Sunday, 27 July '14 to Palm Beach, catch 11am ferry to Patonga, pedal to Woy Woy, catch Iron Horse to Brooklyn and pedal back to St. Ives'

*    Hornsby Jersey St carpark 8:40am for 85.9km -  ETR Hornsby 3:10pm; or  

*    St Ives carpark 9:10am for 89km  -  ETR St Ives 4pm

Shorter option:  Stay on train from Woy Woy all the way back to Hornsby, reducing route by 19km
By starting at Hornsby you avoid the ride leg from Hornsby to St Ives after alighting the train at Hornsby

1st Leg:  Hornsby Jersey St carpark to St Ives carpark - 9km - 25 min

8:40am cycle the following main roads route which early on Sunday morn' has low road traffic which follows the street signs to St Ives: 

• E along Mona Vale Rd for 6.6km;

• L [opposite Forest Way - at Terrey Hills Fruit Barn] into Myoora Rd and take a 1st Sag Stop (5 min) - don't cluster at Sag Stop, rather spread thin to get well to LHS of Myoora Rd;

• Ahead along Myoora Rd for 200m, and fork right, still Myoora Rd for 2.9km

• R into Booralie Rd for 300m passing Terrey Hills shops and roundabout;

• L to McCarrs Creek Rd and descend 2.2km into the park - to the V (dual entrances to the park);

• R fork and pedal 2.8km descending McCarrs Creek Rd to McCarrs Creek bridge;

• Ahead 5.5km along McCarrs Creek Rd to Church Point at 9:55am 2nd Sag Stop (10 min) - Be ready to roll out promptly to catch 11am ferry;

3rd Leg:  Church Point to Palm Beach via direct route up main beach road - 15km - 45 min (agg 44.4km from Hornsby)

By 10:05am cycle -

• East twds Mona Vale for 3½km - road becomes Pittwater Rd past Cabbage Tree Rd (on RHS) to Mona Rd;

• L into Mona Rd for 200m up real steep short hill to crest;

• Right for 700m;

• L into busy Barrenjoey Rd for 11km of views of the Blue Pacific past Bungan Beach thru Newport, Bilgola, Avalon, Whale Beach to arrive Palm Beach Wharf at 8:50am on the bay side arriving to purchase some grits and embark 11am Palm Beach and Hawkesbury River Cruises ferry 0414 466.635 to Patonga Wharf for 1st Nosh Stop (30 min) on the ferry boat.

4th Leg:  Patonga to Woy Woy station - 15km (agg 59.4 km from Hornsby) - 45 min
After 30 min entering majestic/blue Brooklyn Waters from Palm Beach wharf at 11:30am cycle -

• 5.3km up Patonga Drive initially from Start 100m up from wharf at Transformer box for 2.77km ave gradient 6.77% to KOM at 4 Wheel Drive Unsealed Road on LHS Pearl Beach Drive on RHS;

• Ahead for 3.2km past the Umina Beach 180^o "U" turn (during the descent) where road changes to Mt Ettalong Rd, then thru Ettalong to SW Woy Woy;

• R into Hobart for 200m;

• L into Sydney Ave for 150m Sag Stop (5 min) outside Shell petrol station just prior to Ocean Beach Rd and GET OFF THE ROADWAY;

• Ahead crossing Ocean Beach Rd and along West St for 400m;

• L into Trafalgar Ave for 2.9km;

• R into McMasters Rd for 450m; and

• L into Blackwall Rd for 950m to Railway St (at traffic lights) to Woy Woy station and catch the hourly:

*    All-Stops train at 12:23pm [$3 fare] arriving at Hawkesbury River station 14 min later at 12:37pm; or

*    or Express train to Hornsby at 12:57pm arriving at Hornsby station 36 mins later 

5th Leg:  Brooklyn to Pie in the Sky - 7.5km (agg 66.9 km from Hornsby) - 25 min
12:40pm cycle 3.6km West along Brooklyn Rd and climb 3.9km Nth for 3^rd Nosh Stop (20 min) at Pie in the Sky from 1pm.  

6th Leg:  Pie in the Sky -
*             1:20pm to Hornsby - 19km (agg 85.9km from Hornsby) 50 mins - ETR 2:10pm; or

*             1:20pm to St Ives via Bobbin Head - 31.7km - 70 min  (agg 89km from St Ives) - ETR 4:00pm

Pic from last Sunday's Hornsby to Brooklyn Wharf, 'n back via PitS  - 4 cyclists - 52km

Four intrepid warriors, three of whom are training for Tour de Italia, ventured out on a chilly, windy Sunday - seen here at PitS after visiting Brooklyn Pier cafe

Syd aka MotorMechanic (far LHS) is resplendent in his newly acquired ($70) long sleeve Muggaccinos, thick winter jersey

Last Saturday was the coldest, bleakest Sydney day this Winter.  The strong winds were relentless.  Nonetheless Scott aka PatternMaker (in the yellow wind jacket) completed a further 10 ascents from Crosslands Reserve to the Entrance Gate equivalent to scaling the 48 switchbacks up Stelvio from Prad which 6 Muggs will be riding this August on Tour de Italia. 

Alas, Scott is ‘brain dead’. Bank Teller sought to ‘put the hat around’ for a new brain for Scott, asking if anyone knew where he can get a cheap one?  Bank Teller donated $150 to Organ Transplant Australia hoping to get Scott priority on the queue.  Scott informed his wife, Jane, who retorted an emphatic "No".  Seemingly Jane has taken years to re-format Scott's existing Noggin.  Looks like Jane had better consider another 'reformat' wipeing all existing data and starting with a clean sheet.  Watch a few secs of Scott's 30 min YouTube leaving his Seven Hills home in the dark this morning on his TrustyTreadley. 

Now back from cycling in the Dolomites and Ortler Alps, Scott's movie finishes with Eric aka PapaBear, holding court at PitS, with loud noises coming out of PapaBear's head, extolling the merits of avoiding the popular roads on weekends in Northern Italy due to plagues of motor bikes.  Eric says, "Pick the quite backroads of the less popular rides on the w'ends, and ride the popular routes midweek."

Bank Teller   20 July '14