Muggaccinos.com    The Bullsheet

Sunday arvo, 9th Nov '08 to mid-arvo Sunday 16th Nov - 5th annual King of the Mountain Challenge in Illawarra & Southern Highlands listed in NSW August "Push On" and September "Push On"

Option to drive from Sydney to Albion Park Rail early Saturday morn' for final two tough KOM Climb days

Ø    Click on: Risk Warnings which warns of 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"

Ø    Cycling without Public Liability cover is as silly as driving without 3rd Party - join Bicycle NSW for PL insurance, or upgrade your household policy to include PL beyond your front fence, so that all Muggs are better protected, 'cause if you cause a serious accident it could cost you upwards of $1m in PL claims by the injured 3rd party

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

Ø    Keep well to LHS of the road, don't ride two abreast on single lane roads with an unbroken centre line

Ø    You MUST dismount when crossing the scenic stone-arched Hampden Bridge (1km West of Kangaroo Valley) because of dangerous gaps in the timber beams which could dismount a cyclist

Snapshot:  Latest count, 30 cyclists have now confirmed they are attending albeit spread over 7 days with peak numbers of 20 circa on Sat.  Camp at delightful Berry Showground for up to 7 nights and climb all 12 KOM Climbs in Illawarra Climb Region by using local train [3 of the 7 mornings) to Bomaderry, Kiama and Albion Park to commence marvellous KOM Climbs like Jamberoo Pass, Saddleback Mountain, Macquarie Pass and Cambewarra Mtn.  Some descend to pristine, verdant Kangaroo Valley.  By Sunday, you will be au fait with the bestest cluster of KOM Climbs in NSW. A different ride route each day - no repeats.

Muggaccinos invite you to 4th annual King of the Mountain Challenge staying in the pristine township of Berry, from Sunday 11th Nov to Sunday 18th Nov 2007 with most camping at the verdant Berry Showground which adjoins the 20 yards Berry Swimming Pool for $6p/n with warm shower, to cycle seven 60km / 77km Hilly Day Rides (Monday to Sunday inclusive) in the Mecca of scenic cycling country, namely the Southern Highlands, which include all 11 KOM Climbs in the Illawarra Climb Region.  Cyclists are encouraged to log a Climb Time at KOMpm.com.  Each day's ride heads NW twds Kangaroo Valley / Fitzroy Falls.  On three of the seven morns' we catch trains from Berry station to nearby -

            *        Tues - Bomaderry station to climb Cambewarra Mountain from both sides;
*        Wed - Kiama station to climb Saddleback Mountain up Saddleback Mountain Rd and Jamberoo Pass; and

            *        Sat - Albion Park Rail station to climb Macquarie Pass and Saddleback Mountain up Fountaindale Rd.

            *        Fri - Bomaderry station to climb Cambewarra Mountain from both sides;

If you aren't up to serious climbing, shorter / flatter routes are available between Berry and

*        East quiet countryside to Seven Mile Beach's national Park, picnic area and surf and return - 16km

*        To Bomaderry via Sth down Wharf Rd, Ahead into Coolangatta Rd, R into Bryce's Rd, R into Back Forest Rd, R into Bolong Rd to Bomaderry and retrace - 44.4km

*        picturesque Gerroa Beach is just a few flat km away. 

*        rustic Gerringong and Shoalhaven Heads.

Detailed Ride Descriptions for the following Day Rides are accessible in "Rides Calendar 2007 - Oct to Dec" at a URL under the distance eg ''52.6 in the 'km' column for the particular date, or in the 'km' column below:

#

Day

Route

Climbs

km

  Day 1

   Mon

11am Start Berry Showground climb Woodhill Mountain descend to Kangaroo Valley, climb Cambewarra Mtn, descend Berry Mtn to Berry

  2

   52.6

  Day 2

  Tues

8:54am Train from Berry to Bomaderry, climb Cambewarra to Kangaroo Valley, climb Cambewarra from Kangaroo Valley, climb Bellawongara to Berry

