next »

[Michael]

This thread is intended to catch all the great locations to ride a unicycle around Perth. Feel free to add to it as you wish but please follow as much of the following template as possible.

    * Location: (Where it actually is, a link to google maps would be great)
    * Suitable for: (learning, distance riding, trick riding)
    * Time limits: (Weekends or not, lights off after ?pm)
    * Amenities: (BBQs, shops, etc)
    * Other: (costs if applicable, how to get there, etc)

There is a link from the homepage to this topic.

[Coln_OldnCranky]

    * Location: Bell Tower and environs (Barrack Street jetty)
    * Suitable for: socialising and riding around. Paths, roads, planked jetty. Nearby Convention cente/busport for some variation.
    * Time limits: None
    * Amenities: Lucky Shag bar is open til around 11pm every eveing or later. Cook on duty till around 9pm.
    * Other: Near Busport - Transperth allows unicyles on buses - see Bikes at http://www.transperth.wa.gov.au/PassengerInfo/BikesonTransperth/tabid/120/Default.aspx.

[Coln_OldnCranky]

* Location: Freo near the water between Maccas and the Round House. And cross the railway and head on over to E-Shed and the wharf.
    * Suitable for: Learning (train pedestrian crossing mazes), lotsa pedestrain friendly paths. Tricks (limestone moles for real challenge, wide range of terrain, low retaining walls, curbs, poles. When you've finished head on over to South terrace.
    * Time limits: Night light is variable but still plenty of locations for evenings.
    * Amenities: Bars, restaurants, fast food (seafood, Maccas)
    * Other: Public transport only gets you nearby but not close. Car parking is always hard to find. Freo charges for parking pretty well all the time night and day.

[Coln_OldnCranky]

* Location: Burswood Park (near the river in front of the casine)
    * Suitable for: distance riding - lots of cycles ways.
    * Time limits: Eveings are pretty lonely but there is adequate lighting
    * Amenities: BBQs, kids playgrounds, lotsa grass and picnic space. Often mobile vendors on summer weekends.
    * Other: No charges.

[Coln_OldnCranky]

* Location: Hyde Park
    * Suitable for: distance riding and riding around. Also eveings in summer Glendower Street is OK for wandering along. For those wanting some experience in handling speed bumps there are some easy gentle ones. Small raised stage area with pipe "fence" is suitable for first timers.
    * Time limits: None. Lighting on the path is dull in the evening.
    * Amenities: Gas BBQs (2) free at the lower playground area. Toilets in OK state and open well into evenings (24hrs?)
    * Other: Tuesdays evenings the spinning juggling fire community practice there - 7:30pm onwards.

[Coln_OldnCranky]

* Location: Off Murdoch Drive. Car park approximately where Parry Avenue ends in Murdoch Drive.
    * Suitable for: Lotsa pedestrain friendly paths. All good surfaces everywhere including firm well maintained grass. Easy and challenging slopes. Some hard packed dirt paths. Raised board paths through the bush. Can either hang around the palyground area or do lots of distance (one and two km rides).
    * Time limits: Don't know what lighting is at night. (I'll check). Otherwise always open.
    * Amenities: Just toilets at the main playground area. No BBQs.
    * Other: Public transport not brilliant on weekends.

[Coln_OldnCranky]

From Heathcote west around river to ALfred Cove and return via Highway and suburban streets.

Require headlights for evening riding. Also some road riding likely so flashers recomended.

All up distance of 9.9km, mostly cyclepath, some other paths, occasional on road. No exceptional hazards. Hop offs when crossing busy Canning Highway.


Heading out - 4.8km:

• From Heathcote in Applecross, around the river cyclepaths. Not generally lit.
• Leave cyclepath at Alfred Cove, Cross Cannig Highway (controlled intersection) toarrive at  KFC on corner of Canning Hwy and North Lake Rd.

Return - 5.1km

• Leave KFC,head east along Canning Hwy
• Cross Canning Highway to north side on foot at Cunningham Street, onto Matheson Road, Applecross.
• A few dark suburban streets, reconnecting with the cyclepath on The Strand.
• Ride the cyclepath to the base of very high stairs at Heathcote.
• Climb the stairs to arrive back at the start.Distance of ride out and back  - 9.9km.

[Coln_OldnCranky]

Location:
Port Bouvard, Mandurah

Suitable for:
Commuting and wandering. Working the legs on hills.

The urban area is generally flat, and it is easy to cross roads from paths. This is the strength for unicyling - it is perfectly practical to get around on road or on path or both.

For some leg work there are hills to the beach along the ocean side. Also the cycleway along the beach rises and falls. There is blown sand on some of these slopes but still easily handled.

There is limited water front to ride except the main cut.

The gated "Island" community is small and nothing special, again no water side riding and all up a couple of hundred metres of ride. But if you are patient you can get in when someone leaves. Leaving is easy as you can press a button on the way out. Some cobblestones.

Practice and play:
For an area to practice in, there is a little beach and playground area at the end of Northport Blvd, the main drag in. Some flat paving, some concrete paths, some firm grass, some steps for those into that sort of stuff.

Times:
Day or night, well lit and safe
All year around.

Amenities:
Bouvard has little in the way of facilities. there is a small deli off Port Oys (road) and a restaurant. However,  a couple of km ride and a foot crossing of the Old Coast Road (four lanes) will get you to the marina which has a decent deli, fishing amenities, water, restaurant.

Other:
Not a lot of shade in Bouvard.

[Coln_OldnCranky]

Location:
Riverside Drive - the path along the river from causeway to The narrows

Suitable for:
Ambling. Communing. No hills, no steps, just plain slow or fast. Mixed in with pedestrains, cyclists, joggers.

The only interaction with cars is at the bell tower, controlled lights.

It's about 3km.

Time limits:
Daytime. Evening is so so. Not lit along the path but ambient traffic light etc.

Weekends are likely to have activites (triathalons common)

Amenities:
Some restaurants and a bar at the Bell Tower precinct.
Sassys on the Swan, a coffee and food place, is a hundred metres east of the Bell Tower. Look for the boatshed, it's there. Tell them Colin sent you, seriously. You won't get a discount but you will get a response.
Drinking fountain just a little further east of Sassys.
Between Plain Street and the Causeway there are parklands, playgrounds, drinking fountains.

Other:
Lots of shade and cool spots along the route. Grass and trees.

In the very near future there will be separate biek and pedestrian paths.