Muggaccinos Pedlars Sunday Cyclists - The Bullsheet

7am departure from St Ives car park in Mona Vale Rd [opposite Stanley St. and Pattisons Patisserie] and cycle east along Mona Vale Rd. After about 3 clicks we turn left (junction of Mona Vale Rd and Forest Way) into Myoor Larool Rd (Terrey Hills Fruit Barn will then be on your RHS). Cycle about 3kms along Myoor Larool Rd to Terrey Hills neighbourhood shopping centre, hook a left about 70 metres before the shops at Tepko Rd into Booralie Rd and pedal a 6 kms flat/fast stretch past Terrey Hills Golf Course and rifle range to Duffys Forest where we U-turn at dead-end and return via same route to access the Ku’ring’gai Chase National Park (around 8am) via Dandenong Rd and Beltana Ave and descend. [Alternatively. Hill Hungry, Audax intents, can take a right off Myoor Larool Rd and skip Duffy’s Forest to visit Cottage Point].

We take the left entrance to Akuna Bay, passing Illawong Bay and Akuna Marina then we climb back out, returning to McCarrs Creek bridge, thence a hard left for 6½kms to Bayview Marina Café - 38kms - ETR 8:50am. Allowing 15 mins for drugs/grub, we re-mount around 9:05am and climb back up to Terrey Hills returning to St Ives by 10am - approx 54kms.

Everyone is invited to Brenda's at Bayview for Brunch - 8 Barcoola Place, Bayview - 15 mins drive from St Ives - see directions below.

Try and bring a wrapped gift [up to $10] to put under the tree to be distributed over a Lavazza Café and Chrissie Cake – note "Male" or "Female" on wrapping if your gift is for a particular sex. [A wrapped three pack of jocks or socks will suffice, but try and show some imagination.]

Brenda/Russell's abode has a swimming pool and a tennis court, so if it is a corker of a day, bring your togs and racket if you want to. ( 8 Barcoola Place - , Bayview but as usual Phil's short explanation below because he believes Muggs can't read street directories - Mugg)

•  Take 2nd left turn (after Baha’i Temple) off Mona Vale Road into Lane Cove Road.
• Turn 1st left into Walter Road (signs for Minkara Retirement Resort)
• At the crossroads turn right into Cabbage Tree Road.
• Turn 1st left into Minkara Road (do not go down the hill).
• Pass the Retirement Village (RHS) and turn 1st left down Torumba Ave.
• Turn left into Gilwinga Drive.
• Turn right into Barcoola Place - we are No 8.
• Carry straight up the hill to the Welsh Embassy (spot the flag) right at the end. Plenty of street parking or drive in if you dare.

If you think you will be attending, can you 'phone Brenda (9997.4071hm) so she can instruct Geeves to prepare the aperitifs.

Ten crew met at 9:50am at Mt White on a clear but steamy morn. ToothFairy and Dieter commenced from Hornsby and Simon, The Whippet, Widget, PJ and Milko Joe from Turra’. Unsure where Ian and Tony commenced from, however, they both can hammer. Dieter told us over a brief Nosh Stop that Helga had purchased a new Giant bike. After a few of the crew made a death wish, in angel gear on the short/steep section back down to Hawkesbury River Bridge [PJ maxed @ 70.5kms after initially chasing an impudent Widget and an equally brash Milko], we re-grouped at Pie in the Sky where another contingent from Bike North, incl. El Presidente Michael Chow, Pam the Programmer and Keith Griffin, BN’s WebMaster.

Another satisfying 100kms ride, with some exposure to riding in the heat (ask Brenda who blew-up/cramped-up over the final 33kms leg from PIS trying to out-run The Arrogant Bastard back to BH). But alas only four hills. As per usual, the Yellow Jersey went to Milko Joe, at a blistering ave speed of 28kms, abeith aided by his Brand Spankers RT9 Mongoose Titanium with Dura Ace.

If you want to check that you ain't going to be riding on your lonesome, 'phone PJ - 9312.3319 or 0404014725 mob.

Roll out of Turra' at 7am or Hornsby at 7:45am. ETR Turra' midday.

