Muggaccinos.com The Bullsheet

Sunday, 2 Sept '07 - SOUTHERN START OPTION Tour de Richmond, Hawkesbury Heights, Springwood, Mitchell Pass - ETR Turramurra station 3:15pm

* Scribe will be at Turramurra station carpark 7:45am for 124km route via Browns Water Hole, (8:05am from Vimiera Rd, Marsfield), Epping Rd, Pembroke St, M2 to Marayong and follow rail line to Windsor and stay on main drag to Richmond Oval where we plan to meet cyclists for 1st Nosh Stop (35 min) from 10:25am who commenced from Hornsby or Dural who are cycling to Richmond ' back

* Or Turramurra station carpark 8:30am for 91km route via M2 to Seven Hills station to aboard 9:50am train arriving Richmond at 10:28am (reducing 1st Leg to Richmond by 32km) (Let Scribe know if you want to ride this abridged route, otherwise you might be the only cyclist in Turra' carpark then)

Thence from 11am up Yarramundi to Springwood to 2nd Nosh Stop at Springwood, thence descend Mitchells Pass to -
* Emu Plains train to Blacktown station; or
* Penrith train to Seven Hills

Thence M2, Browns Water Hole, Kissing Point Rd - ETR Turramurra 3:15pm
NB: Route increases by 40km to 164km if you cycle M4 rather than catch train from Emu Plains or Penrith

Ø No trackwork on the line form Seven Hills to Richmond or the line from Emu Plains or Penrith to Seven Hills this w'end

Ø If driving from Inner West, park at most Northerly Point in Vimiera Rd Marsfield to join ride

Ø Ride Organiser: Phil Johnston 9114.6689 or 0412 045.224

Ø Hardcopy these directions and bring on Sunday

Ø Expend 10 min studying the street map to familiarize with the below 2nd 'n 3rd Ride Legs

Ø Bring a hardcopy of this and Ride Description at 124km or 91km in 'Ride Calendar 2007 - July to Sept'

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

Ø Click on: Risk Warnings which warns of 'inter alia', the dangers of cycling on public roads with motor cars, potholes and over bridges with vertical timber planks with gaps

Ø Cycling with Muggs is predicated upon notifying Bank Teller if you materially disagree with any clause(s) in Muggaccinos' "Ride Participants Liability Acknowledgment"

Snapshot:

Long Route: Start 7:45am from Turramurra station carpark and cycle to Richmond via Browns Water Hole, (8:05am from Vimiera Rd, Marsfield), Epping Rd, Pembroke St, M2 onto Marayong, Riverstone, Vineyard by following rail line to Windsor, then main drag to Richmond.
Shorter Route to Richmond using train: Start Turramurra station between 8:35am for 24km to Seven Hills station (3.7km on Kissing Point Rd, 1.45km thru Browns Water Hole, Vimiera Rd, Epping Rd, Pembroke St, 17km on M2/Abbott Rd/Prospect Highway) to climb aboard 9:50am train arriving Richmond at 10:28am.
2nd Leg is Challenging 26km anti-clockwise loop, SW up Hawkesbury Heights to Yarramundi for 2nd Nosh Stop at Springwood.
3rd Leg descends mountain incorporating scenic Mitchells Pass to Emu Plains station to catch train back to Blacktown station (or Penrith station to Seven Hills) followed by 24km cycle back to Turra' station. - ETR 3:15pm.
Nosh Stops:
(i)(a) Richmond Park (30 min) from 10:20am for the 7:50am START ie. Longer Route cyclists.
(i)(b) On train for the 8:30am START ie. the Shorter Route cyclists.
(ii) Aroma Cafe Springwood (35 min)
(iii) Train from Emu Plains to Blacktown station for 19 mins or train from Penrith station to Seven Hills station for 25 mins

KOM Climbs:
Shaws Creek Bridge to veer R sign approaching Hawkesbury Heights Lookout 4.1km
Shaws Creek Bridge to 'Old Stone Cottage' at crest of Hawkesbury Heights 2.6km

a) Longer Route cycling from Turramurra station Rohini St car park via M2 to Marayong, Riverstone, Vineyard following rail line to Windsor and along the main drag to Richmond – 55.4km

Rollout 7:45am:

*   R            Sth 200m up Rohini St to traffic lights on Pacific H'way
*   R            200m W on Pacific Highway to traffic lights
*   L            Sth down Kissing Point Rd for 3km - very steep early
*   Ahead    SW thru Browns Water Hole for 700m - caution steep decent with sharp turns
*   R            W thru 30m tunnel under the M2
*   L            SW into Vimiera Rd for 20m to meet-up with other cyclists who parked at Vimiera Rd Sag Stop (3 min).
*   Ahead    SSW along Vimiera Rd for 700m
*   R            W into Epping Rd for 1.3km
*   Ahead    W into Pembroke St for 100m
*   R            NW into Essex St for 300m
*   L            W into Chester St for 150m
*   R            N into Cambridge St and follow signs into/thru Beecroft Rd bus/rail underpass
*   Ahead    on new cycle path along Beecroft Rd to the M2
*   L            at intersection of Beecroft Rd and M2 to enter M2 breakdown lane.
*   Ahead    along M2/Abbott Rd for 11km
*   Veer Left onto M7 for 7km to Quakers Hill Parkway where we Left

at roundabout onto Hambledon Rd. 750m later L into Bali Drive (through housing estate) R at "T" junction into Walker St and 600m L into Burdekin Rd and follow this for 600m when it becomes Railway Terrace. Follow railway line to Schofields and continue to Riverstone along Railway Tce.

