New bike challenges and finding your people – Kia Matley and the Victoria Divide 550: Val and Faith are joned in the studio by Kia Matley of Melburn Durt. Val kicks off the show with a reading from H G wells, a particularly apt one, considering Kia’s day job as a paleobotanist. We share our bike moments and move on to local news including the coroner’s findings after the Mike Hall inquest and the commitment of the NSW Labor party for $412 million on infrastructure supporting riding and walking. 

Talk turns to the recent #VictoriaDivide550 and the rapid succesison of events that have seen Kia transition from a beginner cyclocross rider to her first bikepacking event within the space of a year. Kia explains how Melburn Hurt and Melburn Durt have provided the communities that can support and empower riders of all sorts to challenge themselves. We talk about the highs of the Victoria Divide route and the new challenges Kia will be seeking in the future. 

If you’d like to hear more about how bikes have empowered women to take up more challenges join Kia, Faith and Pepper Cook at Commuter Cycles on March 6th for an International Women’s Day discussion. You can also hear more from Kia and other participants about the Victoria Divide 550 on March 20th at the Victoria Divide 550 Wrap Up. Also coming up in March is the World Naked Bike Ride on March 16th. And don’t forget to subscribe to 3CR and help keep independent and radical radio on the air for another year. 

Also coming up in March is the Freestyle Cyclists ‘Stop Fining Healthy Transport’ Ride on March 16th and make sure you check the latest news on the mission to Save Noble Park Velodrome 

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