Muggaccinos Pedlars Sunday Cyclists – The Bullsheet

Farewell restaurant night this Friday, 11 May, for two sporadic Muggs who are
separately moving to Melb on business 

Sue Berglund and ActionMan move south of the border (where it sucks in Winter) during May.  [Whippet has known Sue for yonks thru Bike North and Widget and PJ have cycled with her.   ActionMan resumed cycling with Muggs a few weeks ago after a lay-off due to injuries and work.] 

Cos Muggs hasn't dined together since the Audax last Jan and Fitz's last Rocktober, and cos neither Sue nor Johnno ruffled anyone's feathers, 'phone Brenda 9997.4071 or e-mail her brendabaldwin@optushome.com.au  if you are a greater than 50% chance of attending Hot Basil Thai Restaurant - Unit 1/318 Pacific H'way Crows Nest (9437.4075 refer Ya - BYO) from 7:30pm this Friday, 11 May. 

Brenda will require you to give a final yah or nay, by 10am Fri. 11 May.  Sue, a long-standing member of Bike North, has invited a few Bike Northers along - which will give Muggs an opportunity to meet other cyclists. 

This Sunday, 13 May, "Brunch at Sunrise Café Warriewood"  100km

¨                  Ride contacts:

*          Phil Johnston          9498.3684 hm or 9312.3319 wk.
*          Brian Willis                     9807.6439 hm  

¨                  Please hardcopy these instructions and bring on Sunday.

Snapshot:
Rollout of St Ives by 8am Terrey Hills, Duffy’s Forest, West Head (1st Nosh Stop – pack some nibbles), Church Point, Warriewood (2nd Nosh Stop at Nautilus Café) - ETR St Ives 1:50pm.

Detailed ride spec:
Park at St Ives council car park in Mona Vale Rd [opposite Paterson’s Patisserie and Stanley St] by 7:45am for 8am rollout cycling nth along Mona Vale Rd [slower cyclists should start by 7:50am so as not to hold up the Peloton].

After 6.4km [opposite Forest Way - at Mona Vale Fruit Barn] we turn left (at junction of Mona Vale Rd and Forest Way - Terrey Hills Fruit Barn is on your RHS) into Myoora Rd and take a fleeting 1st Sag Stop (2 min) to re-group.

Cycle about 3kms along Myoor Larool Rd.  About 70m before Terrey Hills neighbourhood shopping centre we hook a left into Tepko Rd and a further left into Booralie Rd, then pedal like "shit out of Shanghai" 6km flat/fast stretch past Terrey Hills Golf Course and rifle range to Duffys Forest where we U-turn at the dead-end of Cow Corner and return via same route and pull up about 30m short of Terrey Hills shopping centre for a 2nd Sag Stop [3 min].  We enter Ku’ring’gai Chase National Park (around 9am) via Dandenong Rd (just before shops) and Beltana Ave and descend McCarrs Creek Rd / West Head Rd. 

At the V (dual entrances to the park) take anti-clock route [right fork] and descend turning left at McCarrs Creek bridge.  After cycling 2km uphill we pause around 9:20am for a 3rd Sag Stop (3 min) at the T juncture (Akuna Bay Marina is 4km on LHS and West Hd Rd extends 12km straight ahead).

We then commence 45 minute pedal to West Head arriving at 9:55am.  Pack lots of nibbles, ‘cause we take our 1st Nosh Stop (20 min) at the headland for a snack and a gawk at the majestic, shimmering peninsula - Pittwater/Lion Island stuff.  Around 10:15am we return, and descend to McCarrs Creek bridge at 10:50am [55km]. 

We then make a sharp left into McCarrs Creek Rd continuing on past Church Point [60km] at 11am, thence past Bayview Marina [62km].  A few km later we turn right into Cabbage Tree Rd (Bayview Golf Course will be on both left and right) which leads into Samuel St.  About 10 min later we halt at end of Samuel St adjacent to the cemetery for the 4th Sag Stop [3 min] before crossing Mona Vale Rd. at the roundabout. 

Road changes to Ponderosa Pde for about 500m and then McPherson St. for about 1.5km, where we then take a right into Warriewood Rd shortly thereafter crossing Pittwater Rd at traffic lights and immediately climbing up Hunter St [dog-leg left, then right] which shortly leads to views of the Blue Pacific overlooking majestic Warriewood Beach [around 11:35 pm - 71 km].  A neighbourhood, strip-front shopping centre is immediately on our right in Narrabeen Park Pde.  Nautilus Café is about 4 shops along.  Alternatively, Sunrise Milk Bar on the Cnr. makes good burgers etc.

If the weather is fine, we’ll take in the ambience and indulge in friendly repartee over lunch for up to 45 min, carbo/protein loading for the 29km return leg at 12:20pm, ‘via Bayview, Church Point and McCarrs Creek with an ETR of 1:50pm.

Akuna Bay option
After 86.8km at 1:05pm, anyone interested may turn right back into the park and cycle anti-clockwise to Akuna Bay Café for a 3rd Nosh Stop [20 min] after 92.3km at 1:10pm.  At 1:30pm they would cycle 2.2km to Illawong Bay, up the awkward Akuna Bay climb past Cottage Point turn off [96.3km - 1:40pm] and halting for the 5th and final Sag Stop at the "V" juncture of dual park entrances [100.6km - 2:10pm].  They would return to St. Ives at 2:50pm - 112km “in toto” for a much-earned final coffee at Paterson’s Patisserie.

