Ride Reports and News — all cycling events
TDCC - CCTCC - Friday Skylarkers - Watagan Wanderers - Tucker ToursContributions invited - send to toukleykayakers@iprimus.com.au
Sunday 5 February 2012 - CCTCC The Entrance for coffee. Meet at Wyong Rotary Park (next to the river bridge) 0900. Easy 30km ride.
Wednesday 8 February 2012 - TDCC ride to Cams wharf. Meet at Gorokan Fish Co-op car park 0915 for half past. 55km.
Danny
Not quite - latest update from Richard:
Hi Danny,
After coffee with you and Doug, I road [sic] to Budgewoi via Noraville, continued round the lake to Charmhaven bridge then Toukley and returned home via River road, Wyong and Tuggerah; about 70km and not much rain except for a shower as I rode through The Entrance.
See you, Richard
It rained all day, so there was no ride, but we had a nice meeting, with 35 members attending, and welcomed in our new committee, President Warwick, VP John, Treasurer Peter, Sec Sue, and members Don and Col. Danny remains Publicity Officer but not on Committee. A big vote of thanks was moved for Kevin and Jean who looked after the club for 15 years. A special welcome to Warwick who has taken the reins and we all feel the club is in good hands still. And welcome to Col who has joined us as ordinary member on the committee. Thanks to all the committee who have volunteered to do the job no-one else wants to do.
Danny
Despite the forecast of rain, it was fine and sunny when we finally gathered at Doug's after some hassles. We decided to ride north through Charmy and around Budgewoi Lake on the bike path, to Budgie, then down to The Entrance and around Tuggerah Lake.
There were Doug, Danny, young Peter, Richard and Barry, after Col pulled out due to going o/s on Sunday. When we got to Chittaway it suddenly clouded over and started raining on us. We sheltered for a while under a tree, but this proved unsatisfactory, so we pushed on to Wyong through the warm humid breeze laced with light rain. Richard sensibly decided to pull the plug at this stage and went back home. Peter continued straight home at Wyong while Doug, Baz and I enjoyed a lovely coffee at the railway café.
Thus refreshed, we pressed on down the river road back into fine weather and dry clothes. A very pleasant ride with friends is good for body and soul.
Danny
Overcast with showers forecast and only 7 riders turned out for our first ride in 2012. As some would have done little riding for about 6 weeks, a short ride was planned, first to the lookout at Pelican Beach then back to Soldiers Point and a sausage sizzle at the Carcary’s home at Canton Beach. No problems were experienced but most found the short steep rise at Pelican Beach trying. The rain held off until we arrived at lunch and fortunately those who had left their cars at the start were able to get transport back to the Co-op, then return to load their bikes. Considering the weather, it was a very enjoyable day.
Regards Don
Despite the threatening weather 19 riders assembled at Gorokan for the ride down south. A warm NE breeze of 15 knots helped us on our way down WilBar Drive, and kept us cool on the way back up.
The rain held off on our southward journey, via Killarney Vale and Cresthaven Drive (hilly!). We had our lunch under the shelters round the corner from our usual spot, good decision as the rain started as we finished lunch. Peter Holt was under doctor's orders not to ride, but turned up at the start to sign us in, then he brought the coffee stuff down to Batto Bay for us. Thanks Pedro! Also we celebrated Clarrie's imminent birthday (Friday) when he will turn 78 - congratulations Clarrie!
We waited for 20 minutes till the rain eased then set off home, but the steady fine rain ensured we were soaked by the time we got back to Norah Head cemetery. As the weather was still warm and humid nobody noticed the wet clothes and no-one complained. Not much point, is there! Even when I got my 4th flat front tyre in a week on The Corso, Doug and Col and I just dealt with it, even though our shoes were full of water.
A good 55km ride only slightly marred by the damp conditions.
Danny
The top ten riders of the club turned up for today's ride from Wyong, led by Danny, in a warm and windy ambience (20-25 knots).
There was a slight struggle against the wind as we headed NE into the SSE breeze, but we hoped to get it coming mostly from the back on the return trip. Eventually we made it to Soldiers Beach where we had a nice coffee, cake and a chat, while Anne William's front tyre quietly deflated due to an embedded crystal of glass.
As expected the ride back was easier, and Doug and Barry went straight home as they had ridden down to Wyong for the start. Others on the ride included Sue and Steve, Big Paul, Joel, Roy P and Boston Bill. A great bunch with whom to enjoy a Sunday bike ride!
Danny
Four Mouseketeers (Danny, Doug, Col and Richard) took the Pajero Express to Cessnock on a warm, humid, sometimes cloudy day. It became quite hot later and added to our discomfort generated by the many hills on the route Doug had planned for us.
