Muggaccinos Pedlars Sunday Cyclists - The Bullsheet

Sunday, 1 July, Brunch at Bayview Marina – 50km to 93km

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

Hardcopy these directions and bring on Sunday

Detailed ride spec:
After rolling out of car-park and cycling E along Mona Vale Rd, at 6.2km we turn L [opposite Forest Way - at Mona Vale Fruit Barn] into Myoora Rd and take a fleeting 1^st Sag Stop (3 min).  We then cycle 3km along Myoor Larool Rd.  About 70m before Booralie Rd hook a L into Tepko Rd (75m short of Booralie Rd) and 400m later a further L into Booralie Rd, then pedal like "shit out of Shanghai" 6.7km flat/fast stretch past Terrey Hills Golf Course and rifle range to Duffys Forest (amidst real pigs, goats, horses 'n cows).  U-turn at the dead-end of Cow Corner – if you are dragging the chain, cut the corner - and return via same route and pull up 30m short of Terrey Hills neighbourhood shopping centre for a 2^nd Sag Stop [3 min].  Thence, around 9:30am we enter Ku’ring’gai Chase National Park via Dandenong Rd and Beltana Ave to McCarrs Creek Rd.  At the V (dual entrances to the park) take anti-clock [R fork] and descend turning L at McCarrs Creek bridge.  After cycling 2km uphill pause approx. 9:47am for a 3^rd Sag Stop (3 min) at T juncture (Akuna Bay Marina is 4km downhill on LHS).  Following a quick re-group, commence 45min 12km pedal along West Hd Rd to The Headland.  Pack nibbles, ‘cause we take our 1st Nosh Stop (15 min) from 10:21am [41km] for a snack and a gawk at the majestic, shimmering peninsula - Pittwater/Lion Island.

Approx. 10:35am we retrace to McCarrs Creek bridge and hook a L at 11:09am [54.5km] into McCarrs Creek Rd continuing on past Church Point [60km] at 11:25am, thence to Bayview Marina 2^nd Nosh Stop [62km] at 11:35am (for 35min) returning from 12:10pm.

Over brunch we will ascertain who is cycling straight up McCarrs Creek Rd to St Ives and who will hook a R around 12:30pm [68.6km] to take the scenic route via Akuna Bay for 3^rd Nosh Stop at 1:55am [82.4km], returning to Pattisons Patisserie St Ives for more grub 'n drugs at 2:40pm [93.2km].

Raconteur and Widget’s rap-up of Sunday, 24 June – Tour de Windsor - from Turra’ 133km and Dural 106km

On a delightful Indian Summer’s day, Rock Solid, Graeme aka Blue Beard (or is Whiskers a more apt label), Widget and Bank Teller mustered at Turra’ to rollout on 8:30am.  After a frosty venture into Brown’s Water Hole, we collected Whippet at the entrance to the M2 on schedule at 8:50am.  Pacific Pete opted for more pastoral surrounds, by commencing from the alternate start, Dural Info Centre, and cycling NW to Windsor, via Kenthurst and Maraylya.

With two speedsters in Whippet and Blue Beard amongst the ranks the pace was going to be on all day. The 15.2km M2 stretch was no exception, with Widget notwithstanding her inactive preparation, managing to stay in touch.  Rock Solid and Bank Teller didn’t set the world on fire along the Dragster, Conrod Straight M2, but there was still 85km to go, albeit with only 2 real hills.

At 10:50am we pedaled into historic Thompson’s Square after cycling thru Browns Water Hole, along the M2 and via deserted Sunday 'morn streets (must be a religious lot out West!!!) thru Marayong, Riverstone, Vineyard etc.  With a tad over fifty clicks on the dial, at a +25 ave for most, incl a rejuvenated Widget, we searched out a café, opting for the grits ‘n drugs at Cicada Blue Café, ‘cause a table in a sunny alcove beckoned, plus the lads thought the young, slim blonde waitress would likely offer good table service.

