www.Muggaccinos.com   The Bullsheet

Sunday, 10 Oct, Tour de Yarramalong  - "Iron Horse” from Wyong:

*     7am - Hornsby - 91.5km - ETR 1:36pm  if you catch the 12:37pm Express

*     7:10am - Berowra - 81.5km - ETR 1:55pm  if you catch the 12:55pm All Stops to Berowra

*     Or cycle back from Mt White - 71km - ETR 11:10am after 2nd Nosh at PitS

• Muggaccinos' rides are not BIKE NORTH rides.  Ride Organiser, Phil Johnston, carries NO Professional Indemnity cover.  If you disagree with any clause(s) in Liability Acknowledgement, hardcopy it and make any deletions or embellishments, sign it, and deliver to Phil Johnston who will respect your right to disagree with his viewpoint.  By signing the Muggaccinos' Liability Acknowledgement sign-on sheet  you are acknowledging that both the Ride Organiser (volunteer inviting members of the public to participate in a dangerous activity) and the Participants (members of the public agreeing to participate in a dangerous activity) owe a duty of care to each other.  If you disagree with any of the clauses listed therein, you are obliged to notify your disagreement.

• No trackwork on Newcastle/Gosford train line this Sunday.

• Ride Leader/Organiser:  Phil Johnston - 9498.3684 hm.

• Hardcopy these directions and bring on Sunday.

• Never cycle two abreast on a single lane road with an unbroken centre line.  Keep well to LHS.  And get off the road at Sag Stops.

• Maintain your membership of Bicycle NSW for $20m Public Liability cover in case you cause a serious accident and another Mugg sues you for riding negligence.

1st Leg:  Hornsby to Mt White - 35.5km - 82 min

Park in Hornsby street side car-park 80m Nth of Railway Hotel in Jersey St - N/W side of Hornsby station. 

Rollout 7am, -

• Nth up Jersey St for 200m,

• L into Bridge Rd for 20m to traffic lights;

• R onto Pacific Highway for 35km, passing Berowra station from 7:25am, for 1st Nosh Stop (35 min) at Mt White Road Warriors' Café from 8:25am.

2nd Leg:  Mt White to Peats Ridge - 21km - 57 min

Depart Bikie Hangout by 9:02am -

• Nth along Old Pacific H'way for 6.4km;

• L into Peats Ridge Rd for 14.6km continuous, gradual climb for Sag Stop (15 min) at Midcoast Petroleum, Peats Ridge from 10am.

3rd Leg:  Peats Ridge to Yarramalong Manor - 17km - 55 min

Re-mount by 10:15am, -

• Nth along Peats Ridge Rd for 300m;

• L into George Downs Drive and continue 8.7km NNW, crossing Wisemans Ferry Rd at Central Mangrove;

• R into Springs Rd for a Sign Post, thence 2.5km East twds Bumble Hill, Ahead Greta Rd for 2km up Bumble Hill, then 3.4km descend Bumble Hill cautiously;

• R for 60m to 2^nd Nosh Stop (35 min) for brunch from 11:05am at Yarramalong General Store.

4th Leg: Yarramalong Manor to Wyong station - 18.8km - 50 min
By 11:40am 18.8km flat/fast hit-out E along Yarramalong Rd into Wyong, arriving by 12:30pm to catch ($7.80 fare) –

• 12:37pm Express 59 min to Hornsby 1:36pm; or

• 12:55pm All-stops 71 min to Hornsby 2:06pm; or

• 1:37pm Express 59 min to Hornsby 2:36pm; or 

• 1:55pm All-stops 71 min to Hornsby 3:06pm.

Bank Teller's rap-up of Sunday, 3 Oct, Tour de Royal National Park - 10 cyclists

After a week of rain, Sunday proved a veritable early Spring corker.  The air was clean as could be, and from the Otford Pie Shop after 59 clicks, you could see down the south coast all the way to Tasmania.  But back to that later.

Yamaha, Richard A, Samurai, Heineken, Bank Teller, Printer, Martin, Tony aka Teacher, Pacific and Sergey aka Sputnik marshalled at the Sutherland Leisure Centre on que at 7:40am, well almost on time.

After 15km we re-grouped at Cnr Bundeena Drive, but not before scaling the 6.24% KOM Climb from Audley Weir to Artillery Hill, whereupon Scribe said his tah tahs, intent on snapping a few pics from Wattamolla Beach 'Start' and 'KOM', and cognisant that he had a 100km ride out West the following day.