  3

   45.2

Day 3Wed

8:03am Train from Berry to Kiama - climb Saddleback Mtn Rd, descend Fountaindale Rd, climb Jamberoo Pass to Budderoo Plateau, then to Robertson Pie Shop descend Macq Pass to Albion Park- train to Berry

  4

   64.8

Day 4Thurs 9am Start Berry Bakery, climb Woodhill Mountain descend to Kangaroo Valley, climb Cambewarra from Kangaroo Valley, descend to Bomaderry2 47.1

  Day 5

 Fri

8:30am Start Berry Bakery, climb Berry Mountain to Kangaroo Valley, climb Woodhill Mountain descend Berry Mtn to Berry

   2

   47.2

  Day 6

 Sat

8:48am Train from Berry to Albion Park, climb Macquarie Pass to Robertson Pie Shop, descend Jamberoo Pass, climb Fountaindale Rd to Saddleback Mtn, descend Saddleback Mtn Rd to Kiama

  3

   65.7

  Day 7

 Sun

8:30am Start Berry Bakery, climb Berry Mountain to Kangaroo Valley, climb Barrengarry Mtn to Fitzroy Falls, climb Berry Mountain to Berry

  3

   75.8

 

 20

 400.2

Download Bank Teller's spreadsheet which tabulated the above Ride Schedule.

It contains the following broadsheets:

 

(i)         Day Rides Calendar

(ii)        Day Rides Summary

(iii)       Above 7 Ride Descriptions

(iv)       Train timetables for South Coast - Central to/from Bomaderry:
            (a)       in case anyone wants to catch a train from/to Sydney and Berry, and
            (b)       on 3 days we catch a train from Berry to commence from Bomaderry, Kiama and Albion Park Rail.  Due to the local train being only 2 carriages, we will drive a few cars with bike racks to Bomaderry, Kiama and Albion Park Rail stations, and catch the trains back there after the rides to pick-up the cars.

Cause the train can't hold many bikes, some cyclists will have to drive to the below Start points, with drivers catching the train back to Bomaderry, Kiama and Albion Park stations to collect their jalopies post ride.

Our camp ground is 200m from train station.  Trains take 3 hours from Central Railway station to Berry station.

Trains from Central Railway station to Berry station. 
Click on:  Mon to Fri -
Central 7:58am arriving Berry 10:44am or Central 9:38am arriving Berry 12:19pm or
Central 12:38pm arriving Berry 4:07pm or Central 2:27pm arriving Berry  5:18pm or
Central 5:42pm arriving Berry 8:34pm

Saturday morn' -  Departing Central station at 6:40am arriving Albion Park Rail station 8:43am (we will wait for you to arrive)

Sat & Sun - Berry station to Central station             

                  Berry station 1:40pm to Central Railway station 4:57pm.  Berry station 4:58pm to Central Railway station 7:58pm

Click on: Accommodation in Berry if you don't want to camp at quaint Berry Showground or the weather turns nasty

 

Click on: Directions to Berry and camping at Berry Showground

Click on: Meals at night for an array of fine restaurants befitting the quaint Berry township - toast of the Southern Highlands

Click on: Pics taken at first three annual Berry KOM Challenges

Click on: Pacific Pete's movie of Fri 17-18th Nov 2006 Berry "King of the Mountain" Challenge produced by Peter Tyson

Bank Teller expects -

 

(i)        circa 40 hill climbers will participate at some time over the 7 days of cycling from Mon to Sunday inclusive; and

 

(ii)       a few cyclists my Climb all 11 arduous, spectacular KOM Climbs in the Illawarra Climb Region and log their Climb Times in KOMpm.com.

 

The Climb Reports menu available in KOMpm.com include 'Climb Region Reports' for each 'Age Division', so the website displays 'Climber Rankings' for the Illawarra Climb Region 11 Climbs.  

