Muggaccinos.com The Bullsheet

Sunday 17 Feb '08, "Tour de Austinmer" from Sutherland Leisure Centre carpark

* 7:30am longer 105km route via Audley Weir, Sir Bertram Stevens Drive up Artillery Hill and down to McKell Ave, Waterfall, Princes H'way then Left down to Sambio Animal Gardens sign into Sir Lawrence Hargraves Drive - 38km; or

* 8:05am shorter 91km route due South down Princes H'way to Sambio Animal Gardens sign into Sir Lawrence Hargraves Drive - 22km.

Left into Lawrence Hargraves Drive, Stanwell Park, crossing Coalcliff Bridge, Coledale for 16km to arriving from 9:50am for 1st Nosh Stop (35 min) at Beachside Cafe, Austinmer fronting the beach.

Return -

* Thru RNP, via Otford Pie Shop, up Lady Wakehurst Drive to Audley Weir - ETR 1:35pm
* Or by leaving RNP at McKell Ave to Waterfall, Princes H'way - ETR 1pm

Reduce to 57km if you catch the train from Otford station to Sutherland and cycle 2km Sth to Sutherland Leisure Centre carpark

Ø Ride Organiser: Phil Johnston 9114.6689 hm or 0412 045.224
Ø Hardcopy these directions and bring on ride

Ø Click on: Risk Warnings which warns of the dangers of cycling on public roads with motor cars, potholes and over bridges with vertical timber planks with gaps

Ø Maintain your membership of Bicycle NSW for $20m Public Liability cover, in case you cause a nasty accident and seriously injure a cyclist, or 3rd party, who sues your arse to empty your pockets

Ø Cycling with Muggs is predicated upon notifying Bank Teller if you materially disagree with any clause(s) in Muggaccinos' "Ride Participants Liability Acknowledgment"

Nosh Stops:
Austinmer Café                                                    from 9:50am       30 min
Otford Pie Shop                                                   from 11:35am      20 min
Audley Weir                                                         from 1:pm        10 min
Sag Stop for Shorter Route:
Sir Lawrence Hargraves Drive                           from 9:05am    5 min

Directions from North Shore:
At sparrow fart on a Sunday morn' it is only 45 minutes drive from Chatswood [38km] to the Sutherland Leisure Centre at Waratah Park off Rawson Ave (approx 1km south of Sutherland shopping centre). Either –

Ø Homebush Bay Drive / Centenary Drive / Roberts Rd / Wiley Ave / King George's Rd / Princess H’way; or

Ø Pacific Highway over Harbour Bridge onto Princess H’way at Broadway, remaining on Princess H’way crossing George’s River Bridge and passing thru Sylvania and Gymea.
Then -

    (a)      continue straight into The Grand Pde (when most of the traffic turns L into Arcadia Rd.)
    (b)      250m later veer L into Old Princess H'way which 250m later, after passing President Ave on LHS, becomes Rawson Ave.
    (c)      150m later L into carpark at Waratah Park and park down the bottom on RHS in front of the Swimming Centre.

1st Longer Leg: Sutherland Leisure Centre carpark via RNP, Princes H'way to Sir Lawrence Hargraves Drive - 38.5km - 100 min

Provided the weather is OK, Rex aka Pimpernel and Martin aka Architect will roll out at 7:30am on this longer initial 1st Leg thru RNP and up to Waterfall. Jean aka ChiliDog and Matt aka Printer are cycling from home and may opt to start at 8:05am below

Sth along Rawson Ave for 600m taking care crossing Princess Highway.

Ahead along Princess Highway for 1km passing Loftus Oval on LHS.

L into Farnell Ave (some maps call it Sir Bertram Stevens Drive).

Pass the toll booths where road changes to Audley Weir Rd and shortly descend and cross Audley Weir [after 5km].

Veer R (becomes Sir Bertram Stevens Drive) up wonderfully steep Artillery Hill to Gibraltar Rock [after 7km] and along Flat Rock, passing Warumbul Rd on LHS to Bundeena Drive [after 11km].

Ahead along Sir Bertram Stevens Drive along the ridge pass Garie Beach turn-off on LHS [after 22km], thence to McKell Ave [after 25km].

Right over bridge on RHS into McKell Ave for 5km to Princes H'way [29.5km].

Left Ahead South down Princes H'way for 10km to Sir Lawrence Hargraves Drive on LHS [39.5km].

1st Shorter Leg: Sutherland Leisure Centre carpark via Princes H'way to Sir Lawrence Hargraves Drive - 21.5km - 55 min

Bank Teller and PacificPete will be in carpark by 8:05am to rollout by 8:15am.

Left South along Rawson Ave for 600m taking care crossing Princess Highway.

Ahead along Princess Highway for 1.1km passing Loftus Oval and Rawson Av.

Ahead South down Princes H'way for 20km to Sir Lawrence Hargraves Drive on LHS.

2nd Common Leg: Sir Lawrence Hargraves Drive to Austinmer - 15.5km - 40 min

Left 100m past Sambio Animal Gardens sign into Lawrence Hargraves Drive.

Ahead due E for 3.1km to Bald Hill (juncture of Lawrence Hargraves Drive and Lady Wakehurst Drive [after 25km from Short Route].
Right 2.7km Sth descending from Stanwell Tops descending to Stanwell Park continuing along Lawrence Hargraves Drive passing thru crossing Coalcliff Bridge, Clifton, Cape Horn, Scarborough, Wombarra, Coledale, arriving from 9:50am for 1st Nosh Stop (35 min) at Beachside Cafe, Austinmer.

3rd Leg: Austinmer Cafe to Otford Apple Pie Shop - 18km (after 55.1km from Shorter Route) - 50 min

10:25am Nth retracing up Lawrence Hargraves Drive to Otford Pie Shop arriving from 11:20pm for 2nd Nosh Stop (20 min).

If you are all tuckered out, you can catch the 2 hourly train service at quaint Otford station just 500m NNW of the pie shop at 11:57am or 1:57pm arriving Sutherland station 30 mins later, and cycle 2km Sth to Sutherland Leisure Centre carpark.

4th Leg: Otford Pie Shop to Audley Weir - 32km (agg 86km from Shorter Route) - 85 min

11:40am Nth back up Lady Wakehurst Drive, initial 300m along the coast with spectacular views of the Blue Pacific, and then into the wooded forest where it is up-hill initially, then predominantly undulating. After 64km pass McKell Ave bridge (Waterfall exit) on the LHS. (Some cyclists may opt to cycle up McKell Ave, thence Princes H'way for a shorter route to Sutherland carpark.)

Cycle a further 9.5km N along Sir Bertram Stevens Drive for a further fleeting 3rd Sag Stop (3 min) at intersection of Bundeena Drive. Continue NW another 9.8km for a 4th Sag Stop (10 min) from 1:10pm at Audley Kiosk 50m before Audley Weir - excellent coffee 'n maggot sacks.

5th Leg: Audley Weir to Sutherland - 5km (agg 91km) - 15 min

1:20pm cycle over the weir and up steep early Farnell Ave to Princess H'way and R onto the H'way, shortly pass Loftus Oval on RHS. 2km after traffic lights at Rawson Ave turn R into Sutherland Leisure Centre - ETR 1:35pm.

CARE: Keep well to LHS along the final legs from Bundeena to Audley Weir and up to Princess H'way. If a cue of cars is behind you, pull over to side of road and allow 'em to pass.

Bank Teller's rap-up of Tour de Wyee - 106km - 11 starters