Muggaccinos.com The Bullsheet

Monday 9 Nov to mid-arvo Sunday 15 Nov '09 - 6th annual King of the Mountain Challenge in Illawarra & Southern Highlands listed in NSW - Click on "November "Push On"

Option to drive from Sydney to Kiama early Saturday morn' for the final two tough KOM Climb days and at the end of the ride, around 2:50pm catch the train south from Albion Park which is further north and pick up you car at Kiama, thence drive from Kiama to Berry Showground.

Now up to, 35 cyclists have confirmed dates they are attending. The names at the bottom of the Attendance Schedule which are not in Bold Case are some who attended last year whom Phil hasn't yet spoken to re this year.

Muggaccinos invite you to 6th annual King of the Mountain Challenge staying in the pristine township of Berry, from Mon 9th Nov to Sunday 15th Nov 2009 inclusive 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 - Albion Park Rail station to climb Macquarie Pass and Saddleback Mountain up Fountaindale Rd; and

* Sat - Kiama station to climb Saddleback Mountain up Saddleback Mountain Rd and Jamberoo Pass

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 2009 - 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	Date	Route	Climbs	km
Day -1	Sat	7th	Climb Jamberoo Pass to Robertson, then to Fitzroy Falls, Kangaroo Valley climb Berry Mountain to Berry	2	86.8
Day 0	Sun	8th	Climb Macquarie Pass to Robertson, across to Fitzroy Falls, descent into Kangaroo Valley, climb Cambewarra Mtn and return to Berry via Tourist Rd	3	88.8
Day 1	Mon	9th	11am Start Berry Showground climb Woodhill Mountain descend via Wattamolla Rd to Kangaroo Valley, climb Cambewarra Mtn, descend Berry Mtn to Berry	2	52.6
Day 2	Tues	10th	8:00am ride to Bomaderry for coffee at cafe outside train station or catch 8:54am train from Berry arriving Bomaderry 9:04am, climb Cambewarra to Kangaroo Valley, climb Cambewarra from Kangaroo Valley, climb Bellawongara to Berry	3	45.2
Day 3	Wed	11th	8:03am train from Berry arriving Albion Park 8:47am, 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 4	Thurs	12th	9am Start Berry Bakery, climb Woodhill Mountain descend descend via Wattamolla Rd to Kangaroo Valley, climb Cambewarra from Kangaroo Valley, descend to Bomaderry	2	47.1
Day 5	Fri	13th	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	14th	8:58am train from Berry arriving Kiama 9:18am - 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 7	Sun	15th	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

Click on: Train timetables for South Coast:
(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, Albion Park and Kiama 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, Albion Park and Kiama 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 -
Train depart Central at 7:57am, 9:27am, 11:28am, 12:28pm and 1:28pm arriving Berry station approx 3½ hours later

Saturday morn' - Departing Central station at 6:40am arriving Kiama station 9:13am (just in time for 9:18am train coming from Berry)

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

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

Click on: Pete's pics of 2009 KOM Challenge

Click on: Pete's Berry 2009 movie

Click on: Bank Teller's pics of Berry 2009

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 to 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 on Cinque Montagnes on Sat 7th & Sun 8th - 94km - 8 cyclists (4 on Sat & 4 more on Sunday)

Bank Teller 'n Jane aka Neo Luddite at PitS

Bank Teller 'n Justine aka Trumpeter at PitS

Boarding the familiar Berowra Waters Ferry on a morn' that remained misty

Bank Teller, Neo Luddite 'n PapaBear at Green Shades Nursery Café, Galston

Bank Teller understands that Bazza, Navigator, AnotherBeanCounter and Ron rode the same route on Sunday 8th

ScribePJ@BigPond.com 0434 715.861 9114.6689