This ride was a rehearsal for a TDCC ride for the next program, and included 3.5km of hard dirt roads in sections, four big hills, and many smaller ones. At the end we decided it would be too much for some riders so it should be modified. We visited many interesting and well-known spots, had coffee at the Hunter Valley Gardens area (Bliss Coffee Grinders). The whole ride is on the road, often without any bike lane, and the gravel sections are hard and bumpy, but we were on road bikes with skinny tyres, with no problems, except for Danny getting another front tyre puncture (the 3rd in a few hours of riding between Wednesday and today).
We certainly enjoyed our lunch back at the Cessnock park, tired but happy little pedallers.
Danny
A warm, humid and cloudy day gave way to sunny and hot. Twenty members led by Peter Holt performed a leisurely circumnavigation of the area (Teralba, Wakefield, Awaba), punctuated by Danny getting two flats (a pinch and a puncher).
A few gentle hills to make it worthwhile (for the metabolismo) but only 35km, which was enough for anybody on such a warm and sticky date pudding [predictive text]. Pete had brought the tea and coffee and bikkies and we all left by 1.30pm. Very nice, thanks Pedro!
Danny
Pam was keen to do the CCTCC twilight ride so off we went. The ride had done 6 km when we ran into the biggest rain storm I have seen for years, if ever. We waited under the underpass, at great risk of being swept away by a flash flood, then called the ride off, rode back and went home.
No rain at Batto Bay but HEAVY rain at Gosford.
You did not miss anything.
Richard
Doug and I preferred an early ride today, so we met at the Fish Co-op at 0800 and headed down Wilbar Drive. It was cloudy, had been raining a lot but it was warm and pleasant with a modest SE breeze. No rain fell on us, but it was humid (77%) and all my clothes were wet when we got to The Entrance.
Richard met us at North Entrance and stayed with us to Tacoma where we were looking for Dragon Boat races, but sadly they were on yesterday. We had coffee at the Wyong Rail café at 9.30, so 90 minutes from Gorokan around to Wyong.
Summary: a very pleasant ride on a lovely morning. Plenty of other cyclists around but few walkers for a Sunday.
Danny
Just the four of us, Danny, Col, Doug and Richard, headed straight up Lizzie Bay Drive on our way to Swansea. We did see John Daley coming back the other way from his early ride.
Conditions were near perfect with warmish temps (up to 26°C), cloudy with a lovely breeze from somewhere. Coffee as usual at Cozzie's then on to Belmont and Warners Bay before we had lunch at Speers Point. We stayed on the road most of the way as it's safer and quicker - too many strollers, dogs, yummy mummies and scooters on the bike path.
Then down to Fassi rail for the train back to Warnervale (Tuggerah for Richard), and home. Nice ride of about 65 to 90km depending on where one lives. Doug and I are going for a ride Sunday morning - 8.00am at the Co-op.
Danny
Peter Holt led us via Wyong on our trip to Long Jetty. Conditions were warm and sunny with a strong NW breeze blowing from 15-25 knots. This breeze was never any use to us but made life harder coming up WilBar Drive and heading west back to home. It warmed up after lunch and was 32°C by the time I got home.
Pedro's lovely wife Jean turned up at the Jetty with tea, coffee and delicious cake, and bikkies, which was gratefully received. Bryce has got a transfer to Newcastle so we won't see him or Sally very often now. But this time at least they brought their friend Dave who is a champion sprinter from the Blackburn club in Melbourne. Welcome Dave! It is Sal's birthday today so we wished her well. Big Bob turned up for lunch so it was good to see him again too. His knee continues to improve but isn't there yet.
A fairly tough ride with all the heat and wind and stuff, but not as bad as last Wednesday's horror ride. Well done to everyone for coping without a word of complaint. What a bunch of troopers!
Danny
PS Here is Kee's video of today's ride.
Just the four of us, John D, Richard, Col and Danny, were keen to face the atrocious weather today - southerly winds over 25 knots, light showers... There was some discussion on where we should go, but as I insisted on going around Budgewoi Lake and home, the others planned something based on that but in the end we just went round the small lake to the Charmhaven bike shop, then went home. For Richard of course this meant riding back down WilBar Drive into this ferocious wind, while Col had a tail wind straight home. At least it wasn't hot like Wednesday, only 20° today, but not enjoyable. For those who thought about coming and didn't, well left! Jen and Gra had checked in earlier on the phone but, as it was raining at CVB, they went shopping instead. Good call!
Danny
Hi Danny,
Yes, yesterday, after having used up :
2 previously repaired tubes,
one of Col's new tube and
2 on-site repairs,
I still couldn't fix my puncture. This was also after having solicited helps from Nathan, Col, Bob Wark, Doug, etc, etc, so it was not due to the lack of trying.
This morning, I threw away the tyre and fixed on another used tyre and a repaired tube (didn't want to waste another new tube), and it punctured again. I can assure you that there is no sharp sprinter on the wheel rim.
