Muggaccinos Pedlars Sunday Cyclists - The Bullsheet

This weekend, 10/11 Mar, Loop the Lake  – 50km Sat and 85km Sun

As advertised in Push On Mag interested Muggs, and other cyclists, are driving from Sydney next Sat. morn from 10am for 2¼ hrs to the upper end of Lake Macquarie taking the Morisset off-road and driving NE another 22 km approx to Warners Bay.

(a)                  by 2pm we check-into the “Bayside Tavern”, 7 John St, Warners Bay – 4948.9055 (a stone's throw from the Speers Point start line) - twins @ $66 per room [$33 per head] and single rooms $44. 

(b)                  2:30pm - 30km or more flat ride starting with 10km to Wallsend, then turn left at the Shell garage at Thomas St and cycle 5km south twds the link rd and return Warners Bay.

(c)                  7pm – dine at “BWP Wood-Fired Pizza” on the foreshore - 462 The Esplanade, Warners Bay - 4948.0049.

(d)                  8am Sunday - 85km  “Loop the Lake” from Speers Point.

If you are interested in joining Widget, Sue B, Steve R, Dirty Cheat and Mick McD et al for the above, let Brenda or PJ know pronto.

Widget's rap-up of Sunday 4 Mar, Rotary Club’s 6^th annual
"Tour de Hills” from Dural C. C. – 105km
On a sparkling clear early Autumn morn, with a hint of a nip in the air, about 12 cyclists which have ridden with Muggs over recent months gathered amidst the throng of Bike North’ers, along with several hundred cyclists, all mustered in the Dural C.C. car-park in anticipation of an enjoyable ride to parts NW.   About a minute to eight, a well-intentioned course marshall informed us that it “wasn’t a race”.  However, you should have completed the primary “70km loop by 11am, if you want to finish within the obligatory 12:30pm cut-off”.  We could be excused for musing “was a race” would be, seeing as how we needed to peel off 70 clicks in three hours.  “Excuse me Mr. Marshall, but when do we get time for coffees/cakes.”

The initial 7km ride north on “the sometimes scary” Old Northern Rd thru Glenorie was thankfully uneventful, whereupon we took a left into Cattai Ridge Rd which provided a charming 7km leg of rural pedaling that evidenced more than a few, incl Whippet, Sig and Mike McD, miss the right into Halcrows Rd, rather continue on the main rd like sheep.  About 5km later, our anti-clockwise route veered S/W along Wisemans Ferry Rd/Cattai Rd. where we said tah tahs to the prevailing tailwind, albeit ‘twas only a zephyr.  Somewhere shortly thereafter, perhaps on Saunders Rd. just after passing thru cornfields, there was a short lumpy, bumpy, pot-holey section which wouldn’t win any accolades for the RTA/local council.  [Cyclist residents of Rouse Hill/Kellyville how about lobbying your local member before the 7^th T de H  to splash-out on a bit of tar!  It is only about 400m long, however, it hit 7 on my bum’s Richter scale.]  As we wrapped around twds SE, we hit a headwind accompanied by gentle climbing which graduated into nasty steep bits thru Kellyville/Glenhaven.  Wouldn’t you know it, just as we started climbing those bloody hills, Sunday Drivers were returning from church - the Hills District must be a religious lot, 'cause there was heaps of 'em.

The additional 35km condensed loop offered more of the same only compressed – steeper hills and sharp turns. This displeased a few of the locals who, in addition to clean up Oz, had woken to find their roads invaded with mum’s, dad’s, kids on Tandems, Treadleys and Tagalongs (articulated vehicle meaning the Nipper sits on the back seat and is supposed to pedal) in their sporting pursuits, with the smell of unburnt hydrocarbons and the occasional horn from impatient motorist stomping on the go pedal, as if held up by a “Friday night Crawl”.

By 12:30pm most of us had finished the brisk paced 105km ave around 24km p/h and we were gathered “in our smelly lycra”, in the C. C.’s auditorium which some of us hadn’t seen for a few years.  Two bicycles were raffled, 'twas good to see the nippers had a mortgage on the winning tickets.  I met my room-mate for “Loop the Lake”, Sue B.  [She’ll do!].

All in all, a very enjoyable and successful Tour de Hills supported by a myriad of volunteers that were gratefully appreciated.  One or two of ‘em may not've been Cycle Savvy and were concealed after round-a-bouts, and perhaps didn't appreciate that cyclists need to know in advance where a left or right turn is.  Furthermore, why are most of the water stops on down hills when you might be disinclined to pull up?  Otherwise was a well-run charity fun ride for all ages and Bike North, with easily the largest BUG contingent, got its own special Happy Snap.  

PS     Tks to the friendly fireman's' red truck which became an unscheduled drink stop about 15 clicks from home, which only offered standard H2O in lieu of the tasteless red water.  Understand that his fire station loo got blocked because of all the unexpected guests, but we learnt later that he had obligingly done repairs much to the relief of all those who arrived later on.

Gos column

The cut-off date for not incurring the $5 late entry penalty for Tour de Hills was last Wed.

A day later, PJ faxed me his completed entry form for T de H as a reminder that I should fax my entry, and according to him, "to show you where to fill the parts in, silly!".  The early entry fee was $28.  Guess what, in completing his form, the Dumb Dork inadvertently donated a further $28 to the St Gabriel's Charity - albeit tax deductible.  Lucky for the scrooge they rejected his late entry.

Q    What do you call someone who "witlessly" donates  monies for a well deserved charity?

A.   A Philanthropist.

Following long w'end, Friday, 16 to Sunday 18 March, Muggs pilgrimage to conquer Linger & Die Hill in the Upper Hunter

The Flash, Pacific Pete, Vicky, ToothFairy, Widget, Whippet, The Scribe, The Enforcer are in the 3 day ride.  Three or four others rate themselves some chance, if the boss is conciliatory.  PJ has e-mailed other BUGs inviting any interested to join the jaunt.  If you haven't booked, 'phone Brenda or PJ who can fax you more gumph on other digs.- full details on www.muggaccinos.com 

Digs at Wollombi on Friday, 16 March

With only 4 keen on the commune BarnStay, I cancelled it.

¨                       Capers Guest House / Cottage - Ann 4998.3211 - has one double room left.

¨                       Cody's Cottage - Jean Marsh 4998.3256 - has one double room @ $55 p/h which incl's breakfast.

¨                       Mulla Villa 4998.3254 @ $80 p/p per night incl breakfast.

¨                       Wollombi Cottage  4998.3340

Given that some of us have camped in tents on Big Rides at Albury [Vic border] in late April, camping 100 clicks north of Sydney in mid-March is always a fall back for any on a budget. 

Digs at Dungog on Sat, 17 March, suggest you book at -

¨                       Tall Timber Motel Dungog for Sat. 17th March  4992.1547.  Close to Dungog railway station.  $77 Dbl.  (Host: Judith and Lloyd) 4992.1547; or

¨                       Royal Hotel (02) 4992.3070.  Doubles $38 -  twins $40 per room - singles @ $22 p/h.  Brian, Brenda and Phil have each booked single rooms, however, if demand increases, a few may be comfortable with taking a double.

Contingency plans - Raining too much on:

¨                       Friday - we drive to Wollombi on Friday and cycle to Dungog (107km) on Sat and cycle back to Wollombi on Sunday.

¨                       Saturday - we hang about in Wollombi on Sat. and cycle home on Sunday - a good reason for taking the cheap digs at the Royal Hotel, 'cause if it is seriously dumping, we may not get there.

The Scribe  - 5 March 2001