www.Muggaccinos.com   The Bullsheet

Sunday, 21 Sept, Yarramalong Manor for lunch - "Iron Horse” home from Wyong:

*    7:45am - Hornsby - 93km - ETR 2:36pm

*    8am - Berowra - 81.5km - ETR 2:25pm

*    Or cycle back from Mt White - 71km - ETR 11:20am

  • A train from the Northern line (West Ryde, Epping, Normanhurst etc) arrives at Hornsby at 7:44am

  • Ride Leader:  Phil Johnston - 9498.3684 hm

  • Bring your mobile if it is handy

  • Hardcopy these directions and bring on Sunday

  • Cycle two abreast at own risk.  Keep well to LHS

  • Get off the road at Sag Stops

  • Maintain your membership of Bicycle NSW for $20m Public Liability cover in case another Mugg sues your arse for riding negligence

 

Snapshot:
 With no track work on the Wyong line, park at Hornsby 
station car-park [80m Nth of Railway Hotel in Jersey St - N/W side of Hornsby station] rollout from 7:45am passing Berowra station from 8am.  Starters from Berowra should commence by 7:55am.  Nosh Stops at Mt White, Peats Ridge and Yarramalong Manor, to catch an All Stops train home from Wyong at 2:55pm (3:55pm) - ETR 4:06pm (5:06pm).  Or an Express at 2:37pm (3:37pm) returns to Hornsby at 2:36pm (3:36pm).  
Route is due N up the Old Pacific H’way, so if you're slow, start from 8:20am.

 

1st Leg:  Hornsby to Mt White - 35.5km - 82 min

Park in Hornsby street side car-park 80m Nth of Railway Hotel in Jersey St - N/W side of Hornsby station. 

Rollout from 7:45am, -

  • Nth up Jersey St for 200m,

  • L for 20m to traffic lights;

  • R onto Old Pacific Highway for 35km, passing Berowra station from 8am, for 1st Nosh Stop (30 min) at Mt White Village Store from 9:10am.

 

2nd Leg:  Mt White to Peats Ridge - 21km - 57 min

Depart Bikie Hangout by 9:40am -

  • Nth along Old Pacific H'way for 6.2km;

  • L into Peats Ridge Rd for 15km continuous, gradual climb for Sag Stop (10 mins) at Midcoast Petroleum, Peats Ridge from 10:40am.

 

3rd Leg:  Peats Ridge to Yarramalong Manor - 17km - 55 min

After re-mounting at 10:50am, -

  • Nth along Peats Ridge Rd for 300m;

  • L into George Downs Drive and continue 8.7km NNW, crossing Wisemans Ferry Rd at Central Mangrove;

  • R into Springs Rd for a Sag Stop (3 min), thence 2.5km East twds Bumble Hill, then it becomes Greta Rd for 2km up Bumble Hill, then 3.4km descend Bumble Hill cautiously;

  • R for 60m to 2nd Nosh Stop (55 mins) for brunch from 11:45am at delightful, serene Yarramalong Manor.

 

4th Leg: Yarramalong Manor to Wyong station - 18.8km - 50 min
By 12:40pm 18.8km flat/fast hit-out E along Yarramalong Rd into Wyong, arriving by 1:35pm to catch ($7.80 fare) –

  • 1:37pm Express 59 min to Hornsby 3:36pm; or

  • 1:55pm All-stops 71 min to Hornsby 4:06pm; or

  • 2:37pm Express 59 min to Hornsby 3:36pm; or 

  • 2:55pm All-stops 71 min to Hornsby 4:06pm.

 

Whippet’s rap-up of Sunday, 14 Sept "Hornsby Cowan to Calga" 82km – 8 starters 

A warm ‘n windy early Spring morn’ evidenced eight crew rollout of Hornsby at 7:45am – Two tyros were Suzy J. and Simone M., Gene aka Koala Bear, Princess Caroline, No Play, Kate aka Flaxen, Samurai and Whippet.  With the prospect of turbulence, Publican & Malvern Star, “opted to up-stumps before a ball had been bowled.” 