After meeting up with Pacific smack on cue at 11:20am, and whilst Whippet played Musical Tubes on his rear wheel, the rest of us hoed into French Toast and other Tasty Titbits, washed down with scrumptious MoKador coffee, personally recommended by the couple on the adjoining table who figured it prudent to respond in the affirmative to Widget’s prying question “Excuse me, is the coffee good?”

Around midday we zoomed North aided by a rolling-start from the abrupt downhill section to the rickety Windsor bridge, for our 2nd cycle leg [37km] which provided a veritable potpourri of bucolic delights:

i)       Farmland Furies [cows, pigs horses ‘n goats];

ii)      serene/picture-book ambience of the Tizzana Winery riverside setting – after Rock Solid had pointed the joint out;

iii)     sport [barefoot water-skiing on the Hawkesbury River]; and

iv)     our free return ride on the Sackville Ferry Punt, where the Ferryman was ever so helpful in directing us to the shortest route back to Windsor, notwithstanding –

v           Whippet’s protestations, and

v           Widget’s inane questions to well-meaning youthful Ferryboat Assistance (“Excuse me Sonny!  Does this ferry go to Windsor?”) who took re-assurance after PJ pointed out that the lady asking the dumb questions was only out on a Day Pass and would be returned to the White Coat Brigade by 5pm, and “just smile nicely and humour her and she’ll be gone shortly”.

Upon our return to Windsor around 1:40pm, Blue Beard “done good” whilst mulling thru the throng of sightseers at the weekly Windsor Market, to select “Woodies Wood Fired Pizzas”, ‘cause we managed to park our treadleys away from the masses where the Pumpkin ’n Curry Soup was Bonza, and the LaVazza hit the spot.  With Widget all done with pondering that “coffee is cheaper out west” and Whippet still musing whether the "shiny as a new pin" joint had been opened for a week or a month, we commenced our return home.  After throwing R at the landmark McGrath's Hill pub, we enjoyed an uninterrupted run along Peloton captioned “shades of Arnhem Land” – circa 1997 (the Old Stock Route Rd/Scheyville Rd stretch), Widget and Pacific broke-off at Neich Rd in pursuit of Pete’s jalopy at Dural, via Pitt Town Rd (good stretch of country road to up-the-average, with all those pesky hounds patroling front yards ready to give chase).  And with the Anorexic Greyhound reputedly still Whinging ‘n Whining about the pending climb from the ditch at Cattai Ridge creek, a reduced contingent of four hammered-on, cognisant that there wasn’t time to dally, with sunset on the shortest Sunday of the year, rapidly encroaching. 

Following the 13km pot-holed roller-coaster ride on the Cattai Ridge Rd, the lads opted for the short 600m stretch on Scary Road (Old Northern Rd), taking the L into Wylds Rd/Arcadia Rd, much to Brian’s chagrin.  With sunlight fading, the scheduled 4^th Nosh Stop at GreenShades was jettisoned, and the foursome scurried down more familiar territory to The Gorge. 

5+ hours of hammering with every sinew, muscle, ligament and tendon, finally caught up with Whippet twds the apex of The Gorge climb, whereupon Brian succumbed to a 10 min breather at the familiar Bus Shelter (whilst looking like death warmed-up).  A quick starch/sugar fixed restored sufficient red corpuscles enabling Whippet to canter back to Hornsby with Rock Solid.  After a parting wave, PJ took the short-cut back to Turra’ along the eastside of the rail line.

Alas, around 4:30pm, with daylight fading fast it was an end to a hundred and thirty three clicks of fun, fun, fun on the shortest Sunday of the year.

Postscript:      Not only did Blue Beard, who also bailed-out at Hornsby, register an amazing 24.5km ave, he also recorded over 30 altitude/distance log readings for the ride.  To the unawares, Graeme could appear a Funny Fish in regularly talking to his right shoulder.  However, equipped with a discrete tape-recorder, Graeme is able to regularly record altitude readings/ride distances, and still beat all of us to the next checkpoint.

Following Sunday, 8 July, Mt White, Peats Ridge Somersby Bellbirds - 127km from Hornsby or 97km from Cowan

The Scribe   25 June '01