Burnie Bicycle Picnic - Summer Edition.

What better excuse for a summer bicycle picnic than owning a picnic basket and a bicycle? How about perfect Saturday weather and a new floral dress? Honestly, any reason for me to eat egg sandwiches. Yes, I was THAT kid who always ordered smelly egg sandwiches on canteen day. Fortunately it didn't result in ostracism, it just meant nobody ever wanted to share my lunch. (Good! My lunch is mine! Back off!) But my love for egg sandwiches is so bordering on the unholy that I probably would have defiantly borne any loneliness regardless. Anything for that sweet, sweet, mashed up egg and mayonnaise. EGG SANDWICHES 4LYF. What was I saying? Oh yes, new dress:

And perfect summer weather. Burnie shared path is short but smooth.

It was a warm, direct sun sort of day so Ginger and I sunscreened up and made the brief trip to Burnie Park for frittata, the blessed egg sandwiches and little cakes from the Farmers Market. Burnie Park is surprisingly interesting for its diminutive size. It has a pleasant display of roses, war memorial, a tree trail, the original tavern building, plenty of playgrounds, some peacocks (sadly in an enclosure due to the highway being right next to the park), ducks on the loose, a lake and a hidden waterfall best viewed on foot, only a hundred metres or so into a rainforest. The picnic area is actually the most boring part, being next to the car park. But the trees are large and shady, the grass is soft and you can see the ocean sparkling in the sunshine. Plus everything is great when there's egg sandwiches, RIGHT?

Very briefly considered designated picnic table.

Post picnic we managed to run into another West Australian transplant so we all adjourned to nearby Makers Workshop for coffee by the beach. It's very easy to segue into these kinds of lazy afternoons in North West Tasmania. Just another reason why summer here is superior, egg sandwiches or no.

Admiring my new yellow straps outside Makers Workshop.

The Girls' Bicycle Handbook.

An exciting package appeared in my letterbox this week. Actually, two exciting packages appeared and they were all BOOKS.
"But this blog is not about books! It's about bicycles and fat bottoms of the unappealing, Mom-jeans kind," you interject. Because you like to cut me deep.

But! (Butt?) One book was about both Bicycles and tangentially, Fat Bottoms. I received a copy because my Fat Bottom is IN IT and 'IT' is a lovely slice of publishing entitled The Girls' Bicycle Handbook by Caz Nicklin of London Cycle Chic.

Here it is nestled in some ivy because lord knows we can't look
at anything now unless it's Instagrammed within an inch of reality.

It's subtitled Everything You Need To Know About Life On Two Wheels because it contains exactly that if you are a girl person who rides a bike or would like to get back on her bike without lycra or racing anybody to work. (Although there's a section about that if you want to!)

The Handbook blends bicycles, history, fashion, advice, and stories into a healthful smoothie of informative reading and pleasant pictures. It's like your favourite bicycle blogs in physical format, quite literally as many Lady Bicycle Bloggers of all stripes are to be found within. The virtual, pink-spoked circle has crossed over. But the bulk of the book is a 'How To' garnered from Caz's experience as an everyday cyclist and purveyor of bicycle chic. The focus is firmly on cycling for transportation and incorporating your bicycle into your life without drastically changing your style or identity. I was very pleased to see the section on maintenance as this is something I've wanted to learn more of ever since I became reacquainted with bicycles. It begins with the most basic procedures like how to pump up your tyres and ends with things you can do to spend less time and money at the LBS so even if you know NOTHING, you can start here.

Common Noises and What They Mean is a very useful subsection of this.

The guide is comprehensive enough that if you are yet to acquire the two wheels of the subtitle, there's advice on finding the right bike. If like myself you are already 'rollin' and subsequently doused in a tide of 'hatin', there is still plenty to enjoy with tales from women around the world, women biking with families, women who have gone to the next level for fitness or even… Yes. Here be the rarest of Roadies - The Lady Lycra. Softly calling from the pink-washed finish line, "One of us. One of us!"

The Girls' Bicycle Handbook officially launches on April 3rd, 2014 and is currently available for pre-order here at London Cycle Chic. (Fat Bottom not required.)

More ivy and the other books that arrived this week.
#Poseur