Other Stuff

Occasionally I write blog posts about other activities that have nothing to do with cycling – e.g. exhibitions we have seen, concerts or performances we have attended, or Scottish Country Dance events we have been part of. I write them up partly as a visual diary for myself since we usually take photos of these activities, and partly as a means of sharing them with the readers of this blog.

Below I have compiled a list of links to these “Other Stuff” posts, so that they can be found more easily. For the sake of completeness, I have also included posts that contain both a bike ride and some other activity. The posts are listed in reverse chronological order – i.e. the latest one is at the top.


25 July 2017 – Waikanae to Peka Peka – and an exhibition of tapestries – After a ride from Waikanae  to Peka Peka on the Kapiti Coastal Cycle Route, and back on the Expressway cycle track, we stopped at Pataka Museum in Porirua to look at an exhibition of tapestries by Peruvian weaver Máximo Laura.

21 July 2017 – A Bickerton Portable Folding Bike – A friend delivered an old (vintage?) foldable bike in bits, for John to "have a look at". Of course John fixed it.  

20 June 2017 – A book launch – We attend the launch of a book by Barbara Francis, with whom I have collaborated, by copy-editing and formatting her manuscript.

16 March 2017 – Paekakariki to Paraparaumu and Kapiti Aeromodellers Club – Te Ara o Whareroa (throught Queen Elizabeth II Park) and on the cycle track alongside the Expressway, then on the track behind the airport to Paraparaumu. On the way back we visited the Kapiti Aeromodellers Club, which was busy, as it was a perfect day for flying.

7 January 2017 – Paekakariki and Historic Trams – As part of a ride on Te Ara o Whareroa we visited the Tram Museum, and met up with a friend who is a volunteer tram driver. We went on two tram rides, while Robert explained everything to us.

14 December 2016 – Blog catch-up – Still in the throes of renovations, and John's health is still a worry.

18 October 2016 – Why I haven't blogged for two months ... – No rides for many weeks, because of renovations to ur house (and need for someone to be home for trades people); and health set-back for John.

26 August 2016 – Scottish Country Dancing – Johnsonville's 50 Golden Years – A big celebration of one of the SCD Clubs that John and I belong to.

31 May 2016 – An Exhibition of Ceramics and Photographs – My potter sister had an exhibition of her ceramic table ware, and John was invited to display some of his electron micrographs (photographs of very tiny objects).  

27 March 2016 – Graffiti or Art? –  We talk to an artist painting a Chorus cabinet.

22 February 2016 – The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo – I attended this exciting event in Wellington’s Westpac Stadium, along with some 20,000 other people. 

2 September 2015 – Stars and Lights – A wee “mishap”; the Johnsonville Scottish Country Dance Club’s 60th anniversary dance; the Lux Lights Festival on the Wellington Waterfront. 

17 June 2015 – Wellington South Coast and a Ceilidh – A bike ride, and a Scottish Country Dancing Ceilidh.

4 June 2015 – Pauatahanui and a Rainbow Night – A bike ride in the day time, and a rainbow-themed social dance at the Tawa Scottish Country Dance club. 

9 May 2015 – Ice creams and lunches – A bit of philosophising about why and how we enjoy cycling.

26 August 2014 – A busy weekend – A “Wellington on a Plate” event at Boomrock Lodge; the Johnsonville Scottish Country Dance Club Annual Dance; and a performance of the opera “Der Rosenkavalier” by Richard Strauss. 

9 July 2014 – Wellington hometown tourist – We played at being tourists in our own home town. We looked at beautiful buildings, and discovered works of art that we didn’t know were there. 

11 February 2014 – The Wellington Rugby Sevens Parade – A group of Scottish country dancers took part in the Rugby Sevens parade to support the Scottish team. John took photos of the parade and crowd. 

6 February 2014 – A Ceilidh – The Johnsonville SCD Club held a Ceilidh to kick off the dancing year. Members enjoyed dancing, listening to items by some of our musically talented members, and a potluck dinner. 

19 January 2014 – Petone to Lowry Bay – and pottery and music – A bike ride, a visit to my sister’s  pottery gallery, and a Dixieland jazz concert in the Wellington Botanic Gardens. 

18 January 2014 – Silverstream to Harcourt Park – and art exhibitions – A bike ride, finishing with a visit to the Dowse Art Museum in Lower Hutt. 

14 January 2014 – Scottish Country Dancing – An informative article about Scottish country dancing. Includes some videos.

5 January 2014 – Scottish Country Dancing – Hogmanay – The Wellington Region SCD Clubs get together to celebrate New Year’s Eve with a Hogmanay dance. 

20 December 2013 – Leonard Cohen, open air opera, and other delights – Two contrasting musical performances: a concert by Leonard Cohen, and an opera performed in a Days Bay garden; and a late night walk on the Wellington waterfront on a moonlit evening. 

21 October 2013 – Dancing, biking and more dancing! – SCD workshop in the morning; a bike ride in the afternoon; an evening SCD dance to celebrate this year’s new dancers. 

29 September 2013 – Petone Foreshore and Pottery Exhibition – A visit to potter Aimée McLeod’s (that’s my sister) exhibition, followed by a bike ride. 

14 September 2013 – Wellington Free Ambulance street appeal – I helped out one of my favourite charities by collecting during their street appeal. Our family owes a lot to the Wellington Free Ambulance. 

9 September 2013 – Hutt River Trail and art exhibitions – A bike ride, followed by a visit to some exhibitions in the Dowse Art Museum in Lower Hutt. 

28 July 2013 – Hutt River Trail and Dowse Art Museum – A bike ride, followed by a look at the exhibition of potter Barry Brickell’s work at the Dowse Art Museum.