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Sunday, 14 Sept, at 7:45am “Hornsby, Cowan, Mt White, Calga" with Nosh Stops at Mt White and Pie in the Sky” – 84.5km - ETR midday

•           Ride Leader:  Brian Willis 9807.6439 hm 

•           Hardcopy these ride directions and bring on Sunday

1st Leg: Hornsby to Mt White Road Warriors' Cafe, incl Calga loop - 42km - 105 min

Park in Jersey St Hornsby street-side car-park 80m Nth of Railway Hotel - N/W side of Hornsby station. 

Rollout by 7:45am, -

• N up Jersey St  for 200m,

• L for 20m to traffic lights;

• R onto Old Pacific Highway passing Cowan station around 8:25am;

• pass Road Warriors' Cafe, Mt White around 9:10am [If you are slow, skip the 6.6km adjunct to Calga Interchange and call in to the cafe early.]

• "U" turn at Calga around 9:25am

• return to Road Warriors' Cafe around 9.40am for 1st Nosh Stop (30 min) where Segafredo Zanetti café is good, but you got to order quick, cause their can be a heck of a crowd on the terrace.

2nd Leg: Mt White Road Warriors' Cafe to Pie in the Sky - 16km - 35  min

Around 10:10am, re-mount and pedal 16km back to Pie in the Sky [65.5km] arriving around 10:45am for 2nd Nosh Stop (30 min).   

3rd Leg: Pie in the Sky to Hornsby - 19km - 45  min

11:15am commence the final 19km leg back to Hornsby – ETR 12pm [84.5km].

Samurai's rap-up of Sat 6 & Sun 7 Sept - Muggs' Mountain Bikers' w'end away in the Blue Mountains

What better way to celebrate the start of Spring than a weekend away in the Blue Mountains.  Last Sat. thirteen keen mountain bikers tackled the Anderson’s and Oak’s fire trails - 65kms of beautiful bushland.  Kaza aka Nurse Karen, Simon, Rummager, Adam & Eve, Craig, Marcel, Tornado, Rocket Ros, Arno & Sarah, Samurai and Nadine (soon-to-be-a Mugg) -

• rode the fast downhills, 

• crossed a couple of creeks, 

• sweated some very challenging climbs (where everyone’s granny was  very popular); and 

• breathed the clean, fresh-air away from the rat race.

Lunch was decided when an unwanted stick decided to test the strength of the rear derailleur on Ros’ mountain bike.  After a bit of persuasion with a large rock we managed to straighten the hanger and continue on.

Thirteen starter’s and thirteen finishers all intact, tired, dirty yet happy mountain bikers.  More than we can say about the group of five that we passed, where three of them were unlucky and managed to get a much closer look at nature then expected. Simon was a close eyewitness to one that came off doing 50km+

The evening meals were culinary delights that Nurse Karen whipped up with the amazing help and team work that we Muggaccinos know. We all decided she should be ‘Chef Karen’ not ‘Nurse Karen’. Arno and Marcel also celebrated their birthdays this weekend.  God knows how Marcel kept down the two tequila worms that he drank to celebrate his coming of age.

Sunday was a lovely hike down and around Fredirica Falls.  We eventually got there and worked out that we are much better cyclists than map readers.

It was very relaxing weekend for all.  We rode, we ate (too much), we drank and we conquered some big mountains. We also worked out an 8 person spa can fit 8 provided none of you have legs…….

Postscript from Ros:
A big thanks goes to Kaza for organising the weekend away, as 'twas a terrific choice.  And to Tony for assisting Karen organise the food (and baking delicious naan bread from scratch).  Also thanks to Simon for his leadership/technical expertise on both bike and hike.

Bank Teller's rap-up of Sunday, 12 Sept, Quatre Montagnes - 76km - 14 cyclists

Twas a cool o'cast Spring morn', albeit remaining dry, which evidenced 14 gather at Grumpy's Nth Galston after 35km.  

The above pic evidences 11 around the table at Grumpy's approaching 'ten bells' - with Jules 'n Katrina 'front of stage' with the dude (far LHS) , Bank Teller, lookin' overly pensive for a Sunday morn'.  But boy isn't there a scraggy bunch of lads shootin' the breeze twds the back of pic.  How are we going to attract more Sheilas, with a scraggly crowd of chaps like that?

The Three Musketeers, Dave, Andrew 'n Steve, joined the crew from Turra' this morn' and their presence was warmly welcomed.  The pic RHS evidences Andrew rolling into Berowra Park after 67km having suffered a flat during the 3.95km climb from the ferry.  The frame Andrew is hanging onto is a +20 year old Peugeot, which by today's standards falls into the category of an "Old Clunker".   Let's hope Andy doesn't follow-suit with the likes of Rolf, Navigator 'n Pacific Pete who have invested big-time in expensive treadleys.  Cause whilst they've benefited from the investments with new PBs and KOMs, their wallets ain't.

NB:  This wrap of Bullet's obvious penchant for cycling down hill mega fast, ain't an encouragement for Craig to launch himself into oblivion. Me hopes Craig limits his  enthusiasm to safe clear downhills, and not the hell-raiser he displayed earlier today descending from Arcadia/Berrilee to Berowra Waters where first Scribe and then Malvern Star almost got sucked into his after-burners as Bullet plummeted past us, seemingly on a death-wish.

Craig aka Bullet, lives on the Central Coast.  During those frigid morns thru mid-Winter, Craig, has often jumped an early train from the Central Coast to link-up with Muggs whilst most of us were still rubbing the sleep out of our eyes. Craig has a cycling wife, and two billy-lids, under  2 who know what it is like to be towed behind a push-bike.  Craig and his cycling team, are joining Muggs at Dungog. Why has Craig been lumped with the label, Bullet?  Cause he goes "like shit out of Shanghai" down the slops.  Bullet's exceptional speed on the downhills is a function of aerodynamic excellence 'n contour, a non-gangly body, magic wheels and a lot of gumption.  Put 'em all together, and Craig can match anyone down the hills, and beat well nigh all.

Following Sunday, 21 Sept, 7:45am from Hornsby, Brunch at Pearl Beach - 84km

Scribe  - 7 Sept '03