www.Muggaccinos.com    The Bullsheet

Sunday, 19 Sept - "Tour de Emu Plains, Blaxland, Springwood, Yarramundi, Richmond"

i)             Turramurra @ 7:20am via M2 to Blacktown station - train to Emu Plains, then ride to N/E Richmond up Old Bathurst Rd, Blaxland, Springwood, along Hawkesbury Rd, descending Springwood Rd to Riverstone, thence train back to Blacktown and ride M2, Browns Waterhole - 93km - ETR 1:50pm; or 

ii)            Dural @ 7:20am via Old Northern Rd, Seven Hills Rd to meet Turra' starters at Blacktown station.  Eventually returning to Riverstone station to cycle via Annangrove Rd – 88km - ETR 12:50pm

Separate Turra' and Dural start routes meet at Blacktown station from 8:20am

Print explicit street directions for both start spots at URL for Distance on preceding 'Ride Calendar 2004 - July to Sept'  page, or by clicking on 92.8km or 91km

Ø    www.cityrail.nsw.gov.au/trackwork/ reports no trackwork on Western Line between Richmond and Blacktown or Blue Mountains Line between Blacktown and Emu Plains.  But trains will operate to an amended timetable whereby the below times may be delayed.

Ø   Ride Organiser:  Phil Johnston  9498.3684 hm

Ø   On return route, be careful entering Abbott Rd from either Johnson Ave or Prospect Highway, as traffic veering Left along Seven Hills Rd are partial to cyclist crossing into Abbott Rd

Ø   Hardcopy these directions and bring on Sunday

Ø   Expend 10 mins studying your UBD/Gregory's to familiarize with below, 'cause this is a complex route

Ø   Bring a mobile if you have one, 'cause we invariably experience cyclists going AWOL on our sorties into Deliverance Country

Ø   RTA paints a solid centre-line on single lane roads when there isn't sufficient vision to overtake.  'Ipso facto' always cycle single-file on unbroken centre-lines.

Ø   Get off the road at Sag Stops

Ø   Cycling without Public Liability cover is as asinine as driving without 3rd Party - join Bicycle NSW for PL insurance, so that all Muggs are better protected

Ø   When passing a fellow Mugg, always provide 1m clearance.  If you can't, or are passing on the inside, you MUST call out loudly eg. "passing inside" etc

1st leg:  25km - Start 7:20am Rohini Street carpark NE side of Turramurra station to Blacktown station -

along M2/Abbott Rd/Prospect H'way,

Right after 450m into Lucas Ave for off-road Sag Stop [5 min] outside Seven Hills Primary School immediately on LHS or Left into Morris St 400m later and walk back on footpath twds Cnr so subsequent cyclists can see the Right turn into Lucas Ave;

Ahead from Morris St Cnr along Lucas Ave for 1.9km; 

Ahead into Sackville Rd for 1.2km;

Left into Sunnyholt Rd for 800m;

Right into George St for 200m to Blacktown station for 17 min train to Emu Plains departing at 8:36am.

1st leg (alternate):  22km - Start 7:25am Porter Scenic Lookout carpark before Dural Country Club

Right down Old Northern Rd for 11.5km

Right into Seven Hills Rd for 6.5km

Ahead into Prospect Highway for 450m;

Right after 450m into Lucas Ave for off-road Sag Stop [5 min] outside Seven Hills Primary School immediately on LHS or Left into Morris St 400m later and walk back on footpath twds Cnr so subsequent cyclists can see the Right turn into Lucas Ave;

Ahead from Morris St Cnr along Lucas Ave for 1.3km; 

Ahead into Sackville Rd for 1.2km;

Left into Sunnyholt Rd for 800m;

Right George St for 200m to Blacktown station for 17 min train to Emu Plains departing at 8:36am.

2nd Leg:  17km from Emu Plains up mega precipitous Old Bathurst Rd thru Blaxland/Warrimoo and on to Springwood for Nosh Stop at delightful Old Post Office Shoppe Cafe, Raymond Rd on LHS of Macquarie Rd

Alight  train at 8:53am on southern side and take path under rail line entering Old Bathurst Rd from Mackellar St for a level 2km stretch to a short but really steep 2.33km Climb leading to Blaxland, thence on roads which hug the Great Western H'way to Springwood for a Nosh Stop [30 min] at the delightful Old Post Office Shoppe cafe 300m down Raymond Rd on LHS of Macquarie Rd. 

[Those not wishing to bust a boiler up Old Bathurst Rd can remain on our train three more stations taking (16 min) and alight at Blaxland station at 9:09am and meet us immediately outside Blaxland station in Wilson Way (300m after we turn Right from Old Bathurst Rd) on our route to Warrimoo and Springwood.]

3rd Leg:  26km from Springwood to Richmond station alighting at either Blacktown or Riverstone station

Retrace 250m back down Macquarie Rd;

Left following signs NE to Richmond, along Hawkesbury Rd, Springwood Rd, thru Yarramundi pulling-up at Hawkesbury Heights Lookout on RHS after about 12km for 5 min Sag Stop whilst gawking at the awesome view.  Thence descend from the Hawkesbury Heights Lookout to Richmond to catch train at 11:44am. 

4th Leg:  25.4km from Blacktown station to Turramurra - ETR 1:45pm

12:20pm  -

Left into George St for 200m

Right into Sunnyholt Rd for 800m;

Right into Sackville Rd for 1.2km;

Ahead Lucas Ave for 1.7km; 

Left Prospect H'way for 450m (care two lanes but no shoulder, so try and cycle with another cyclist beside you to occupy the entire lane)

Right into Abbott Rd/M2 for 15.6km;

Left at Light Tower into Browns Waterhole for 1.45km;

Ahead up Kissing Point Red for 3.7km;

Right onto Pacific Highway for 200m; and

Left into Rohini St for 250m.

4th Leg (alternate):  23.7km from Riverstone station to Dural - ETR 12:50pm

12:03pm  -

Saturday was 4 above ave, and Sunday was 4 below, and golly gosh couldn't you feel the snap in the air, albeit by the time 14 of us had marshalled at Road Warriors Cafe, Mt White (after 35km from Hornsby), we felt a bit warmer - Whippet, Yamaha/Lynda, Heineken and his buddy, together with Rummager, Tornado, Printer, Pacific Pete, LongHaul, Scribe, Tony 'n Martin.

Above three snaps from Mt White, and below 2 at Somersby.  In the entire 5 pics there is only one silly sod smiling at the dicky bird.  Particularly in the below two pics which Tornado snapped, all present were cognisant that Trev was about to picture' em.  Perhaps Muggs are an insecure lot, or maybe they are merely philistine 'n heathens lacking refinement.  Little wonder it was an all male collection yesterday at Somersby, where the burgers were bonza, sumptuously cooked by delightful Kirsty.  Although Scribe offered to serve 'em, so that Kirsty could bung on another patty for late arriving Phil.

For a low traffic 100km ride, Somersby "Bellbirds" is hard to beat, albeit that the Bellbirds weren't tweaking as we climbed from Mooney Mooney bridge.

The Scribe  -  12 Sept 2004