Muggaccinos Pedlars Sunday Cyclists - The Bullsheet

Ride contact is Phil J 9498.3684 hm or 9312.3319 wk.
Please hardcopy these instructions and bring on Sunday.

We rollout of Turra' at 7:15am descending Kissing Point Rd. to M2 to Riverstone, Mulgrave, Windsor [46.5kms] for our initial pit stop around 9:15am at recently discovered Kate's Place Café George St. Windsor, before taking the Old Windsor Bridge to Wilberforce, Ebenezer & Sackville, where we catch another ferry, then back to Windsor via the Tizzana Rd loop for a 2^nd Pit Stop at Windsor - ETR of 11:30am. [For the culture lovers, we pass a lily farm just south of Sackville.] Around midday we remount heading west through nearby Clarendon to Richmond where we catch a train at 12:48pm [1:48pm or 2:48pm] thereby avoiding traffic which is busier on these roads after church is out. The Old Rattler carries us through eight stations to Marayong, whereupon we disembark around 1:18pm [or 2:18pm] and cycle along Vardy's Rd, into Johnson Rd and take a left into Abbot Rd where we re-enter the M2 for a fast 15kms before exiting at Macq Uni exit, thence a further 6kms uphill from Brown's Waterhole and Kissing Point Rd. to Turra' where our ETR is 2:40pm [3:40pm depending which train we catch from Richmond]. Ride route and maps distributed on the day.

Below are directions of the Wilberforce, Ebenezer and Sackville sections, prepared by Hugh McKinnon of Hawkesbury Skills Inc:

"At the end of Terrace Rd it is a dead end although cycle access to the Windsor Bridge is possible. With great care for traffic, you can push your cycle across the road and turn left to cross the bridge, although I'd advise turning right at the end of Terrace Rd up Baker St and left into historic Thompson Square, then turn left again at the roundabout to cross the bridge and ride on to Wilberforce. After the bridge there is an option; straight along Wilberforce Rd with a bike lane and more traffic with views of river flat vegetable faming or around left into Freeman's Reach Rd and then right into Argyle Reach Rd, a quiet country lane that will bring you into the back of Wilberforce. Wilberforce has an historic theme village known as Australiana Pioneer village on the Wilberforce Rd. To continue, turn right off Wilberforce Rd at the top of the hill into King Rd which becomes Sackville Rd and follow for about 4.5 kms. Turn right into Tizzana Rd. This will take you to Sackville via a quiet and beautiful rural area. Coromandel Rd (on the right, a 1.5 km detour) goes to the Ebenezer Church, schoolhouse and Cemetery (1808) and the Swallow Rock Reach river walk that starts from the reserve next to the church. The colonial history of this area is very old. The early ships accessed this area and there is relatively little development. Return to Sackville Rd and turn right.

Another 5-6 kms to the Sackville Ferry. Along the way is the Tizzana Winery and a beautiful lily farm opposite. To return; at the ferry, instead of crossing the river, turn back along Sackville Rd and go to Wilberforce and so follow back to Windsor and Richmond."

Sunset is 7:51pm, so we rollout at exactly 5:45pm, - with stragglers to catch up by intercepting on return leg from Duffy's Forest.

Park opposite Terrey Hills Fruit Barn (50 metres into Myoor Larool Rd from junction of Mona Vale Rd and Forest Way). We cycle about 3kms along Myoor Larool Rd to Terrey Hills shopping centre and hook a left at Booralie Rd and pedal a 6 kms flat/fast stretch past Terrey Hills Golf Course and the rifle range to Duffys Forest (amidst real pigs, goats, horses 'n cows) where we U-turn and return to access the Ku’ring’gai Chase National Park (around 6:30pm) via Dandenong Rd and Beltana Ave to McCarrs Creek Rd. We head straight for Church Point Café - ETR of 6:30pm. 15 mins for drugs/grub, should provide adequate time to climb back up to Terrey Hills and return to Fruit Barn in prior to sunset of 7:51pm].

As days get longer, we will take clockwise loop of Akuna Bay. However, as this is first Sunset Ride for this Summer, we'll KIS. If you want to check that you ain't going to be riding on your lonesome, 'phone PJ - 9312.3319 or Brian Willis - 9807.6439.