Two "Slick Chicks", "Suze" and "Princess Caroline" opened-up an early lead over the first section twds the Hawkesbury, with a few exhausticated red-faced chaps chasing ‘em. 

The two imposing aluminum communication towers are now a visible land mark after the controlled burn-back.  Whilst passing them yesterday Pete, aka Yamaha, snared the lead.  It was all-work and "No Play" as the breakaway quartet of Yamaha, Suze, Princess Caroline and Whippet, put the pedal to the metal to generate speed for the familiar descent to sea level at the Hawkesbury River Bridge. 

The green, but albeit discrete “Start” sign, at Cheero Point Rd was the trigger for an even bigger effort to register a ‘P.B.’ to the 2nd Mt. White sign.  "No Play" seemed unaffected by the whirling breeze and gusty conditions to register a KOM of 19min 17sec over the 7.6km stretch to Mt White, and arrived at the Road Warrior Café in a blistering 1 hour 9 minutes, averaging 30kph.  Dam it, Yamaha had opened-up a sizeable break that none of us could haul in! 

With nature indicating an imminent turn to the “even worse”, we didn’t dally long at Mt. White, opting to return to PitSky hoping it would be before the forecast "even more blustery" winds arrived.  During our 2nd KOM - the customary 3.9km challenge to PitSky,  "No Play" (Yellow Jersey) was o'taken by Samurai who claimed the KOM in 11m 50s.  Hence, only Tornado has a better PitS time, but Arno aka Heineken and Malvern Star are only a hair’s breath away, both also under 12min.   After healthy salads, real pies, good coffee and cakes with cream, we made our way back to Hornsby by midday.  Princess Caroline said her tar-tars and opted for the Berowra Waters Punt and the climb pushing into strong westerly head winds twds home. 

Footnote:
A cycling aficionado, Daniel Behrman, wrote a book “The Man Who Loved Bicycles” which contains a plethora of cycling quotes, including Bill Strickland’s:

    "You never have the wind with you - either it is against you or you're having a good day".

Bill’s description was close to the mark yesterday with a few of the lasses on occasions struggling over the latter stages to keep the rubber side down.

Scribe’s fleeting rap-up of Dungog PedalFest, 12/14 Sept

About a dozen Muggs 'n friends attended Dungog - Widget 'n Suse, Simon aka Engineer, Sonja, Roslyn aka Rocket, Michael aka The Diplomat (not), Bank Teller, Alana, Kaza aka GreyNurse, Arno aka Heineken 'n Sarah aka Physio.

It blew like shit on Friday which was a 1 out of 10 day  at best.  Fortunately the weather "sunnied-up" on the w'end, but the potholes 'n the wind didn't.  But then again, we were at Barrington Tops.

 

Upper pic is a bunch of smiling dials outside the CBC Bank guesthouse on Sat morn' after 33km from Dungog to Patterson along a hotch potch of repaired potholes.  No names, no pack-drill, but one brown bunny amongst the above cheery folk had hosed himself out bigtime the night before.  Kaza reckons he danced her off her feet and spun her every which way on the dance floor.  But 't was was all a bit of a blur the next morn' for Scribe.

 

 

Two pics in focus out of 3 probably ain't too bad for a Teller.  Fortunately, Simon aka Engineer, has undertaken to bring along his bells 'n whistles digital zoom to provide some real action pics in future.

Hats off to Sonja [upper left pic] (Ros' friend) who hadn't done much cycling before but still managed to flash on the flats.  And was looking stronger than a few seasoned cycling stalwarts by Sunday arvo.  Shame Sonja lives in Newcastle.

Don't know what it is, but all Scribe's 'rank amateur' pics of Ros are in focus.  And that Buckie Beaver smile is never far away.  A warning for a few of the hill climbers, Ros flew up Wallarobba Mtn, 10km Nth of Patterson.  It is only 850m, but about 9o.  And worse still, Rocket is close to shelling out big bucks for a new bike to replace her chromoly clunker.

 

Scribe    14 Sept 2003