Where Riverstone station level crossing is on your LHS, turn R then immediately L and follow the railway line on your LHS. Riverstone Parade take us to Vineyard Station. At Vineyard station road veers to the R. Turn L into Wallace Rd after 50m.

Follow railway line along where Wallace Rd ends at a "T" intersection. Turn L and cycle over a level railway crossing, and turn R into Railway Rd and remain on it for about 1k to Mulgrave Station where we R onto Mulgrave Rd and follow until you reach Windsor Rd. Turn L into Windsor Rd, and follow it 3km to Windsor. Continue on main drag of Windsor/Richmond Rd for 5km for 1st Nosh Stop (35 min) from approx 10:25am at The Blue Lagoon Cafe opposite Richmond Oval where U meet cyclists (for 1st Nosh Stop) who started from Hornsby station who are riding back.

Start Shorter Route catching train from Seven Hills station:
Turramurra station Rohini St car park via above explained new access onto M2 to Seven Hills station, thence train to Richmond station – 22.4km:

Rollout 8:30am and follow above directions in yellow background to end of M2/Abbott Rd which is at traffic lights with Johnson Ave.

D Continue ahead 700m along Prospect Highway to Seven Hills station on LHS, enter via Terminus Rd. Quickly buy a snack and catch 9:50am train for 38 min journey to Richmond arriving 10:28am and exit Richmond station to meet cyclists who cycled all the way to Richmond and pigged-out at Blue Lagoon Fish Shop, Richmond opposite Richmond Oval .

2nd Leg: Richmond, Yarramundi, Springwood - 26km

11am:

R	Market St	0.1	~	NWW	March St	22.4
L	March St	0.6	~	SSW	Bosworth St	23.0
R	Bosworth St	0.3	~	SWW	Castlereagh Rd	23.3
R	Castlereagh Rd	4.0	~	SWW	Springwood Rd	27.3
L	Springwood Rd	11.4	/	SWW	Hawkesbury Heights Lookout	38.7
R	Hawkesbury Road	9.1	~	SWW	Macquarie Rd	47.8
R	Macquarie Rd	0.2	~	W	Raymond Rd	48.0
L	Raymond Rd	0.1	~	S	Old Post Office café, Springwood	48.0

Arrive at Springwood at 12:40am for 2nd Nosh Stop (30 min) at Aroma Cafe.

3rd Leg: Springwood, Mitchell Pass, Emu Plains station - 16.2km

Remount 1:10pm and descend the mountain avoiding Great Western H'way except for 800m section when we cross it, including a beaut one-way descent along Mitchells Pass to -
* Emu Plains station for hourly train at 33 min past hour - arriving Blacktown station 52 mins past hour; or
* Penrith station for half hourly train at 19 min and 49 min past hour - arriving Seven hills station 17 and 47 mins past hour:

L	Raymond Rd	0.1	~	N	Macquarie Rd	48.1
R	Macquarie Rd	0.2	~	SEE	Hawkesbury Road	48.3
R	Green Pde/Macq. Rd	4.0	~	SEE	Green Pde/Macquarie Rd	52.3
R	Great Western Highway	0.8	~	SEE	Great Western Highway	53.1
L	Wilson/Railway Pde	4.4	~	SEE	Wilson/Railway Pde	57.5
L	Mitchells Pass	4.3	\	E	Great Western Highway	61.8
L	Great Western Highway	2.3	~	NE	Station St	64.1
A	Station St	0.1	~	N	Emu Plains station	64.2

4th Leg: Alight train at Blacktown station at 1:52pm and cycle to Turramurra station carpark - 27km

(If your train stops at Seven Hills station, exit at Seven Hills station, because you are immediately on Prospect H'way/Abbott Rd/M2)

Ahead into Boys Ave 200m,
R into Second Ave for 400m,
L into Sunnyholt Rd for 800m,
R into Sackville Rd for 1.2km
Ahead in Lucas Rd for 1.4km
L into Prospect H'way for 400m
Ahead at Johnson Ave traffic lights into Abbott Rd/M2 (take extreme car as lots of traffic proceed leftish along the Prospect H'way, and one of those Red Necks could wallop ya!) for 15.6km,
L at Optus Tower at crest (1.6km after passing thru 400m tunnel) down/up Brown's Waterhole for 1.8km,
Ahead up Kissing Point Rd for 3.7km
R into Pacific H'way for 250m
Left into Rohini St for 200m
Left into Turramurra station carpark.

ETR Turramurra station 3:15pm.

Rap-up of Duffys Forest, West Head, Bayview Kiosk, Akuna Bay - 99km - 17 crew

2nd Sag Stop following the Duffy Forest flat out 'n back after 22km. Pulling up juxtapose 3 abreast on the roadway, rather than the usual off-road in front of the Thai Restaurant, leaves particularly the third row vulnerable to an unsuspecting motorist in a hurry going nowhere on a Sunday morn'.
The Australian female road racing team got decked holus bolus with massive carnage, incl the death of Amy Gillett, when a dumb motorist did a dumber thing in Germany two years ago. Full points to The Kaiser for adhering to the Risk Warning "Get off the road at Sag Stops". Sag Stops are the most vulnerable part of organising a public bike ride.

Matthew 'n Linda emerge from late season fog en route to West Head

Pete 'n Bazza similarly materialize from the thick fog

Another fog survivor - ToothFairy

Don't know when Theodosius of Bithynia invented the sundial 160 BC that he would know that 2000 years later they'd be used to stretch hammies.

A Wallaby at West Head who wasn't fazed by a lot of nearby cyclists.

Above 'n below Happy Snaps at Bayview Kiosk in balmy late Winter sunshine

Scribe 26 Aug '07