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Farewell to Cowan General Store commemorative bicycle ride  (It closes up for ever at 4pm, Sunday, 29th March) 
Nihil Montagnes  -  Depart Hornsby 9am cycling north up Old Pacific H'way, left into Beaumont Rd (at Mt Ku'ring'gai) for 1.8km out and 2.3km back by including the out/back on Gundah Rd on the return leg along Beaumont Rd.  Then ride further north passing Berowra to Cowan General Store & Cafe for only Nosh Stop (40 mins) from around 10am. 
10:40am cycle 15.3km back to Hornsby. - 34.5km - ETR 12:10pm. 
Or turn Left into Bobbin Head Rd and ride 4km to Kalkari Reserve, then retrace back to Asquith golf course for left back to Hornsby Carpark - 44km - ETR 1pm

WHO, WHEN, WHERE:
 Ride Organiser:  Phil Johnston aka Scribe [1st Acceptor], Princess Caroline [3rd Acceptor]. Eric aka PapaBear [5th Acceptor), David aka OnceAnIronman [6th Acceptor), John aka Auckland [7th Acceptor], Jane aka NeoLuddite [8th Acceptor] Gabrielle S. [9th Acceptor] , Elfi aka QANTAS Hostie [10th Acceptor], are starting from Hornsby Carpark by 9am and cycling due Nth to our Nosh Stop at Cowan General Store & Cafe.

Barry aka BackPacker [2nd Acceptor] and Terry aka Navigator [4th Acceptor] plan to meet us at Cowan General Store & Cafe around 10am.

OTHER INVITEES
 Pete aka CampyAficinado,  Chris aka RecalcitrantBankTeller,

APOLOGIES:
 Matt aka MotorMan has an appointment at St Ives Showground - possibly motor vehicle related.

Ann aka ToothFairy participating in a 25km charity walk from Rose Bay to Randwick for the Randwick children's home

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

 

Risk Warning

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 "passing your inside" or words to that effect.

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 (i.e.. 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 (i.e. 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"

 

Last Sunday, 7 July '24 - Hornsby to Estuary Cafe, Kangaroo Point, Brooklyn 'n back -  40km - 5 riders

 

Alas the sunshine didn't last.  We encountered some light, chilly, moist rain on the return leg. An 8km climb from water level at Hawkesbury River up to the Cowan Cafe.

 

 

 

Sunday, 16 June - Hornsby, via Berowra Waters to Glenorie and back via Galston Gorge - 64km - 7 riders

BankTeller missed the Berowra Waters ferry.  Or is it called a 'Punt'

 

Above and below pics at the large at The Vintage Secret Garden that an earlier generation of Muggaccinos regularly frequented when its nomenclature was GreenShades Nursery

 

 

                     Three Muggs settled into the 'no calorie cakes, jam and cream'.  I understand that The Vintage Secret Garden wouldn't allow us to 'settle our account' individually, and
                      that Matt paid the entire bill of $93 circa, predicated upon others remitting their costs to his bank account.  One or two of us might have paid Matt cash. Or (by verbal arrangement) pay Matt cash shortly.
                      As tap and go is a simple, fast payment process, am surprised The Vintage Secret Garden doesn't take individual, pay as you order, paying with a plastic. 
                      Most cafes charge a small Merchant Service Fee, even for Debit Cards.
                      There used to be a cafe on the LHS of the main roundabout (344 Galston Rd) now called Sugar Salt Cafe which used to take individual orders.

The burst of Winter sunshine was warmly enjoyed at The Vintage Secret Garden (nee GreenShades Nursery)

Sunday, 28th April - Hornsby or Berowra to Saddles Cafe, Mt White 'n back - 50km -  7 riders

Thanks to Matt for the pics "on-the-go" which seem to evidence another side of Matt, not evident when talking small talk in the saddle. Otherwise known as "action shots'.  Final two pics below evidence six Muggs soaking up latish Autumn sunshine at Saddles.  It didn't disappoint Muggs that are familiar with highfalutin and regal treatment on their Sunday ride.  Don't know if Eric is waving a stick at the photographer.

 

 

Sunday, 28th Jan - Hornsby to Brooklyn and back - 46km - 5 riders

 

 

 

Matt's two pics

 

 

 

Elfi's pic.

Sunday, 21st Jan '24 Ayres Rd, Nth St Ives to West Head and back - 44km - 3 riders

 

 

 

 

Sunday, 15th Oct '23 Ayres Rd, Nth St Ives, Duffys Forest, then descent McCarrs Creek Rd to Flying Fox Cafe, Mona Vale. Return via Akuna Bay, Illawong Bay.  76km - 6 participants

 

John aka Auckland and PapaBear were the only two riders to venture into Akuna Bay on the return from Flying Fox Cafe, Mona Vale where the above two picks were 'snapped'.

