www.Muggaccinos.com    The Bullsheet

Sunday, 11 Sept '05 - "Tour de Old Bathurst Rd, Blaxland, Springwood, Yarramundi, Richmond"

(i)            Turramurra rollout between 7:25am and 7:35am (depending on your speed) via M2 to Blacktown station - train to Emu Plains, then ride to N/E Richmond up Old Bathurst Rd, Blaxland, Springwood, along Hawkesbury Rd, descending Springwood Rd to Riverstone, thence train back to Seven Hills and ride M2, Browns Waterhole - 93km - ETR 2pm

(i)(a)     Avoid very steep 2.33km Old Bathurst Rd by staying on train from Emu Plains for 3 more stops and alighting at Blaxland station for 9km flattish to Springwood; or 

ii)            Dural by 7:35am via Old Northern Rd, Seven Hills Rd to meet Turra' starters at Blacktown station by 8:40am.  Eventually returning to Riverstone station to cycle via Annangrove Rd – 88km - ETR 12:50pm

Separate Turra' and Dural start routes meet at Blacktown station from 8:35am for the 8:54am train to Emu Plains or Blaxland station (if you want to skip the climb up Old Bathurst Rd)

Print explicit street directions for both start spots at URL for Distance on preceding 'Ride Calendar 2005 - July to Sept'  page, or by clicking on 92.8km or 91km

Ø    www.cityrail.nsw.gov.au/trackwork/ reports no trackwork on Blue Mountains Line between Blacktown and Emu Plains/Blaxland or on Western Line between Richmond and Seven Hills.

Ø   Ride Organiser:  Phil Johnston  9498.3684 hm

Ø   On return route, be careful entering Abbott Rd from either Johnson Ave or Prospect Highway, as traffic veering Left along Seven Hills Rd are partial to cyclist crossing into Abbott Rd

Ø   Hardcopy these directions and bring on Sunday

Ø   Expend 10 mins studying your UBD/Gregory's to familiarize with below, 'cause this is a complex route

Ø   Bring a mobile if you have one, 'cause we invariably experience cyclists going AWOL on our sorties into Deliverance Country

Ø   RTA paints a solid centre-line on single lane roads when there isn't sufficient vision to overtake.  'Ipso facto' always cycle single-file on unbroken centre-lines.

Ø   Get off road at Sag Stops

Ø   Cycling without Public Liability cover is as asinine as driving without 3rd Party - join Bicycle NSW for PL insurance, so that all Muggs are better protected

Ø   When passing a fellow Mugg, always provide 1m clearance.  If you can't, or are passing on the inside, you MUST call out loudly eg. "passing inside" etc

1st leg:  27km - Start between 7:25am and 7:35am in Rohini Street carpark NE side of Turramurra station to Blacktown station -  ride along M2/Abbott Rd passing Johnson Ave on RHS where road ahead becomes Prospect H'way,

Right after 450m of Prospect H'way into Lucas Ave for off-road Sag Stop [5 min] at Children Crossing sign outside Seven Hills Primary School immediately on LHS or Left into Morris St 400m later and walk back on footpath twds Cnr so subsequent cyclists can see the Right turn into Lucas Ave;

Ahead from Morris St Cnr along Lucas Ave for 2.2km; 

Ahead into Sackville Rd for 1.4km;

Left into Sunnyholt Rd for 800m;

Right into George St for 200m to Blacktown station arriving 8:40am for 14 min wait for train to Emu Plains departing at 8:54am.

1st leg (alternate):  23km - Start 7:35am Porter Scenic Lookout carpark before Dural Country Club

Right by 7:35am down Old Northern Rd for 11.5km

Right into Seven Hills Rd for 6.5km

Ahead into Prospect Highway for 450m;

Right after 450m into Lucas Ave for off-road Sag Stop [5 min] outside Seven Hills Primary School immediately on LHS or Left into Morris St 400m later and walk back on footpath twds Cnr so subsequent cyclists can see the Right turn into Lucas Ave;

Ahead from Morris St Cnr along Lucas Ave for 2.2km; 

Ahead into Sackville Rd for 1.4km;

Left into Sunnyholt Rd for 800m;

Right George St for 200m to Blacktown station arriving 8:30am for 15 min wait for train to Emu Plains departing at 8:54am.

Two 2nd Leg options:
Hard 2nd Leg:  17km from Emu Plains up mega precipitous Old Bathurst Rd to Blaxland station, thence Warrimoo and on to Springwood for Nosh Stop at delightful Old Post Office Shoppe Cafe, Raymond Rd on LHS of Macquarie Rd

Alight train at Emu Plains station at 9:11am on southern side and take path under rail line entering Old Bathurst Rd from Mackellar St for a level 2km stretch to a short but really steep 2.33km Climb leading to Blaxland.

Easy 2nd Leg: 9km from Blaxland station thru Warrimoo and on to Springwood for Nosh Stop at delightful Old Post Office Shoppe Cafe, Raymond Rd on LHS of Macquarie Rd
Alight train three stations later at Blaxland station at 9.27am and wait for cyclists in Wilson Way (300m after we turn Right from Old Bathurst Rd) on our route to Warrimoo and Springwood.  Thence on roads which hug the Great Western H'way to Springwood for a Nosh Stop [30 min] at the delightful Old Post Office Shoppe cafe 300m down Raymond Rd on LHS of Macquarie Rd. 

3rd Leg:  26km from Springwood to Richmond station alighting at either Seven Hills or Riverstone station

Retrace 250m back down Macquarie Rd;

Left following signs NE to Richmond, along Hawkesbury Rd, Springwood Rd, thru Yarramundi pulling-up at Hawkesbury Heights Lookout on RHS after about 12km for 5 min Sag Stop whilst gawking at the awesome view.  Thence descend from the Hawkesbury Heights Lookout to Richmond to catch train half hourly service at 11:46am (or 11:16am or 12:16pm). 

4th Leg:  25km from Seven Hills station to Turramurra - ETR 1:45pm

Alight 11:46am Richmond train at Seven Hills at 12:27pm  -

Left into Terminus Rd for 300m

Left into Prospect Highway for 700m (care two lanes but no shoulder, so try and cycle with another cyclist beside you to occupy the entire lane);

Right into Abbott Rd/M2 for 15.6km;

Left at Light Tower into Browns Waterhole for 1.45km;

Ahead up Kissing Point Red for 3.7km;

Right onto Pacific Highway for 200m; and

Left into Rohini St for 250m.

4th Leg (alternate):  23.7km from Riverstone station to Dural - ETR 1pm

Alight 11:46am Richmond train at Riverstone at 12:09pm  -

Bank Teller's rap-up of last Sunday's - WASH OUT

Scribe  -  6 Sept 2005