Scribe snapped the above pic yesterday before the Peloton of 9 arrived.  And before he jumped aboard the 12:18pm 30min train from Otford station to Sutherland - trains leave the quaint, old world charm, rustic Otford station 18 past the even hour on Sundays and public holidays.  And offer a shorter ride if you got to get back early.

Samurai reported the rest of the ride went well, and the gang opted to climb McKell Ave to Waterfall returning the final 14km along the Princes H'way.  Sputnik mentioned the pace was on all day.

Update on Trevor aka Tornado and Tour de Bong Bong

Most of you have heard that Trev aka Tornado 'came a cropper' last Sat. week on his mountain bike.  Tornado was in the land of deep nod  for 5 or so mins, and got heap plenty battered 'n bruised.  Importantly, Trev didn't broke any tent poles, and is on the mend and intent upon scaling all 13 KOM Climbs at Tour de Bong Bong, which is only 5 weeks away. 

About half the gang aren't interested in attending the gee gees on Wed at Bong Bong Picnic Races, due to work commitments, and are driving down on Friday arvo, with a few opting to drive down at Sparrow Fart on Sat morn' when it is a 3 hr max drive from Chatswood.  15 or so are keen to attend the annual cult picnic races, including erstwhile Muggs Simmo, Nicky, Ian aka The Flash and Canadian Bazza.  In addition to Brenda who now resides at Berry, Kaza, 'n Bank Teller are going to the races. 

Thus far three, Kaza, Trevor and Bank Teller have indicated they are camping at the Berry Showground from Tues night at $7 per head per night with the 25m Berry Swimming Pool next door.  Publican, who is recuperating well after a hip replacement is hopeful of also attending T de BB.  Tara has signed-up, keen to conquer the 13 KOMs, but still unsure whether to camp or pub-it.   Lightweight Nerida aka Ant is a starter for the KOM Challenge.  But partner Ant, who works for Qantas, may be AWOL flying the big white birds.

If you want to attend the annual Picnic Races on Wed 10 Nov,  Brenda needs to know and you need to pay over $50 single entry by 18 Oct.

Bank Teller's rap-up of Monday, 4 Oct, Tour de Windsor - 4 cyclists

Another bottler of a morn', but numbers were low, what with Kaza, Ned and Ant away sailboarding, Trev getting patched, and the entire Tour de RNP contingent proffering their apologies due to Grand Final celebrations. 

Scribe cocked-up about checking the State Rail website www.cityrail.nsw.gov.au for 'Trackwork', 'cause after 26km of flat-out stuff along the M2, there were no trains at Seven Hills station, so we plumped for cycling to Windsor where the above pic in stately Macquarie St was snapped.

With 50km all done along roads tagging the "no-trains-today" Western line, we mooted heading-back, when local Nth Richmond lad, Koala Bear (pastel pink/orange above) asked Scribe if he'd like to check out Gene's Boyhood Backyard (Nth Richmond, Grose Vale).  And Golly Gosh, weren't that a top idea!!!

Gene 'n Phil bad farewell to Malvern Star 'n Whippet, and headed Nth along Cornwallis Rd thru some of the bestest turf farms imaginable, with lots of CoMows, and Polo fields.  Whereupon they got all inspired to take lots of pics of 'emselves, and the Cows and Polo.

800m of good unsealed road past the CoMows made us feel like mountain bikers.  Only we didn't have to wash-down our bikes post ride.

Gene aka Koala Bear re-visiting his grass roots.

Bank Teller snapped a country yobbo, with his long pole, chasing a chuck, somewhere between Cornwallis and The Lowlands, in a veritable patch of cycling bliss, which fortunately hasn't yet been discovered by the masses.

Our journey took us thru the Lowlands, Nth Richmond, and Grose Vale.  Amidst wholesome, well fertilised serenity, it recharged the therapy gauge.  (Some of those black 'n white, 4 legged critters, look a tad more savvy, than the skinny dork on the bitumen trail, attempting to look cool 'n cheerful.)

"Tour de Lowlands, Nth Richmond 'n Kurrajong'' - 112km, albeit flattish, will be featured on a Muggs' Sunday Ride soon, 'cause it is bonza, beaut, bottler ride, offering a marvellous, remedial distraction from the stuff most of us contend with M to F.

Scribe    4 Oct '04