If you’re in the Perth area it’s time to dust off your bicycle and get ready for the annual ride up the freeway to raise money for the Asthma Foundation of Western Australia.
This Sunday morning the southbound lanes of the freeway will be closed to cars as bicycles of all descriptions take over the road for an amazing community event, the Freeway Bike Hike for Asthma.
Cyclists will have a choice of distances to cover. For the keen there’s the 60km ride from Kwinana Train Station. The original 30km ride through the Tunnel from Belmont Park Racecourse is generally the most popular choice with a 10km family ride starting at the Greenwood Train Station. All three rides finish in the City of Joondalup where there’ll be plenty of food, drink, music, prizes, entertainment, and a whole lot more.
The inaugural event was held in March 2005. It was created as a unique fundraising event for the Asthma Foundation of Western Australia and has evolved into WA’s largest mass participation cycling event. After five years it is now a regular fixture on the WA sports and community calendar.
Now entering its sixth year the annual HBF Freeway Bike Hike for Asthma will launch the 25th Cycle Instead Bikeweek 2010 – the State’s annual week-long celebration of recreational and commuter cycling. The HBF Freeway Bike Hike for Asthma is Western Australia’s largest single day cycling event and the third largest cycling event in Australia. With more than 8,000 participants in 2009 the Asthma Foundation of Western Australia is expecting great things in 2010.
During my morning rdaio programme on 98.5 Sonshine FM today I spoke to Matt Bissett about the event. You can hear what Matt had to say by clicking the play button on the audio player at the bottom of this post.
I’ll probably be cycling over 100 km on the day. I’ll cycle from home to Joondalup where I’ll take on the duties of MC for various presentations before jumping on my bike and heading home again.
If you’re taking part make sure you look out for me around the main stage area in Joondalup. I’d love to say hello.
I’m also looking for any cyclists taking on the return journey towards Canning Vale by bike. My duties should be wrapped up by about 11:30 when I’ll be looking for anyone else wanting to ride back home.
If you’re a motorist who’s wondering how the ride will affect you, here are the road closures.
[audio:http://mpegmedia.sonshinefm.ws/feeds/MOR180310_1334.mp3]The following roads will be closed on Sunday 21st March 2010 at the times listed below:
Kwinana Freeway
* Southbound lanes will be closed from Mitchell Freeway to Thomas Road from 4:00 a.m. until 9:30 a.m.
Graham Farmer Freeway
* Eastbound lanes (including the Tunnel eastbound) will be closed from 4:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m.
* Eastbound lanes will be closed from the Mitchell Freeway to Great Eastern Highway during these hours.
Mitchell Freeway* Southbound lanes will be closed from Burns Beach Road to Perth from 4:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. (noon).
City of Joondalup
* Hodges Drive (eastbound) from the Mitchell Freeway will be closed from 4:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
* The intersection of Joondalup Drive and Grand Boulevard will be closed from 4:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
* Grand Boulevard will be closed from the intersection of Joondalup Drive to Shenton Avenue from 4:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
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Dr Jonathan Sarfati moved from Australia to New Zealand as a child and later studied science at Victoria University of Wellington where he received his received his B.Sc. (hons) in Chemistry and his Ph.D. (Physical Chemistry).
As each year passes I prove more and more that I’m hopeless at footy tipping. This year I’m at it again and I’m inviting you to give me a kicking with your tipping prowess.