A convoy of 7 [ToothFairy, Dirty Cheat, ActionMan, Backpacker, Peter T, Simmo and Bruce’s buddy, Ian] assembled at Hornsby. At 2:50 pm after 5½hrs of cycling time, only 3 finished the advertised circuit, and then only barely, as Ann C, John Mann and PJ gingerly rolled back into Hornsby – "gingerly" as it was hot and a solid had pace prevailed throughout - a few hammies weren’t far off cramping.

Was it a war of attrition that evidenced over half the contingent drop-out along the way, or chores and other stuff that needed doing? – the latter.

Back to the start where, after completing Phil's "Liability Acknowledgment" sheet, the gang congratulated David on his engagement to Nicky and departed Hornsby 4 mins after advertised roll-out time. Simmo and Peter T. opted to turn around at Mt White, where there was no shortage of sunshine or motor bikes.

As usual, a healthy pace was set on the unrelenting gradual climb to familiar MidCoast Petroleum Peats Ridge where we arrived on time at 10:30am [55.5kms]. BackPacker and Ian decided to turn around. Hence, the Three Musketeers set off from Peat’s Ridge on what can only be described as one of the prettiest, albeit arduous, looping, undulating, ride legs that Muggaccinos undertake - back to Mt White Village Store via Somersby - 37kms non-stop.

The road surface to Somersby was excellent and cars were few, with the 7kms section from Somersby to Somersby Downs quite picturesque, as we cycled along roads shaded on either side by clusters of tall pine trees, with flickerings of sunshine peering thru.

However, I'm getting ahead of myself, as around 10:50am after 66kms [at sign to Somersby/Gosford] we took an off-ramp and passed the Somersby General Store where consensus was reached that next time we do the Bellbird Ride, we’ll skip the Peat's Ridge Nosh Stop - a mere 20kms from Mt White [where the coffee isn't anything to write home about] and carry on another 12kms further to Somersby General Store - if only to shorten that testing 37kms leg down to 25kms.

6kms later [74kms] we turned right to Gizzaroll and commenced a long down hill to a bridge, but can't remember its name. Our fearless leader renowned for stealing a march by his flying descents, took off while ToothFairy, known for her more cautious descents (but always gets there!) wondered when this eternal descent would end, as it could only mean an eternal ascent, which I knew would be hot and sweaty! Meanwhile Gentleman Johnnie kept just ahead and escorted her down the hill, however, those L O N G POWERFUL LEGS then just powered off uphill like there was no tomorrow. The forest scenery was exhilarating and there was plenty of time to appreciate the bush and its noises and smells. A brief reconnoitre after 85kms at the Calga interchange saw the team together and Mt White was anticipated as a "Saviour Stop" to recharge, as we turned left (at sign to Brooklyn) and continued along the familiar Scenic Route, where 7kms later around 12:20pm we pulled in to the Village Store [92kms] for a short break, agreeing that Pie in the Sky was more appealing for a major Nosh Stop.

After a brisk descent to Brooklyn Bridge over Hawkesbury River we pulled in at Pie in the Sky around 1:20pm - still ahead of schedule. The Three Musketeers, feeling more like "bushed" Mosquitoes, collapsed at PIS where our conversation was so stimulating that ToothFairy had a brief nap only to be waken by the discussion that Johnnie was going to play squash that evening!!

Around 1:45pm we commenced the final 19.2kms leg to Hornsby returning to our motors [127 kms] around 2:50 pm - 30 mins ahead of Phil's schedule and 7 kms more than advertised.

Footnote from ToothFairy: Keep up the early starts in this heat!

With the Bullsheet available on the Web, as from next issue, PJ will stop transmitting Bullsheets to anyone who hasn't ridden with Muggs in last 6 weeks.

Start Turramurra [106kms] carpark N/E side of station 7:15am or Hornsby [78kms] carpark N/W side station (100m nth of Railway Hotel in Jersey St) at 7:40am. First Nosh Stop 9:15am [41kms from Turra'] after descending to Brooklyn Rd turnaround and climbing to Pie in the Sky. Second Nosh Stop around 11:30am [75kms from Turra'] GreenShades Nursery Galston after including Wylds Rd. adjunct about 5kms nth of Galston. ETR Turra' 2:15pm.

The Scribe - 28 November 2000 - johnstph@cba.com.au