Sunday, 16 Aug '15 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 mid-arvo 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: 

2nd Leg:  St Ives carpark to Church Point - 20.4km (agg 29.4km from Hornsby) - 45 min

• 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 10:50am 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 train or PigOut at Woy Woy Fisherman's Wharf:

*    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

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 at least 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"

Chris aka RecalcitrantBankTeller's  pics from last Sunday's "Turra' station, via Bobbin Head, to Mt White 'n back" - 100km  -  1 rider

3 degrees in Bobbin Head

A big crowd of motor bikers and cyclists at Mt White

Bank Teller   9 Aug '15