We owe heaps of thanks to everyone who attended and helped with our first Paihikara Ora Paihikara Toa – ride of unity and remembrance. Next year we’ll make sure it is published as part of the official Bikewise events programme.
Ngati Whatua were a superb help and resource – giving te reo advice for the name and the karakia at Britomart to start the ride. For those who missed it, Paihikara = bicycle, ora = safe/healthy and toa= bold/strong. Thanks to Otene for being so welcoming and caring to cyclists in his blessing for the ride.
Thanks to Kiri Barfoot (triathlete Garth Barfoot’s daughter) and Tina McCullough (Jane Farrelly’s sister) for joining the ride, and to Sara Payne, Jane Bishop’s long time friend and Kerry Lockhart (John Tangiia’s partner) for their warm messages of support for the ride.
Auckland Transport Chair, Dr Lester Levy, sent a strong message of sympathy and support to be read at the ceremony, and a couple of AT staff who are widely admired by Cycle Action joined the ride. We welcome this evidence of leadership and unity with the cycling community, and hope it will be a prelude for more action from AT on building cycle infrastructure this year.
Thanks to NZ Herald for sending a reporter and photographer to cover the event in yesterday’s paper. And a big cheer from me to the Cycle Action team of Jane, Anne, Nicole and Grace who helped plan the event, and to Christopher Dempsey (Waitemata Local Board) for reading such inspirational poems at the ghost bike site.
Kiri and Tina led the dignified, strong and stirring ride to Takaparawha Point.
It was very poignant on arrival to find the ghost bike freshly decorated with blue agapanthus flowers. Thank you to whoever did this.
As the constant line of traffic slowly made its way past, we luxuriated in the magnificent panorama of our beloved harbour, punctuated by Rangitoto. We gave thanks for the lives of cyclists who have been lost or injured doing what they enjoyed, and for the companionship and freedom that are so valued in our time spent cycling.
Tena Koe to all who joined in and held us in their thoughts for our first Paihikara Ora Toa. Please join us again in February next year.
For those who missed the ride – Please help us by supporting and publicising Tina’s petition on safe passing distances – click here. And likewise with Generation Zero’s petition to Auckland Transport asking it to act urgently to build safe cycle routes – click here.
