Muggaccinos.com     The Bullsheet    16th annual King of the Mountain Challenge 'open to all and sundry' - 5 days cycling

   
NB: 
Bank Teller's  Checklist for Berry       7 day weather forecast for Berry        Angus' anthem of Phil 

Berry Showground base camp  - Wed 24 Nov '21 to mid-arvo Sunday 28th Nov '21 -  5 listed climb days, with optional "flat rides to the coast" 

Muggaccinos cyclists invite you to the 16th annual King of the Mountain Challenge with most camping/caravan-ing at the verdant, bucolic Berry Showground which adjoins the 20 yards Berry Swimming Pool Our camp ground is 250m from Berry train station.  Trains take almost 3 hours from Central Railway Station to Berry Station and cost $6.70 single fare.


Indicative Attendance Schedule lists the names in GREEN BACKGROUND that have confirmed attending next Nov., subject to fine weather and no 11th hour catastrophe.  The final column lists those that have paid their booking fee, either fort the Showground or in a hotel, motel in the Berry township.

Shoalhaven Visitor Centre - 4421.0778 informs that camping fees at the Berry Showground are -

*       Unpowered Site for a tent - $13 per person per night.

*       Powered Site for a mobile home/caravan - $15.50 per person per night

*       Campers need to phone Shoalhaven Visitor Centre - 4421.0778 and inform their contact details and make full payment by 31st July 2021.

*       No refunds for cancellations 7 days prior to arrival.

*       Check in 1pm.  Check out 11am.

Click on Shoalhaven Visitor Centre's prepared Excel spreadsheet for Muggs' visit .  It outlines campers:

  • Itinerary number (to quote when phoning 4421.0078 by 31 July to pay for your booking
  • Site allocated
  • Camping fee amount owing

If you opt not to pay for your tentative booking by 31 July, not a prob, as your name gets 'scratched-off', and don't hang out waiting for a Christmas Card from Shoalhaven Visitor Centre.

14 Muggs (plus some wives) have booked accommodation thus far - Click on Excel file.

Accommodation (two hotels and two motels) in Berry, if you don't want to camp/caravan at quaint Berry Showground.

Further accommodation in or nearby Berry is available on AirBNB Complete the filters to inform exactly what accommodation you seek eg 2 bedrooms or 3 bedrooms and the number of beds sought.  BankTeller has registered on AirBNB, because you cannot book 'digs' unless you are Registered, thence AirBNB vets your Creds to ensure that you are not a ScumBag.


If you aren't up to serious climbing, then shorter / flatter routes are available from Berry:

*        East quiet countryside to Seven Mile Beach's National Park, picnic area and surf and return - 16km

*        Bomaderry via Sth down Wharf Rd, Ahead into Coolangatta Rd, R into Bryce's Rd, R into Back Forest Rd, R into Bolong Rd to Bomaderry and retrace - 44.4km

*        picturesque Gerroa Beach - a few flat kms away. 

*        rustic Gerringong and Shoalhaven Heads.

*        Bombaderry to Greenwell Point or onto Culburra Beach 'n back to Bombaderry (catch a train to Bombaderry)

#

Day

Date

Routes & Maps - embedded threads

Climbs
Elevations

  Route
km

  Day 1

 Wed

  24th

11am climb Woodhill Mountain descend via Wattamolla Rd to Kangaroo Valley, climb Cambewarra from Kangaroo Valley, descend to Bomaderry, then Back Forest Rd

2

  64.5

  Day 2

  Thurs

  25th

Catch 8:26 Berry train arriving Kiama 8:44am. Climb tiny Jerrara Mtn, then sheer Saddleback Mtn up Fountaindale Rd.  Descend and tour flatlands of Sth Kiama and Gerringong. Catch return train from Gerringong back to Berry 

  1

72.7 

  Day 3

Fri

  26th

Drive to Kiama either South from Sydney or North from Berry.  Catch 8:16am train to Albion Park arriving 8:36am,
climb Macquarie Pass to
Old Cheese Factory
,
for  1st Nosh Stop at Pig 'n Whistle Cafe, Robertson.  SWW to Fitzroy Falls. 
SE down Moss Vale Rd to Kangaroo Valley. Climb Berry Mtn
Catch 1.25pm or 2.43pm train from Berry to Kiama to collect 'wheels'

  2

 81.2

  Day 3

 Fri

  26th

Alternative Flatter Coastal Route7:33am train from Berry, arriving Bombaderry 7:42am to ride to Culburra Beach 'n back to Bombaderry  - route directions

 0

   81.0  

Day 4 

Sat

  27th

7:40am cycle 17km down main drag to Bomaderry for coffee at cafe outside train station or catch 8:09am train arriving Bomaderry 8:19am,
climb Cambewarra Mtn to Kangaroo Valley, climb Cambewarra Mtn from Kangaroo Valley, return Tourist Rd to Berry
Or alternatively skip leg to Kangaroo Valley and return Tourist Rd to Berry

  2

63.4

  Day 5

  Sun

  28th

8:30am climb Berry Mtn, Tourist Rd, The Lookout Tea Rooms.  Descend to Bombaderry, Back Forest Rd to Berry

  2

55.1 

Some previous KOM Challenge Rides with longer, tougher climbs  eg. Jamberoo Pass etc.

Directions to Berry and camping at Berry Showground

Meals at night from an array of fine restaurants befitting the quaint Berry township - toast of the Southern Highlands

Pics taken at previous annual Berry KOM Challenges

Pacific Pete's movie of Fri 17-18th Nov 2006 Berry "King of the Mountain" Challenge produced by Peter Tyson

Scribe's rap-up and pics from 4th Berry "King of the Mountain Challenge Series"  -  21 Climbers over 7 glorious days

Pete's pics of 2009 KOM Challenge

Pete's 2009 Berry KOM movie

Bank Teller's pics of Berry 2009

2010 7th Berry KOM Challenge pics

2011  8th Berry KOM Challenge pics

2012  9th Berry KOM ride pics as well as pics of three dodgy road sections (550m 'in toto') that Bank Teller is asking Shoalhaven Council to resurface

2013  10th Berry KOM rides, pleasantries, cemetery and 'potholes' pics

2018 15th Berry KOM pics

Download below poster for Berry KOM Challenge and invite your bike shop to display it, because more good road cycling "product", such as this annual five days assault on all the marvelous mountains in the Southern Highlands and Kiama, will induce more people to road cycling in the bestest concentration of serious climbs in NSW:

 

*        HTM version

 

Risk Warning:  King of the Mountain Challenge is targeted at road cyclists who have climbed lots of hills.  The ride schedule between Sat. to Sunday week entails climbing and descending 11 marvelous KOM Climbs.  Take the descents slowly, even if the cyclist ahead is ripping down the mountain.   One badly taken corner in concert with a motorist coming up the other way, could result in a bad accident...............for you, where they may need paint scrappers and blotters to get you back up.  The challenge is in the climb, not the descent.

Cinque Montagnes rap-up  -  94km - 11 cyclists (Bazza turned up later)

Above three pics from a smoky Andy's Cafe, Nth Galston

Above three pics at a 'hazy/dusty' Berowra Waters ferry

Two erstwhile Muggs, Grant aka BeanCounter and Martin aka Architect, at Berowra Sag Stop

Above three pics at the Berowra Sag Stop after scaling from the ferry, with Chris aka RecalcitrantBankTeller centre stage above

Above two pics at PitS - 2nd Nosh Stop

Scribe   0434 715.861