 

It doesn't cost you anything -

 

(i)        to indicate your interest in participating this November; or

(ii)       if you have to bail-out at the 11th hour. 

 

Download below poster for Berry KOM Challenge and invite your bike shop to display it, because more good road cycling "product", such as this annual 7 day assault on all the marvelous mountains in the Southern Highlands and Kiama, will induce more people to road cycling the best concentration of serious climbs in NSW:

 

*        Word version

 

*        HTM version

 

Risk Warning:  King of the Mountain Challenge is targeted at road cyclists who have climbed lots of hills.  The ride schedule between Monday and Sunday entails climbing and descending 11 marvellous KOM Climbs.  Take the descents slowly, even if the cyclist ahead is ripping down the mountain.   One badly taken corner in concert with a motorist coming up the other way, could result in a bad accident...............for you, where they may need paint scrappers and blotters to get you up.  The challenge is in the climb, not the descent.

Rap-up of Tour de Wisemans Ferry  -  14 cyclists  -  97km

Hugh aka Wellington, Rex aka Pimpernel, Arno aka The Kaiser, Andrew aka TugBoat, Terry aka Navigator,  Mathew/Linda, Martin aka Architect rolled out from Porter Scenic Lookout at 7:15am,   Leigh, Richard aka Sloth, Dieter/Helga, Peter aka Pacific Pete and Bank Teller took the shorter start point of Glenorie Village Shopping Centre.  Alas, we were hit with heavy fog thru Mid-Dural, Glenorie and Glen Forest.  Arno and TugBoat were setting a healthy pace.  Navigator wasn't far behind followed by Pacific Pete, Helga and Scribe.  With the front runners travelling at about 36km p/h, Wham Bang Pete hit a 12cm x 8cm x 6cm rock on the roadway and came down hard and fast.  A combination of riding in a loose single file Peloton, wearing dark sunnies and a deep fog evidenced Pete not see the rock in his path. Terry, also wearing dark sunnies which had misted up, said he only saw a fuzzy brown colour passing right next to his front wheel, and he didn't know what it was until after Pete had Come-a-Cropper and TugBoat and he went back to check on Pete.  Andrew who was ahead of Terry said he hadn't noticed anything.

Taking a tumble travelling around 36km isn't an enviable experience.  However, Pete fared better than expected.  Scribe doesn't think anything got broked.  Unsure whether it was the way Pete's wheel hit the rock or his reaction to veer twds safety.  However, Pete veered left and landed in the dirt. In bracing for his fall, Pete had ducked his head and cart-wheeled landing on his left shoulder which is better that Scribe in NZ two years ago when Phil landed on the roadway on his head and buggered his neck.  Pete was surprisingly lucid and mobile whilst waiting for Dieter to return Sth for his car, although he had a gritty look about him that would scare a scavenging dog out of a butcher’s shop.  By the time Dieter, Helga and Phil had accompanied Pete to his Forestville digs, Pacific had started to stiffen up.

Rex reported that the rest of the ride was uneventful, with the 13km section to Cliftonville Lodge particularly scenic, although the Killer hill from Cliftonville had pollaxed him.  And Stone House Cafe Maroota hadn't yet opened.  Leigh and Sloth reported that Stone House Cafe Maroota had a sign 'For Sale - closed on Sundays'.  Last Sunday, Scribe had bought two fancy ice blocks there and taken a pic of the joint, "So a week is a long time in cycling".  We may have to source a 2nd Nosh Stop somewhere along Halcrows Rd/Cattai Ridge Rd 'cause after that Killer climb from Cliftonville, it is a long haul back to Porters Lookout.  Separately, Leigh and Richard found a beaut short cut along Post Office Rd from Cattai Ridge Rd and recommend the ambience at the Glenorie Bakery and Deli for a post-ride Nosh.

Scribe's rap-up and pics from 4th Berry "King of the Mountain Challenge Series"  -  21 Climbers over 7 glorious days

ScribePJ@bigpond.com   0412 045.224  9114.6689