the film above... mmm, yes, I know... she almost got a picture of me! ;)
Well I had a fantastic time, and being surrounded by all those summer dresses and bicycles in the sunshine, really made it feel like summer is well underway - OK, I may have accidentally joined Greenpeace and also received some 'tut tut's when I said at one point that 'I am only here for the bike ride'...but what they hey! The bike looked great amongst its peers and got dozens of comments and photos taken of it... I may have made the sunday papers as well, so I am off to bed now to be up early to check!