Sunday, 8 Oct '23 - Hornsby, Galston Gorge, Berrilee, Berowra Water and return - 46km - 6 riders


Speed was on over the 1st Leg via Galston Gorge to 1st Nosh Stop at Water Vista Cafe Berowra Waters, as evident on a few faces incl BankTeller.  All except BankTeller reversed the route, adding a third climb, due to a serious motor bike accident 400m up Berowra Waters Rd (on the East side) that halted the punt for about 80 mins in toto.

 

 

 



To view BankTeller's C/W route last Sunday using Google Earth,
click on 'Relive'. 
Then click on the 'Right Arrow' therein. 

Then click on:  View interactive route >

 

 

 

Sunday, 6 Aug '23:  -  Hornsby to The Proud Toast Cafe, Cowan, returning via Kalkari Reserve - 40km

 

 

Sunday, 28 May '23 - Hornsby Carpark to Red Herring Cafe, Brooklyn Pier. Thence return. - 3 cyclists - 53.7km

David aka TreeHugger, David aka OnceAnIronMan and BankTeller recovering at Cowan General Store & Cafe after having the bee Jesus frightened out of us by too many reckless noise-hunger motor bike riders during our ascent from Brooklyn Rd.

View our ride route from Hornsby to Brooklyn Pier and back.
 Click on the 'Relive' image on LHS. 
Then click on the 'Right Arrow' therein. 
Then click on: View interactive route >

 

 

Sunday, 9 Jan '22, Tallawong, Windsor, Richmond, up the nasty climb to Yarramundi Lookout, Springwood, Mitchells Pass, Penrith - 66km - 5 riders

 

 

Five Muggs attempting to appear cheerful at Windsor

 

 

Lots of recent rain falls in the Penrith Valley

 

To view our Annual January anti-C/W Windsor, Richmond, Yarramundi, Springwood, Penrith ride route in Google Earth:

Click on the 'Relive' image below.  Then click on the 'Right Arrow' therein. 

Then click on:  View interactive route >

13.3% appears to be the steepest gradient on the nasty climb up to Yarramundi Lookout.  But the initial straight section at the start of the climb seemed steeper.

 

 

Anti-C/W loop of Greater Sydney - 5 riders - lots of kilometres

Eric aka PapaBear and Chris aka RecalcitrantBankTeller cycled 147km, including scaling the nasty last part of Kissing Point Rd.  George aka Englishman perhaps a few less. 

BankTeller clocked The Ton after adding in cycling to Nth Sydney station and from Wynyard station over the Harbour Bridge, 'cause the trains on the Harbour Bridge were OFF.

We wont be cycling the M2/M7 again midweek, albeit no 'close calls' yesterday. 

It will be mandatory on future Muggs' rides on the M2 and M7 to stop your bicycle (come to a HALT)  immediately prior to each 'off-ramp', eg Windsor Rd, so as to enjoy unimpeded vision of when it is entirely safe to cross back onto the M2 or M7 from the off ramp, because you could be real dead, real fast without clear vision of approaching vehicles that expect cyclists to know better.

 

T'was a nice flattish ride 'til we hit the Yarramundi Mountain.

 

Click on 'Relive', then the Right Arrow therein, to view our BankTeller's above 96km route yesterday in a Google Earth video.

Then click on:  View interactive route > and move around the screen with your right mouse key, to evidence a further application of Google Earth 

 

Our initial Sag Stop at Windsor on a coolish, occasionally dampish morn', especially thru Cornwallis.

 

Annual Sutherland to Wollongong New Year's Day ride - 5 cyclists

 

 

Sunday, 27 Sept - Hornsby via Berowra Waters to Glenorie Chicken Shop. Thence return via Galston Gorge to Hornsby - 52km - 7 riders. 
Although a few crew cycled a LOT further.

  

Pete aka CampyAficinado wasn't going to stop chomping on his whatever burger.  Although Bill aka Glasgow and George aka Englishman desisted sipping on their mild, legal drug, and Eric aka PapaBear managed to take a breath. 
Meanwhile recalcitrant/erstwhile Jean aka ChiliDog pondered the utility of preachings that he had missed Eric aka PapaBear sermonize from the mount to his brethren an Extremist Religious Sect. 
Or are Muggs merely compliant sheep?  Because we can't stop Eric gospelizing on the Sabbath, so just put up with it.  And pretend to be interested.

Six out of seven were in regulatory uniform

Midweek ride - Thurs 1st Oct - Nth Wollongong up Mt. Keira, along the ridge, down Mt. Kembla, returning to Nth Wollongong - 33km -  5 riders

Evident in the above image, the maximum gradient was 16.8 degrees shortly prior to the cafe.  It claimed PapaBear and BankTeller who each walked about 110m

 

Click on 'Relive', then the Right Arrow therein, to view our Mt Kieran ascent 'n back in Google Earth.

Then click on:  View interactive route > to evidence a further application of Google Earth 

On the Choo Choo to Nth Wollongong station

Jean took the above snap of BankTeller struggling twds the top.

Lots of snaps from Mt Kieran Lookout Cafe on a bonza, balmy day

Views of the South Coast from the Lookout, incl where we had started the ascent

Din dins at the full of history Mt Kembla Village Hotel was a popular pick

Scribe    2 Oct '20