This arvo, our director, Louise Tu’u, went on another bike ride to stretch her legs around her neighbourhood of Ōtāhuhu. She rode towards the train station from the town centre, decided to turn left into Marjorie Jayne Drive, then right onto Walmsley Road. Heading straight from there to Saleyards Road, Louise rode till she reached the now-defunct Westfield train station.
Marvelling at the disappearance of the entire platform for a new track, she rode towards and around the base of Ōtāhuhu Maunga, where regeneration of native plants has been actively happening since 2019.
Riding past the Ōtāhuhu rugby league club and the absence of the playground, Louise rode out of the maunga onto Atkinson Ave and turned left onto a really quiet Portage Road. This part of Ōtāhuhu is normally hairy to drive and even more so to cycle.
Passing the Masjid Al Farooq mosque and the McManus fields opposite, Portage Road felt eerie without the constant stream of heavy trucks, which Louise was thankful for.
Crossing into Pukeiti Road, she rode onto Hokonui and Hauiti Roads, looking for a cut through but it was blocked by a fallen tree.
So she rode to Hauiti Road and turned left into Great South Road to head home.
#pushbikelyfe #brownwomxnwhocycle #Ōtāhuhu #southaukilani