Muggaccinos 1st Commandment is "Hills are your friends". Last June, Simmo, aka The Enforcer, with "No hill is to high" and "no mountain too mean" firmly inculcated in his noggin, sussed out a new conquest from Column 8 in the SMH (29/06/00) – [extracted below] where a local, Peter Olsen, describes Linger And Die Hill, between Dungog and Gloucester [Upper Hunter Valley], as "so sheer that if bullock wagons stopped [back in the olden days] during the climb, they couldn't get under way again". Simmo ‘phoned up Peter Olsen to suss out The Hill, whereupon he spoke to Ms. Peta Olsen who described it as "a tough mile and a half":

"ON Monkerai Road, the old coaching way between Dungog and Gloucester, is the wonderfully named Linger And Die Hill, a name also often attached to a nearby three-span timber bridge over the Karuah River. An NRMA plaque proclaims the bridge, built in 1877, to be the oldest truss bridge in NSW. On Tuesday night one of the spans broke, having faithfully supported traffic from horse-drawn coaches to big trucks for 123 years. It's a bit of history that may now be lost. Linger And Die Hill? Peter Olsen, whose family has been in the district since 1827, says "it was so steep that if bullock wagons stopped during the climb, they couldn't get under way again."

Friday, 16 March, the Ms' pilgrimage to conquer "Linger & Die Hill" commences with a 114kms ride from Hornsby to the delightful Wollombi where we B & B. On the following morn, Sat, 17 March, we ride a further 80kms thru Cessnock to Dungog arriving mid-afternoon to scale the Linger & Die abyss and also ride over the afore-mentioned oldest truss bridge in NSW which crosses the Karuah River - before any more spans break. Simmo has coerced Nicky to drive the "support vehicle" carrying riders Sunday Best Clobber so, after scrubbing, we can rage with the local folk in Dungog, the birthplace of legendary Doug Walters.

On Sunday morn, 18 Mar, Madcap Muggs catch the 7:50am from Dungog (passes thru 18 stations) arriving at Newcastle at 9:11am in time to change to the 9.28am (passes thru 20 stations) and arrives at Woy Woy at 11.02am where we link-up and ride back to Sydney with other Muggs which hopefully will depart Cowan station at 8:30am, passing thru Mt White, to arrive Woy Woy at 11am after 60kms (120kms round trip).

I raced with Siggy and Ian at Oatdale last Saturday at Macarthur’s C.C’s last meet for 2000. Distance was 28kms [two @ 14kms loops]. I commenced with three other front-markers being the weakest riders in the 20 strong field. After about four minutes at a gangbuster pace I got blown off the back. Over the ensuing 57 mins, the remainder of the field passed me, incl. a 14 year old girl – mind you she looked "all class", (All what?- Mugg.) "all class", (All what?- Mugg.) as though she was born on a bike. There was a four legged critter on the side of the road about two thirds the way to the turn around. Both times I saw it the hairy thing had its head down gobbling down grass. I passed it twice.

Most of you are aware that another group rides locally each w'end – Cyclops which share a couple things in common with the Ms. Both groups suffer wdl symptoms if they miss their w’end cycling fix and are both usually shooting-up on caffeine around mid-Sunday morn’. However, Cyclops have their treadleys back in the boot, whilst Muggs are usually enjoying brunch. Cyclops roll out of St Ives car-park at seven bells Summer 'n Winter - must be a tough call in July/Aug, as some Ms reckon 8:30am is too early. Below is Cyclops ride description for Sunday, 17 Dec which is indicative of their gungho! wam, bam thank you mam! Take no prisoners ride style:

"This Sunday's ride is a longish one and has as its object the fining down of The Draftsman's body in time for the wedding to Tinkerbell. A Cyclops team photo will be taken at Watson's Bay. Depart Snives carpark 7am sharp to Top Ride. Then to and over the Gladesville Bridge. Then to and over the Anzac Bridge, through the City to get onto William Street to ride the City to Surf road all the way to Watson's Bay and return to the City then over the Harbour Bridge and once we re-group at the top of the hill at North Sydney (Miller Street intersection), then a free for all back to Snives carpark for a well earned rest. NOTE ALL RIDERS RIDE AT THEIR OWN RISK."