Muggaccinos Pedlars Sunday Cyclists

This Good "Black" Friday, 13 April, Warriewood for Brunch:

¨                     75km - ETR 12:45pm; or 

¨                     115km if returning via West Head - ETR 1:45pm 

·                Ride contact is Phil Johnston  9498.3684 hm or 9312.3319 wk

·                Please hardcopy these ride directions and bring on Friday

Park at St Ives car park in Mona Vale Rd [opposite Paterson’s Patisserie and Stanley St] by 7:20am for 7:30am rollout.  After 6.4km [opposite Forest Way - at Mona Vale Fruit Barn] we turn left into Myoora Rd and immediately halt for a fleeting 1st Sag Stop (1 min) to re-group.  Our road soon changes into Larool Rd for a low-traffic entrance to the top of National Park via Terrey Hills shopping centre, thence descending McCarrs Creek / West Head Rd.  At the V (dual entrances to the park) take the clockwise route [left fork] and descend past Cottage Point turn-off, to Illawong Bay and then pass thru Akuna Bay and climb back out, pausing for a 2nd Sag Stop (3 min) at the T juncture (where a left would lead to West Hd).

Around 8:35am we then take a further hard right to descend to McCarrs Creek, where, after crossing the bridge, we hook a hard left back into McCarr's Creek Rd.  [Any late starters should take the anti-clockwise route straight to McCarr's Creek.]

Around 8:50am we pass Church Point [30km], thence 5 mins later Bayview Marina [32km].  About 2km later, we turn right into Cabbage Tree Rd (Bayview Golf Course will be on both left and right) which leads into Samuel St and crosses Mona Vale Rd at the roundabout [cemetery on our RHS].  Our road changes to Ponderosa Pde for about 1km and then McPherson St. for about 3km, where we then take a right into Warriewood Rd shortly thereafter crossing Pittwater Rd (at traffic lights) and immediately climbing up Hunter St which soon leads to views of the Blue Pacific overlooking majestic Warriewood Beach around 9:20am.  A neighbourhood, strip front shopping centre is immediately on our right in quaint, unruffled Narrabeen Park Pde. 

We have previously dined at the corner-store, Sunrise Café that overlooks Warriewood Beach - good feed for not much mula.  However, I can't find it in the 'phone book, so due to Good Friday, I've booked at Nautilus Café - a few shops south which opens at 9am. 

If the weather is fine, we’ll take in the ambience and indulge in friendly repartee over brunch [hamburgers and sambos] for 45min up to an hour, “carbo/protein loading” for the return leg at 10:10am, where we re-trace our path ‘via Bayview, Church Point and McCarrs Creek, but ignoring Akuna Bay. 

Anyone who feels underdone can leave us as we pass McCarrs Creek on the return route and visit West Head, thereby increasing the ride to 115km - ETR 1:45pm.

Our second Nosh Stop at midday, with the ride almost completed, is Bonds Nursery, Terrey Hills - 9486.3222 - which is opening on Good Friday.

This Easter Sunday, 15 April, "Loop the Royal NationalThis Easter Sunday, 15 April, "Loop the " - 94km or less

At sparrow fart on a Sunday morn, it is only 45 minutes drive from Chatswood to Sutherland.  By 7:30am park at Loftus Oval, familiar to all ‘Gong riders as the initial morning tea spot  located 3km south of Sutherland train station on the Princess Highway.  We pedal 13km down the Princess H’way/Freeway thru Engadine, Heathcote to Waterfall where we veer right onto an off-road to the old Princess H’way immediately past Waterfall for 9.5km and turn left to Bald Hill & Stanwell Tops.  A further 4.2km lands us at the left turn onto Lawrence Hargraves Drive, whereupon another 5km of pedaling we hook a left where Lawrence Hargraves Drive gravitates into Lady Wakehurst Drive.  Another click of scenic riding lands us at the familiar “Otford Apple Pie Shop” with its majestic views twds The Gong for our 1st Nosh Stop (30min).

By 9am we cycle north up Lady Wakehurst Drive, initially along the coast and then into the wooded forest of the Royal Nat Pk, for 8km, until we see the bridge over Hacking Creek, on left (McKell Av, junction to Waterfall) The road ahead is now Sir Bertram Stevens Dr, where it is predominantly up-hill for next 4km. [If Bundeena ain’t your go, take McKell Ave. over the bridge where you can cycle 5km also uphill to Waterfall.]  

