MEET THE BUG

FRANK- What a splendid specimen- no wonder his wife married him all those years ago!! Frank is a closet "roadie" and his well-maintained road bikes and no-nonsense cycling style challenges the social cyclists among us to put the head down and tail up and get cracking.

Frank hung around racing mates when he was a youngster and in adult years rode four wheels (quad car) more often in his capacity as a track maintenance supervisor in the railways. Then in middle years he started riding in the big multi-day rides in New South Wales.

Now retired and riding in the Bay he regularly returns south to join his mates on more multi-day rides.

SUE- Sue is new to cycling. She grew up on a farm in NZ and spent more time riding horses and motorbikes, than she did cycling. In late 2004 Sue decided that cycling would be a good way to become fit and she began cycling. Sue joined the BUG at the beginning of February 2005 and really enjoys the social aspect of the group (she is a big fan of the coffee rides on Saturday morning) and the shared information and biking tips that other members of the group provide. Sue is currently riding 2-3 times per week and is aiming to increase the number, length and intensity of her rides as she becomes fitter (and her muscles stop protesting).

JOHN- again like so many of us rode as a youngster, and then not for years. He started riding again when he came to the Bay in his late 30's- first for recreation and then later he sold his car and has relied on his bicycles as sole transportation. John has had recurring back troubles for many years now and has found that cycling is an excellent form of exercise which has kept him fit without aggravating his back problems.

This pic taken from Mary Cairncross Park at Maleney on one of the Cycle Queensland rides- the Glasshouse Mountains in the background. John has ridden in several Cycle Queensland rides and often rides to and from the start and finish lines as well!!

Kirsti joined our BUG 18 months ago although it seems like she has been with us forever. Another migrant from 'down south' (nearly everyone up here came from somewhere south), Kirsti's meetings and dinner parties have become legendary. Her added ability to get this loose BUG rabble together for a major cycling event is also inspiring. After all, anyone who has a Queensland Education business card with the title 'Executive Director' with the added experience of dealing with delinquents, must be ably suited to the task.

A returnee to riding, she can now often be seen on her Cannondale hybrid directing our cyclists with clipboard at the ready - we had to take away her cat-o-nine-tails!

SALLY- I got my first bike when Dad bought a second hand one and he painted it secretly while he was milking the cows. It was blue ( my sister was given a green one). I was about 10 and I learnt to ride by coasting down a hill - my parents never taught me to ride or drive. It was weeks before I actually sat on the seat.

The bike had no gears but I then rode many miles starting always with the first 3 or so kms of gravel. I used to ride the Pukeo Loop ( Wairarapa NZ) which was the road the bus took to school and followed the Ruamahanga river. The Loop started on the main road and ended up further down at the primary school called Kahutara school and it would have been at least 20-30 km. It was also an isolated area and I was gone for hours but no-one ever came to look for me . I do remember how wonderfully quiet it was when I stopped.I have no idea what happened to the bike becasue I left home at 17 and Mum and Dad shifted a while later and I wasn't there.

My next bike was the bike I ride now when Dave convinced me to join the BUGs. For health and friendships I got my act together and joined though I couldn't even make it to the rock wall on my first ride. It wasn't till the Bring a buddy day that Brian came very reluctantly but Dave and I overcame all his objections and he came and has loved it ever since.

Being aware of our age and the stresses of life we ride for ourselves to improve our fitness and we have found the added bonus of new friends who constantly encourage and support us. Since we joined we have taken our bikes on camping trips and enjoy the sights and sounds much more than we used to.

BRIAN- As a nine year old youngster I had a pushbike like all kids of my age. One day that August I was cycling down to meet my best mate who was returning from the town centre. As I saw him approach I executed a u turn and was cleaned up by an oncoming car. I suffered multiple injuries from that accident.

The accident turned out to be a blessing in disguise though as from the x-rays taken to ascertain the extent of his injuries the doctors discovered that there was a tuberculosis shadow on my lungs. Twelve months of intensive treatment fixed all the problems including six weeks enforced stay in a “health camp”. I recall being forced to eat lumpy porridge each morning for breakfast. (From this I developed an intense dislike for porridge and I have not touched the stuff since!)

I joined the BUG group at the behest of my mate Dave and now I thoroughly enjoy it and I hope to obtain reasonable fitness soon so that I can keep up with the “roadies” on the Saturday morning rides. I have enjoyed the fellowship of the BUG and I see the group as a great opportunity for myself and my wife Sally to get fit together and enjoy the company of a new group of acquaintances. This year we hope to be able to travel with the group on more of their organized rides out of the district. Maybe Cycle Queensland could be a possibility?

Stuart and Sue cycled as kids, as so many of us did. In adult years they kept reasonably fit playing tennis and walking, but creeping kilos sent them out buying mountain bikes several years ago. Initially they cycled the Esplanade in Hervey Bay, loading their bikes on their caravans to enjoy quiet country roads close to their camp.

At various times they cycled such places as Wilsons Promontory, Lighting Ridge and Moree. Sue laughs ruefully as she tells of countless goathead burrs inflicting grievous damage to their tyres and tubes in some of the bush areas. Since returning to Hervey Bay they have invested in a couple of flatbar road bikes which give them better speed on the sealed roads and paths around Hervey Bay. Stuart and Sue are planning to hit the road in Cycle Queensland in September cycling from Miles to Mooloolaba.

Bill and Chris, cycling mates of Stuart and Sue in Hervey Bay also cycled as kids before returning to it later as adults. Bill used to cycle to school at Bowraville every day on dirt roads. When he bought his first car at 18 the bike gathered dust in the shed (familiar story?) until his father “borrowed” it and rode it until he was in his 90’s.

Chris on the other hand didn’t learn to ride a bike until she was 15 when she took her first job in Nambucca. She cycled six kilometres to work and back on a gravel road each day until she turned 18, when she met Bill. Bill by this stage had bought his first car, so another bike bit the dust!

When the time came to consider where to retire Bill and Chris finally chose Hervey Bay because amongst other things it was largely flat and excellent for cycling. When they first visited the Bay for holidays they rented bikes, then when they moved here for keeps Chris spotted a good second hand bike for sale. Bill followed suit buying a new one from a local cycling store. One unexpected spin-off of cycling has been a whole host of new friends made when Bill and Chris joined the Hervey Bay Bicycle User Group (now the Fraser Coast Bicycle User Group).