Bull

New Ride Protocol to cap Nosh Stops to 30 mins max!!!

Over the last 6 months a lot of cyclists have taken a geek at Muggs’ ride format. Notwithstanding that Muggs include some fast peddlers, we haven’t retained some prospective crew, seemingly ‘cause we stay too long at Nosh Stops. Perhaps some crew have Squaw Chores to do on a Sunday arvo.

Hopefully to retain more faster cyclists, and ensure greater certainty of ETR, Bank Teller is trialing a new Ride Protocol that caps Nosh Stops at 30 min from the arrival of the lead group which then sets the roll-on time.

Hence, to ensure each Sunday's ride finishes close to the advertised ETR, -

(i) 1st arrivers at each Nosh Stop agree the roll-on time (which in theory should be close to the Ride Description);

(ii) crew don't orders coffee or grits unless he/she will be ready to rollout 30 mins after the lead cyclist arrive, or earlier if you are slow like Bank Teller; and

(iii) slower cyclists should rollout early from –

(a) the Start in order to synchronise arrival at the 1^st Nosh Stop with the Guns, and

(b) each Nosh to synchronise arrival at the subsequent Nosh.

The above Ride Protocol won't please everyone. However, we seem to have lost more prospective crew 'cause we dally too long, than 'cause we don't 'shoot the breeze' enough.

Sunday, 11 May, 7:45am from St Ives "Brekkie at Bayview Marina - Brunch at Akuna Bay" - 94km

Ride Leader: Phil Johnston - 9498.3684 hm.
Hardcopy these directions and bring on Sunday.
If you are a slowcoach -
*    leave from 7:35am and cycle E along Mona Vale Rd;
*    turn around along Duffy's Forest so as to arrive back at Thai Restaurant
     Sag Stop in concert with the lead group; and
*    move on from Sag and Nosh Stops early!

Cycle two abreast at own risk. Keep well to LHS.
Get off the road at Sag Stops.
Cycling without Public Liability cover is as stupid as driving without 3rd Party - join Bicycle NSW for PL insurance, so that all Muggs are better protected. Otherwise check your household insurance policy as it may provide you with 3rd party cover whilst cycling.
When passing a fellow Mugg, always provide a metre clearance. If you can't, or are passing on the inside, call out loudly eg. "passing inside tight" etc.

Snapshot:
St Ives car park Mona Vale Rd [opposite Pattisons Patisserie and Stanley St. junction] for 7:45am rollout. If you are a slowcoach, leave from 7:35am and cycle E along Mona Vale Rd.  Terrey Hills, Duffy's Forest, McCarrs Creek to West Head for 1st Nosh Stop (15 min).

Return to McCarrs Creek for Brekkie adjacent to the water’s edge at Bayview Marina Café [LHS two clicks past Church Point] for 2nd Nosh Stop (35 min) from 10:50am [61km].

Return straight to St Ives [84km - ETR 12:25pm] Or via Akuna Bay 3rd Nosh Stop (30 min) [95.5km - ETR 1:45pm].

Sag Stops:
1.   Mona Vale Fruit Barn from 8am (3 min)
2.   Terrey Hills Thai Restaurant from 8:40am (3 min)

Nosh Stops:
1.   WestHead from 9:35am (15 min)
2.   Bayview Marina Café from 10:45am (30 min)
3.   Akuna Bay from 12:00pm (30 min)

First Leg: St Ives to Terrey Hills Thai Restaurant Sag Stop - 22.7km - 55 min

7:45am -

E along Mona Vale Rd for 6.7km,

L [opposite Forest Way - at Mona Vale Fruit Barn] into Myoora Rd and take a 1^st Sag Stop (3 min) from 8am,

Ahead and descend and fork R 3km along Myoor Larool Rd

L into Tepko Rd (75m short of Booralie Rd) for 400m,

L into Booralie Rd, 'n 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 – NOTE: turn around as soon as you see faster cyclists returning. Continue past Terrey Hills neighbourhood shopping centre, thru roundabout and take 2^ndSag Stop (3 min) from 8:40am outside Thai Restaurant at top of McCarrs Creek Rd - muster on LHS of white road line under tree cover.

Second Leg: Thai Restaurant to West Head - 18.6km (agg. 41.3km) - 50 min

8:45am -

Descend McCarrs Creek Rd and enter Ku’ring’gai Chase National Park 3.2km to "V" (dual entrances to the park),

R fork - anti clockwise and further descend McCarrs Creek Rd for 2km,

L at McCarrs Creek bridge for 1.4km to T juncture (Akuna Bay Marina is 2.8km downhill on LHS).