Sum language problms with’n Muggs’ Bullshit

More seasoned Muggs word be mindful that the Krauts have always been prominent cyclists amongst us –Sighart, Elfi, Eric, Wolfgang etc.  Our Linger ‘n Die three day sortie to Dungog attracted a globetrotting Kraut in Anja Grob…

Alas, apparently some from the FaderLand have struggled with the local Oz strine/slang in the Bullsheet – which any true blue can readily relate to.

The Scribe has received the following e-mail from pseudo Kraut, Austrian, Dieter G, to implement progressively over five months changes to the alphabet, so that "Germanophones" will understand post-ride rap-ups:

"Phil,

Hope you can adopt these new guidelines so we Germanophones can get     senzes of your newsletters   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As part of discussions with my Bavarian friends, the Anglophone's conceded that Austraklian strine and English speling had some room for improvemnt.  In order dat we mite better undrstand the Bullshit, I propose that you adopt below 5 stage phase-in plan over five mondfs.

In de first mondf, “s” will replace the unneeded soft “c”.  Sertainly,    all syklist will be happy. The hard “c” will be dropped in favour of “k”.  This should klear up konfusion and keyboards kud have 1 less letter.  

There will be growing enthusiasm in sekond mondf, when the      troublesome “ph” will be replaced with the “f”.  This will make words       like “fotograf” 20% shorter.

In the 3rd mondf, general akseptanse of the new spelling kan be      expekted to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are      pos sible.        We will enkourage removal of double letters, which have always ben      a deterent to akurate speling.        Also, al wil agre that the horible mes of the silent “e” in the      language is disgraceful, and they should go away.

By the 4th mondf, peopl wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing ”th”       with “z” and “w” with “v”.

Guring ze fifz mondf, ze unesesary “o” kan bedropd from vords      kontaining “ou” and similar changes vud of kors be aplid to ozer      kombinations of ters.        After zis fifz mondf, ve vil hav a reliabl, sensibl riten styl.

Zer vil be no mor trubls or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi to      understand ech ozer.

AND ZE DREM VIL FINALI KUM TRU!!"
Your comrad,    Dieter

Further restaurant night on Fri, 15 May, at Crows Nest to catch up with
Frank 'n Fiona on a flying visit from India

As mentioned in Bullsheet dated 4 April, Frank 'n Fiona will be back in Oz this May.  Frank has asked me to let Muggs know that they'd like to catch up at a restaurant in (you guessed it) Crowie on Friday, 25 May.

Last Sunday’s “Sloshfest/Wash-out “Ferry Boat to Patonga  & Iron Horse to Woy Woy Ride” - 98 km is re-scheduled in 2 weeks - 20 May

Due to the 11am Ferry, we don't need to depart -

to arrive at Red Herring, Brooklyn Pier by 10:30am for 1st Nosh Stop (30 mins) in time to catch 11am ferry to Patonga.  Ferry ride + bike is $10.

After 35 min ferry ride across the delightful/majestic/blue Brooklyn Waters at 11:40am, we commence scaling Patonga and after 18km predominantly climbing to/thru Pearl Beach, Umina/Ettalong.

From 12:40pm we take 2nd Nosh Stop (30 min lunch) in Woy Woy.

Trains from Woy Woy [$3 fare] at 1.27pm [or 2.27pm] arrive Hawkesbury River station at 1:41pm [or 2.41pm] where we cycle 3km out of Brooklyn and climb another four clicks for 3rd brief Nosh Stop (20 mins) at Pie in the Sky from 2:15pm.

Around 2:35pm we commence the final 34km to Turra’, via Bobbin Head, with ETR 4:10pm [an hour later if you miss the 1:27pm from Woy Woy].

If you take the train from Woy Woy directly to Hornsby, the ride total distance from Hornsby is 42km.

Further update on Muggs visit to Lower Hunter -Queen’s B’day Long w’end – Friday 8 – Monday 11 June

PJ has touched base with some prospective starters for the Lower Hunter.  Only 6 have booked from the below digs thus far.  However, another eight or so (incl Barry Dalsto and his wife Helen, Dieter/Helga, Peter T, Maria T and Ross) are confident of attending.  Simmo is only 50/50 as a 3rd member of the Simmonds clan is expected at end-June.

Accommodation:

¨                   Bellbird Hotel, 388 Wollombi Rd Bellbird 2325 (4990.1094 refer Tony / Judy) - 3km SW of Cessnock – minimum two night booking of twin and double rooms $160 for 2 nights with hot breakfast (works out at $40 per head per night). 

¨                   Hunter Haven B & B (Leanne - 4990.8858) 351A Wollombi Rd. Bellbird @ $260 per double room for 2 nights with full English breakfast (works out @ $65 per head per night).  Leanne will refer you to another nearby B & B if Hunter Haven gets chockers.

Marea aka Suicide Blonde, who works for McWilliams Wines, has arrange a group tasting at Mount Pleasant Winery - around mid-arvo on Sat 9 June after a 75km ride for the cycle enthusiasts.  Some of her friends, who are attending, consider a twenty click saunter sufficient preparation to sample Mt Pleasant’s fare.  A bush walk is also scheduled – likely Monday morn’.

With accommodation around Cessnock rapidly being booked-out for the pending long w’end, if you are interested in joining Muggs, book digs NOW.

The Scribe  - 7 May 2001