I had been thinking for a while to do a night ride and photo essay to Newcastle Harbour foreshore and back via Fernleigh Track. So, last Sunday night I put some water and basic tools in the Gazelle basket and set off.
I took my Sony bloggie pocket camera planning to take some low-light shots on the move – my favourite kind ! The track is not lit at all, except at road crossings and the tunnel, and that limited the images to mostly these areas and Newcastle itself. I had to rely on the hub dynamo and B&M Lumotec headlight to see anything – they work well for riding, though not casting enough light for photo images. I passed only 4 or 5 other riders, having set off at around 8pm and arriving back home at 11.15 pm, for a return trip of vaguely 50 km. Fruit bats, frogs and feral rabbits were the main animal life I saw or heard on the track.
I have edited the journey down to 16 impressions :
at dusk
parallel road
tunnel floor
toward darkness
adamstown heights
at wickham
carrington bridge
bulk loader
capacitor discharge
neon birds
gazelle abstract
park light
light trails
broadmeadow rail
look back
factory lights
Good night …
Some beautiful photos here Peter.
Thanks Vicki, it was a good ride !
Seems like a beautiful and peaceful ride Peter!
I’ve always been a little apprehensive about riding bike trails at night, especially where I live in the Western Suburbs of Sydney.
I’m very close to the Prospect Dam bike track though..
Maybe I should gear myself up with a heap of Christmas lights to feel a little safer..
Hi Jules, I can understand your being apprehensive, I didn’t go all the way along the Newcastle foreshore as I don’t like being near drunken groups and could hear a lot of yelling from the restaurant/bar areas. The track itself was really peaceful, though I should have taken a torch as it would have been pitch black if I’d had a puncture ! The Prospect Dam sounds tempting – a riding companion might be a good idea there.
The Christmas lights bicycle tour sounds an appealing idea !