Annual Boxing Day Ride, Sunday, 26 Dec '10 - +15 riders expected - all cyclists welcome

Sub-titled "Two greatest comebacks since Lazarus" and "Trumpeter's 2nd Anniversary cake

* Ann Collins aka ToothFairy who re-habed for 4 months in 4 hospitals after falling 40' from a bridge when cycling thru Coffs Harbour; and

* Peter Allwork aka Yamaha, who used to be a strong cyclist with a 'six-pack stomach',
are joining us PedalPower at Andy's Cafe

1st Nosh Stop is Andy's Cafe, Arcadia from 8am where new owner, Paul, is cooking-up his renowned
Spicy Hot Cajun Chicken Bits Christmas Breakfast prepared by our chef, Paul

¨ "Cinque Montagnes" - clockwise from Nth Turra’ by 6:30am – 94km ETR 12:05pm

¨ “Trois Montagnes” – clockwise from Hornsby by 7:05am – 65km ETR 11:25am

¨ "Duo Montagnes" – out 'n back via Galston Gorge from Hornsby by 7:05am – 32km ETR 9:25am

¨ Cyclists from the primary/longer departure point of Nth Turramurra do not pass the shorter Hornsby departure spot - usually meet after ascent of Galston Rd just before Andy's Cafe, Arcadia

Main Route:	Nth Turra’, Bobbin Hd, Galston Gorge, Berowra Waters punt, Brooklyn, Bobbin Hd, Nth Turra’
Starts:	500m past Burns Rd in Bobbin Head Rd Nth Turramurra; or 300m Nth of Hornsby Stn West side, Jersey St.
Nosh Stops:	Andy's Cafe, Arcadia from 7:50am - 40min Pie in the Sky from 10:15am - 30min
ETR:	Nth Turra' 12:15pm. Hornsby 11:35am.

WHO, WHEN, WHERE:

Ride Organiser: Phil aka BankTeller 0434 715.861, David aka CricketTragic, Jane aka Neo-Luddite, Karen aka Kaza and Trev aka Tornado are starting from Nth Turra' at 6:30am.

Matt aka Printer, Pete aka Yamaha, Pete aka CampyAficinado, Terry aka Navigator, Peter aka Pelvis, Bazza and Justine aka Trumpeter are starting from Hornsby at 7:05am. We might even meet-up with erstwhile Paul aka Pilot.
Tony aka Publican is starting from his Dural 'digs'. David aka TreeHugger is finally back from a 12 months stint in London and is joining us, together with his erstwhile cycling companion, Steve P.

If you think you are >80% of joining us, can you e-mail Scribe and he will add ya in the above.

1st Leg: Nth Turra' 31km or Hornsby 16km to Andy's Cafe, Arcadia

¨ Longer Ride - Cinque Montagnes [94km] - 31km
Park in Valley Park Cres carpark on LHS (700m past Burns Rd) in Bobbin Head Rd Nth Turramurra to rollout by 6:30am from outside the Corner Cafe, for down/up Bobbin Head, arriving 1st Sag Stop (5 min) Kalkari Reserve after 9.9km. Thence 4km along Bobbin Head Rd.
Left into Belmont Pde. [becomes Royston Rd] hugging Asquith Golf Course on LHS.
Join Pac. Highway after R into Baldwin St and cross over railway line at Asquith train station, then veer R at traffic lights continue SW and shortly R into Galston Rd and pedal twds Hornsby Heights.

¨        Shorter Ride - Trois Montagnes [65km] - 16km
Rollout 7:05am Hornsby car-park [100m Nth/West of Railway Hotel in Jersey St] -
*    Nth up Jersey St for 500m,
*    L into Bridge Rd 40m to lights at Old Pacific H’way,
*    R and pedal 700m Nth; and
*    L at lights at Galston Rd and cycle twds Hornsby Heights.

Route now becomes common for both start points. NNW thru Hornsby Heights and descend to Galston Gorge and climb 3km to Crosslands Rd. Then left for 1.1km and Right at roundabout into Arcadia Rd for 4km to Wylds Rd and 100m further on Andy's Cafe for 1st Nosh Stop (40 min) arriving from 7:50am.

2nd Leg: Andy's Cafe to Pie in the Sky - 30km

8:30am pedal Nth along Galston Rd/Arcadia Rd which changes to Bay Rd at pastoral Berrilee, where a few km later after passing the familiar Koppers Log KOM descend to picturesque Berowra Waters for our 2^nd Sag Stop (10 min) - ride on the punt.
After another familiar climb, take a 3^rd Sag Stop (10 min) under cover at Former Pool Shop, before re-entering the Old Pacific H'way from Berowra Waters Rd. at 9am and cycle N past Cowan station and Pie in the Sky before descending to 'U' turn at Brooklyn Rd before climbing 3.85km back to Pie in the Sky at 10:10am for our 2^ndNosh Stop (30 min).

3rd Leg: Pie in the Sky to Hornsby 19km or Nth Turra' shops - 31km

10:40am commence return home Sth down Old Pacific H'way -

¨ enter Bobbin Head to Nth Turra' shops - ETR 12:05pm; or

¨ continue Sth onto Hornsby - ETR 11:25am.

Risk Warning
Ø Do not cycle over the metal girders on the ramp at the Berowra Waters ferry, if you opt to cycle off the ferry, 'cause you will come down hard, like many before you.
Ø Hardcopy these directions and bring on Sunday

Ø Expend 5 min studying your street directory for this route, if you haven't ridden it before

Ø Don't ride two abreast on single lane roads with an unbroken centre line and descend corners on wet roads as though you are skating on ice

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

Some forms of cycling are dangerous. An ave of 36 Australian cyclists have been killed annually since 2000. 95% of these fatalities occur on the road.

Other cyclists in Australia break bones and incur nerve impairment from falling off their bikes in accidents.

A cyclist could fall from his/her bike, inter alia, due to -
(i) being hit by a car or another cyclist; or
(ii) encountering a pothole;

(iii) cycling too fast on a wet downhill where the coefficient of friction is much less, particularly at corners; or
(iv) getting their bicycle wheel caught in a gap in a timber bridge.

A negligent cyclist could -

(a) be litigated by a seriously injured cyclist, or 3rd party (ie. a woman pushing a pram on a footpath or a car driver) under common law where the damages could exceed $500,000; and

(b) lose his/her home if he/she did not have public liability insurance which covers their negligence whilst on a push bike.

A negligent cyclist who did not have personal injury insurance (ie self-employed without income protection cover) could struggle to meet regular outgo commitments.

A seriously injured cyclist could be awarded damages which a negligent cyclist could not afford to pay if the negligent cyclist -
(I) did not have public liability insurance cover; and/or
(II) did not possess valuable assets.

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

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

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

Scribe's wrap-up of annual climb up Old Bathurst Rd to Springwood, then Richmond train to Seven Hills and M2, Kissing Point Rd - 93km - 7 cyclists

You don't have to be Albert Einstein to work-out that the climb up Old Bathurst Rd starts after 51.5km on the above map. The above 139km included a train ride from Blacktown to Emu Plains and another from Richmond to Seven Hills thereby reducing the ride to 93km