Saturday 28 January 2010:  Teaching a group of young kids riding skills is great fun but seeing those skills being used to broaden boundaries, to experience and engage with previously unexplored parts of the city was truly rewarding.  The My Bike Project peloton set off from The Huddle at Arden Street under a burning Saturday afternoon sun for its most adventurous ride yet, which provided the added bonus of taking me along some previously unridden paths as well.

The crew were able to test their skills on a variety of terrain from bike lanes to a ducking and weaving Moonee Ponds Creek Bike Trail, which snakes under CityLink, then negotiating busy arterial roads as we tracked our way through Docklands, past Etihad Stadium and crossing funky Webb Bridge to coast our way into South Wharf.  From here it was careful riding alongside the Yarra on shared paths, which soon became inundated with pedestrians as we soft-pedalled and picked our way through the crowd to emerge at Birrarung Marr, then switching back to cross Princes Bridge. From here we turned down into the park, past the boat sheds and on to Alexandra Gardens and our destination, Yarra Skate Park.

Some of the adventurous took the opportunity to push their riding skills in the park, an obligatory kick of the footy, an ice cream and some on-camera time for interviews before the return ride via a busy Southbank.   We weaved our way past an assortment of buskers and the Chinese New Year Celebrations before finding respite from a water fountain and then back into the curling tunnel of Webb Bridge again to return.

What a great day to be out and about exploring Melbourne on two wheels.  I hope you enjoy the video a much as we all loved the ride …