About 10km on from the bridge at around 10:30am we reach the right fork to Bundeena Drive which takes us to beautiful, splendid, Bundeena Beach - another 10 clicks afar where we down tools for an early lunch around 11:10am at the café overlooking the ferry jetty.  [If you are knackered, catch the ferry to Cronulla and a train to Sutherland where it is a 3km ride to Loftus Oval].  

Around midday after cycling back 10km to the Bundeena turn-off, we throw a right around 12:10pm and pedal up to Flat Rock, then a long fast down hill run towards Audley Weir which we should reach shortly after 12:30pm.  Following an equally precipitous incline from the spillway, we will be almost at the Princess H’way.  Upon hitting the H’way, a right turn and a few hundred metres later we return to our jalopies at Loftus Oval around 1pm - 94km.  NB: rather than cross and re-cross the H’way, merit might exist in walking your cycle up the shoulder on the wrong side of the H’way (facing oncoming traffic) over the last few hundred metres from the egress of the park to Loftus Oval - however this is done at rider's own risk.

Whippet ‘n Scribe's rap-up of Sunday, 8 April, "Cinque Montagnes" - 104km

Seven grand hills interspersed amongst 104km of marvellous, lumpy cycling, on a day where the weather never got above 7½.  Nonetheless, those o’cast skies ensured a warmish start, kept the temp down, saved on the sunscreen - voila ideal cycling conditions.

Around 9:30am, 10 crew had gathered at our initial Nosh Stop of Pie in the Sky – ToothFairy, Blonde Bombshell and Widget representing the fairer sex and Temperate Tony, Whippet, Tony M, Nick D, Dieter, Arrogant Bastard and Bazza.  (Claud never quite made it past the Hornsby starting point due to hardware problems, opting to return home by train).

The pace to PitS was fierce thanks to Whippet and Temperate going hell for leather.  Our two wily old foxes subsequently admitted that they weren’t sure how quick Freshman, Nick and “infrequenter” Tony M. were, and they weren’t about to get caught napping. 

After 25 mins with the Nose Bag on – mainly sipping delightful Segafredo, approaching 10am most of us returned south for 8km before taking a right into Berowra Waters Rd where we descended to a sullen, o’cast Berowra Waters for the ride on the punt.  Brenda, who is “on light duties”, promised to crawl back to Hornsby “without doing anything stupid”. 

Tks to Tony ‘n Brian keeping the pace on, the climb twds Berrilee from the ferry was also keenly contested.  By the time PJ reached “Koopers Log” KOM (10:55am – 59.3km), they were both stretched out on the familiar grassy knoll out front of the Log Office.

Upon Dirty Cheat ‘n ToothFairy joining ‘em, the Pelton rolled twds the Wylds Rd adjunct into parts of Glenorie with the 2nd Nosh Stop of GreenShades firmly in mind.

At 11:35am with 72.8km done, a reduced contingent of six sat down for a pleasant repaste with Luighi doing his utmost to keep us comfortable - the tucker ‘n service were tops.  

After 45mins of chompen ‘n chin-wagging, with burgeoning tummies tucked-in, we took-off in pursuit of Blonde Bombshell in the Hot Pink Toyota top who'd snuck off early twds Galston Gorge.  The familiar bus shelter (where we’ve never seen a bus) was a welcome sight.

After Helga ‘n Dieter peeled off twds Hornsby the reduced contingent of four completed Bobbin Head backwards, with Temperate Tony taking out the Yellow Jersey ‘n Whippet the Polka Dot Jersey -  averaging speeds of 23.5km over seven slops, but Arrogant Bastard ‘n ToothFairy kept those Crafty Coves honest.

Extracts from e-mail from erstwhile Mugg, Mark Short

"Hi Phil,

Another very good Big Ride from Oberon.

Perfect weather until Sunday when pretty solid head winds prevailed for most of the 60 km.

Cumnock pop 300 - was very excited to have the road show drop in.

I had a recoverable spill 30 km from the end of the whole trip. Trying to avoid the head winds and drafting in close. The person in front jumped around while mucking around. Whoops. Still here!

Ran into Anja. Well everyone did. She was well known. You we re right -she is not a big rider. More just social.  Nice person, but typical German style-in a nice way.

The next Big Ride is form Manila (near Tamworth) to Walcha in early March '02."

The Scribe  - 10 April 2001