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Xmas Eve, Thurs 24 Dec '20 - 14th Annual "Tour de Old Bathurst Rd, Blaxland, Springwood, Yarramundi, Richmond" 

By 7am, ride from Vimiera Rd carpark, Marsfield to Seven Hills station to catch 8:16am (or 8:32am) train arriving 8:39am (or 9:01am) at Emu Plains station.  Then ride up Old Bathurst Rd, Blaxland, Springwood, NE along Hawkesbury Rd, Springwood Rd, thru Yarramundi to Richmond to catch train to Seven Hills and ride the below M2 alternate route back to Nth Vimiera Rd carpark, Marsfield - 86km - ETR 1:25pm

(Avoid very steep 2.33km Old Bathurst Rd by catching our 8:16am train from Seven Hills station, but not alight at Emu Plains station, but remain on for 3 more stops and alight at Blaxland station for 9km flattish ride to Springwood Nosh Stop 

WHO, WHEN, WHERE:

Ride Organiser:  Phil aka BankTeller  0434 715.861 and Eric aka PapaBear are starting at 6:55am from Vimiera Rd carpark, Marsfield. 

Bill aka Glasgow is meeting us at top of Pennant Hills Rd off-ramp around 7:10am.

George aka EnglishMan and Andrew aka Tugboat are meeting us at Emu Plains station for 8:16am train to Emu Plains. 
Peter aka AnotherBeanCounter, Matt aka Printer,   and Ron aka Draughtsman may also be starters.

APOLOGIES

If you think you are >80% of joining us, obviously contingent upon a fine morn', can you e-mail Scribe, and he will add ya.

1st Leg:  Start 7am from Nth Vimiera Rd carpark to Seven Hills station - 22km - 60 min

 

Nth Vimiera Rd carpark, Marsfield for 6:55am roll-out to arrive Seven Hills station by 8am to catch 8:16am (or 8:32am) train to Emu Plains station arriving 8:39am (or 9:01am).

Two 2nd Leg options:

*        Hard 2nd Leg:  Emu Plains station up mega precipitous Old Bathurst Rd to Blaxland station, thence Warrimoo and on to Springwood for Nosh Stop at The Subway - 17km - 65 min (agg 39km)

             Alight train at Emu Plains station at 8:39am on southern side and take path under rail line entering Old Bathurst Rd from Mackellar St for a level 2km stretch to a short but really steep KOM Climb starting 15m past traffic lights at Bus Stop sign and ending 2.05km later at Bowaga Ave for 1st Sag Stop  (10 mins). Continue West to Springwood arriving 9:45am for 1st Nosh Stop [30 min].

*        Or Easy 2nd Leg: Blaxland station thru Warrimoo and on to Springwood - 9km


Alight train three stations later at Blaxland station at 8.16am and wait for cyclists in Wilson Way (300m after we turn Right from Old Bathurst Rd) on our route to Warrimoo and Springwood.  Thence on roads which hug the Great Western H'way to Springwood arriving 9am for 1st Nosh Stop [30 min] at Aroma Cafe 300m down Raymond Rd on LHS of Macquarie Rd after 41.2km. 

3rd Leg:  Springwood to Richmond station to alight at either Seven Hills or Riverstone station - 26km - 70 min (agg 65km)

10:15am re-trace 250m back down Macquarie Rd;

Left following signs NE to Richmond, along Hawkesbury Rd, Springwood Rd, thru Yarramundi pulling-up at Hawkesbury Heights Lookout on RHS after about 12km for 5 min Sag Stop whilst gawking at the awesome view. 
Thence descend from the Hawkesbury Heights - Yarramundi Lookout to Richmond to catch train half hourly service at 11:11am or 11:41am or 12:01pm for 41 min trip to Seven Hills station arriving 12:22pm, 12:52pm. 

4th Leg:  Seven Hills station to Nth Vimiera Rd carpark, Marsfield  21km - 63 min (agg 86km) ETR 1:25pm

Alight at Seven Hills station at 12:22pm  -

Left into Terminus Rd for 300m

Left into Prospect Highway for 700m (care two lanes but no shoulder, so try and cycle with another cyclist beside you to occupy the entire lane);

Right into Abbott Rd/M2 for 11km being careful as some traffic roars up Seven Hills Rd;

Left off M2 at Pennant Hills Rd off-ramp;

Retrace 1st Leg above along Seven Hills Rd, Barclays Rd etc to Vimiera Rd - ETR 1:25pm.

Risk Warning
 Take the early steep descent of Kissing Point Rd slowly, as one lass who rode with Peloton Racing Club had a very nasty bingle 5 years ago, and David Hatley aka Radar broke two collar bones, and wrote-off his carbon bike, when a lady backed-out, and Radar's radar couldn't react in time to avoid a nasty rear-end whack

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"

Pics from the above Annual Christmas Eve Ride from Vimiera Rd, Marsfield on 24 Dec '20 - visiting Springwood and Richmond - 75.3km - 4½ riders

We cycled from Vimiera Rd, Marsfield to Seven Hills train station to catch a Choo Choo to Emu Plains station, thence scaled Old Bathurst Rd (max gradient of 15.1 degrees).  Bill aka Glasgow accompanied us on the M2 leg which was beneficial for an un-smart BankTeller.  Eric aka PapaBear exceeded his own expectations, for unlike BankTeller, Eric didn't walk any of that nasty climb.  Thence another 13km onto Springwood for 1st Nosh Stop.  Then 22km Nth to Richmond, stopping for a gawk down the mountain at Yarramundi Lookout.  George aka Englishman and Eric aka PapaBear cycled to Gladys's light rail at Tallawong.  Andrew aka TugBoat and BankTeller caught the train to Seven Hills and thence cycled the M2 back to the Vimiera Rd, Marsfield start point.

To view today's Annual Christmas Eve Ride Route in Google Earth:

Click on the 'Relive' image (on RHS).  Then click on the 'Right Arrow' therein. 

Then click on:  View interactive route >

Who looked the healthier at the apex of the nasty, arduous Old Bathurst Rd climb?  Eric turns 80 next b'day.  BankTeller turns 70 next b'day if he makes it.

Relaxing at a Springwood Cafe after surviving the dreaded climb up Old Bathurst Rd

Four pics of a verdant, lush, bucolic Penrith Plains viewed from Yarramundi Lookout

 

PapaBear thinks the sign says 'Tallawong',  But because occasionally Eric can be 'confused'.  Hence, PapaBear sought confirmation from George aka Englishman  "Are we there?"

Hornsby to Woy Woy, via Mt White - 65km - 5 riders

Pete aka CampyAficinado is admiring some poor large fish on sale

We were joined at Fisherman's Wharf by Ann's brother who hails from The Lakes District in England
Scribe   22 Dec  2019