Sunday, 3 Jan '10

i)        EASIER RIDE - Tour de Richmond out along Pitt Town Rd and returning via Cattai Ridge Rd from Hornsby station rollout 6:50am via Galston Gorge and Pitt Town Rd for 58km 1st Leg arriving Richmond Oval at 9:20am for 1st Nosh Stop (30 min) and return to Hornsby via Cattai Ridge Rd and Berowra Waters ferry - 115km - ETR 1:15pm; OR

ii)       TOUGHER RIDE - Tour de Richmond, Bellbird Hill, Bowen Mountain, 'n Kurrajong with 2 of the toughest climbs in the NW of Greater Sydney from Porters Lookout, Dural rollout by 7:05am, or Galston Village shops at 7:10am, via Pitt Town Rd arriving Richmond Oval at 9:20am for 1st Nosh Stop (30 min).  Then climb Bowen Mountain and Bellbird Hill back to Richmond station for train to Riverstone station, cycle back to Porters Lookout, Dural or Galston Village shops along Annangrove Rd - 110km - ETR 3:05pm

i)      From Hornsby station to Richmond Oval - 58km - 150 min
6:50am rollout from Hornsby car-park N/W of station [80m N of Railway Hotel in Jersey St]:

Arrive Richmond Oval  9:20am for 1st Nosh Stop (30 min) to 9:50am  -  good cheap food at Richmond Milk Bar opposite Oval.  Then return to Hornsby via Cattai Ridge Rd and Berowra Waters ferry - 115km - ETR 1:15pm.

ii)      From "Porters Scenic Lookout, Dural" (330m Sth of Dural Country Club) to Richmond Oval - 46km:
Rollout 7:05am -

L	Old Northern Rd	2.5		Wyoming Rd	6
R	Wyoming Rd	0.7		Langford/Davey Rd	2
L	Langford/Davey Rd	1.6		Derriwong Rd	4.5
L	Derriwong Rd	0.5		Wirrabarra Rd	1.7
R	Wirrabarra Rd	0.6		Pellit Lane	1.7
R	Pellit Lane	0.2		Kenthurst Rd	1
	2nd Sag Stop			50m short of Kenthurst Rd	3
R	Kenthurst Rd	4.5		Pitt Town Rd	12
L	Pitt Town Rd	12.9		Neich Rd	33
A	Neich Rd	0.85		Scheyville Rd	2.1
L	Scheyville Rd	4.8		Old Stock Route Rd	10.5
L	Old Stock Route Rd	1.9		Wolseley Rd	4.5
R	Wolseley Rd	1.2		Havelock St	3
L	Havelock St	0.4		Old Hawkesbury Rd	1
R	Old Hawkesbury Rd	0.4		Pitt Town Rd	1
L	Pitt Town Rd	0.5		Windsor Rd	1.4
R	Windsor Rd	1.5		Macquarie St	4.5
L	Macquarie St	1.2		Windsor Rd / Richmond Rd.	0.75
R	Richmond Rd./Windsor St	6.0		Market St	15
	Market St	0.2		Richmond Oval	0.6

Arrive Richmond Oval 9:20am for 1st Nosh Stop (30 min) to 9:50am  -  good cheap food at Richmond Milk Bar opposite Oval.

Two alternate 2nd Legs:

i)  Richmond to Windsor, Cattai Ridge Rd, Galston Gorge, Hornsby - 57km - ETR 2:35pm

ii) Richmond, Bowen Mountain, Kurrajong Village -  20km - 80 min

9:50am depart Richmond station pedal -

2.5km NWW along March St/Kurrajong Rd twds Nth Richmond, passing St Peter's Church and cemetery and Pugh's Lagoon over North Richmond Bridge crossing Upper Hawkesbury River.  
Ahead 700m through North Richmond shops on Bells Line of Road.

Left W at the first set of traffic lights into Grose Vale Rd for for 2.5km to Grose River Rd on LHS.  

Ahead 2km W along Gross Vale Rd to Bells Rd on RHS.

Ahead 3.5km W to Bowen Mountain Rd on LHS.

The Start of the 2.95km KOM Climb is the Left into Bowen Mountain Rd crossing Carters/Westerby Rd, thence Gunbower Rd/Serpentine Lane, then passing Grandview Lane on LHS.

Right up Wattle St for 250m (Do not veer R into Bowen Mountain Rd) to Bellbird Cres.

Continue Right into Bellbird Cres for 250m

Lieutenant Bowen Rd for 250m to Bowen Reserve where there is a huge Bunya Pine and amenities (toilets, seats, BBQ).

Sag Stop (10 min) amidst magnificent views all the way to the Big Smoke.  Three pics under the above 3 URLs from our last visit to Bowen Mtn were bereft of views, 'cause it was powerful murky on our reconnaissance of this beaut KOM Climb.

Retreat 2½km back down the route you climbed very slowly as road is very steep and corrugated in parts.

Left into Westerby Rd for 1km;

Ahead  2km along Gross Vale Rd/Old Bells Line of Road to Kurrajong Village shopping centre for 2nd Nosh Stop (30 min) at Sassafras Café on RHS from 11:10am.

3rd Leg:  Kurrajong Village to Bellbird Hill, Kurrajong Village, Richmond station -  21.8km -  90 min

11:40am Ahead 1km along Old Bells Line of Road to Bells Line of Road.

Left into Bells Line of Road for 500m to "Little Wheeny Creek" sign - 5 metres before concrete bridge which is Start of 6.15km KOM Climb - elevation 452m - ave gradient of 7.2^o with sections >10^o:

5km up Bells Line of Road;

Left into Warks Rd for 1.15km to Bellbird Hill/Kurrajong Heights KOM and Sag Stop (5 min).

Retreat 1.15km down Warks Rd;

Left into Bells Line of Road for 11km to Richmond Bridge;

Ahead for 2.5km ESE along Kurrajong Rd/March St to Richmond station arriving around 1:10pm to aboard the 1:46pm, 2:46am (or 3:16pm) train from Richmond Sag Stop for 19 min ride to Riverstone station alighting 2:05pm (or 2:35pm).

4th Leg:  Richmond station to Dural via Annangrove -  22km -  55 min.    Or Galston shops  -  28km - 70 min