I have given up and will buy a new wheel if needed.
Went to the Kuing-gai Bike Shop in Hornsby and the only explanation it could give was that the wheel liner might have a hole and the tube could have blown through and burst like a balloon.
To be smart, I am asking it to fix a new tube and tyre for me.
J Daley, I am holding on to your tyre liner and tube. Since the tube was still punctured in spite of the liner, on reflection, we should place this additional liner next to the rim instead.
Kee
Thursday 5 January - update on yesterday's ride
Further to my report on yesterday's ride, Doug and Sue advise that Kee continued to have problems with his tyre, after which they gave up, and Doug rang Sue to drive up to Mirrabooka and retrieve Kee and his woe-begone bike.
Meanwhile after Clarrie, Warrick and Robyn set off down Wyee Road back to base, the rest of the group soon followed. Clarrie was struggling (78 year old guy on 37° day) and had to walk up some hills on the way to Wyee. Peter decided to hang back with Clarrie, but rode ahead up a hill and waited for him at the top. Clarrie then rode past him without either of them noticing the other. Peter started to worry and rode way back looking for him. Clarrie by then had pulled into a service station where he remained unnoticed as searchers went past. Eventually they found him, but he was in no condition to continue, so Col rang his wife Jan, who threw the bike rack in the Falcon and came and got Clarrie.
The others all rode back to Gorokan, some not arriving till 4 o'clock. The distance for most was over 60km, so for me coming back via the freeway it would have been 70.
Don't forget next Sunday's Moonlight Ride starting at the Fish Co-op at 7.00pm, and another ride on Wednesday around the lake.
Danny
We knew this was going to be a tough ride as the 16 of us set off from Gorokan, with Wyee Road, Hue Hue Road and temperatures over 30°C on the agenda. We picked up Jen and Gra at Doyalson, and although it was already quite warm there seemed to be a nice NE breeze to cool us off.
By Morisset we were all going quite well, but the weather got warmer and the drinks were disappearing fast. In Morisset Hospital Col got a puncture which left most of us sitting around in the shade trying to keep cool. After that, Pedro took us out of the hospital along Silky Oak Drive, aided only by his car GPS, east towards Morisset Park and into a maze of roads which eventually took us to Sugar Bay, Mirrabooka, where we finally found a nice waterfront reserve to have lunch. Peter's bike had fallen over earlier and as expected he had bent his hanger which necessitated some serious engineering to fix. At the same time Kee tried several times to fix a puncture, so we spent a lot of time here.
Some of us (Warrick, Robyn, Clarrie and I) finally set off with Wazz's idea of a map in his head. Looking at the map now I see many times we could have gone a much better way, but as it was we wound our way up to Fishery Point Road, and turned the wrong way. After climbing a huge hill we found a little quaint service station, with Ma and Pa Kettle having lunch in the lubritorium, who told us we were at the wrong end of Fishery Shit Road and going the wrong way. But every cloud has a silver lining, and they had cool drinks and chilled water for us. To cut a long story short, we all headed homewards as quick as we could, so Hue Hue Road was discarded as too hard on such a hot day. I don't know where they went as I headed down the F3 as my version of the quickest way home. Although it is a fast route, it was very hot and long and I felt like I was cooking in a moderate oven. Miraculously a small cool change hit, with cloud and a drop in temp, just enough to save me. By the time I got home (after 3.00pm) I was so knackered I could barely stand. Better now after IV fluids and bed rest.
A tough day which we will all remember! Thanks Pedro!
Danny
The NBN weather said there was a brief thunderstorm which died out, there's my cool change, and the temperature for Lake Macquarie was 37°. See update on this ride above.
Thirteen riders led by Annie S met at Lions Park and headed towards Erina, picking up another member at Avoca Drive. We entered Erina Fair for a squiz, then popped back out on Karalta Drive, then I think up Jessie Hurley Drive (named after a local lady who lived to 112) to Terrigal Drive. When we got into Terrigal we turned left into Willoughby Road to add some distance, back via Windsor Road and around the lagoon into Terri.
Here there was a split of the group with the Toukley guys, Rod, Pedro, John Hallet, Danny, and Doug, riding straight home from there, via WilBar Drive and Noraville. The first three of these amigos rode from home to Gosford to start, so they all finished with about 75-80km. Doug and I caught the train down so 55km was the distance. Enough for me as the NE wind picked up all day to both cool and slow us. The temperature also climbed and was about 29°C by 1.00pm.
The southern contingent stayed for fish and chips at Terrigal and I hope got back to Gosford without incident. Nothing on the news yet.
Danny
This is what the wind did today:
Home Page | What to bring | Where to find us | Ride Calendar | Eazy Rides | Photo Gallery