9.07am -

Ahead along West Head Rd for 12km to The Headland for 1st Nosh Stop (15 min) from 9:35am [41.3km] - pack nibbles, ‘cause we take a gawk at the majestic, shimmering peninsula - Pittwater/Lion Island.

Third Leg: West Head to Bayview Marina - 21.5km (agg 62.8km) - 55 min

9:50am -

Retrace 13.4km to McCarrs Creek bridge,

hook a L into McCarrs Creek Rd at 10:20am [55km] for 7.4km passing Church Point arriving at Bayview Marina Café at 10:45am for 2nd Nosh Stop [61km] 9979.5782ph (30min).

Fourth Leg: Bayview Marina to Akuna Bay - 12.8km (agg 75.2km) - 45 min

Over Brunch we will ascertain who, at 11:15am, is -

cycling 22km back up McCarrs Creek Rd and onto St Ives - ETR 12:25am [84km]; and

cycling 7.4km up McCarrs Creek, taking a R to loop Akuna Bay anti-clock, a further 4.5km for Brunch 3rd Nosh Stop (30 min) at Akuna Bay from 12:00pm [75km].

Fifth Leg: Akuna Bay to St Ives - 19.4km (agg 95.5km) - 65 min

12:30pm climb anti-clockwise from Akuna Bay to Terrey Hills and re-enter Mona Vale Rd via -

Myoor Larool Rd after passing the Mona Vale Fruit Barn, or

the tunnel under Mona Vale Rd.

Thence, it is a rapid-fire 6.6km stretch to St Ives [94.5km] - ETR 1:40pm.

Bank Teller’s rap-up of Sunday, 4 May, Century Challenge -

daggy weather - 20 teams - 62 participants - lots of fun

Uncle Doug's "Ride Briefing" for the 103km Northern loop commenced on schedule a tad after eight bells. Not in your normal cycle clobber Doug, resplendent in his bushman's hat, looks more like a 'Country Cocky', than a road bike Ride Organiser. But anyone in attendance soon realized that laconic, easy going Doug, knows his stuff. The two Dudes in yellow back-stage seem more like Stand-Over Hit-Men than pedal pushers. Perhaps they'd merely had a tough week in the office.

Arno aka MapMan, Ross aka RapidFire, appear intent on Doug's 'Ride Description'. Teller looks like he is still in church. Or should've been a Deacon. Publican seems puzzled. MudGuards, in the Amica jersey, is readin' somethin'. And the guy on the right is checking out his rear derailleur.

Kiwi Mike arrived late for the 8am briefing. Thence had a whinge to the 'Ride Organiser' about his scheduled rollout time, and managed to coerce Uncle Doug into squeezing Mike's motley bunch into a rollout time, ahead of others, who'd been there a lot, lot earlier. But come ride "send-off" time, obstreperous Mike was still pulling another scam, by squeezing in two extras (Marcel and Craig) into a "max 4 team".

Eventually, Doug worked out who was, and who wasn't officially in the 4 man team and flagged 'em off - Publican, Protea, The Big Kiwi and GreyBeard (ain't he an artful Buccaneer and a half).
Bike North's 2nd Annual Century Challenge, proved a big success, although the weather gods weren't particularly smiling on us.
20 teams participated, with Whippet, Tornado, Navigator and Yamaha registering the fastest time over the 103km circuit. And RapidFire, Sputnik, Arno aka MapMan and LabRat being first home amongst the 103km brigade. The stately Gentlemen from Verona team of Mark C, Scribe, Greg and Ellie-May enjoyed their 103km saunter at a more dignified canter.

Two new rides in June
(a)    two day Wiseman’s Ferry w’end [Sat 31 May/ Sun 1 June]; and
(b)    St Ives rollout for “Ferry Boat from Palm Beach and Iron Horse from Gosford
         to Brooklyn’, with lots of pedalling either sides – 87km on Sunday 22 June.
Re (b) above, Bank Teller welcomes hearing from anyone interested in riding the route listed at Sunday 22 June (on the Web) during the week commencing Monday 20 May - 'tis only 87km, but a killer climb near McMasters Beach on the 24km leg from Ettalong to Gosford, whereupon we catch the train back to Brooklyn and pedal to PitS for a fix.
The Scribe   4 May '03