Baulkham Hills to The Entrance via F3. Advice needed please.

[eon]

Hi ..

Family is planning on going to the entrance on the weekend. Will be coming from Baulkham Hills area.
Planning to leave about mid morning-ish --> 9am ETA to destination about 10-10:30am.

I was contimplating on riding up there and meet the rest of the clan there. Distance is about 95kms to destination. So I estimated that it may take me about 4hours - maybe a little bit more to get there, if i can average at 25km/h. Not even sure if this is achiavable ( ?? not sure about the hills on the way up there ?? )

M7 path - can do from baulko to preston and back (91kms) on an average of about 27-29 ( depending on the day wind etc etc ) but am asuming that the M7 path is nowhere near as hilly as going to the entrance ??

So if i leave say at 5:30am -- maybe even 5:00am - i should have enough time to get up and meet the family there.

Having not done the ride previously my questios are :
Can i ride the F3 motorway from pennant hills ( is there a shoulder ) all the way to "The Entrance" ?
Anything I need to watch out for ?
Any Killer Hills on the way ?

Thanks

[heliage]

Hey Ehly, good luck with this.

You can't go on the freeway the whole way, in fact I think the first part you have to take the Pacific highway, all the parts you can't just have a big no cyclist sign, and says for you to take the exit to the pacific highway (right next to it).

A few good hills you'll enjoy on your way up, and make sure your breaks are working properly, you need em for the cool descents .

Pacific highway was good for the part I rode to that big lake, however not sure if theres still roadwork being done past it. Also hear that freeway has a bit of rubbish, usually descent after rain which means you should have no problem .

But be careful if it was really windy / rain, parts of the pacific highway after a windstorm left the whole shoulder full of leaves and sticks, which when raining don't make a good combination.

Have fun and good luck

Nicholas

[eon]

hmmm... might have to think twice about this ride.

I'm too unfamiliar with the roads.

thanks nic...

[mikeg]

An alternative route is to go via Palm Beach and catch the ferry across to Ettalong near WoyWoy. See Bike North's Beyond Barrenjoey Ride http://www.bikenorth.org.au/calendar/ri ... ubmit=view for an example, which goes via St Ives, Terry Hills, Church Point, to Palm Beach. You would need to check Ferry times though.

[L'iota]

No bicycles on F3 Waitara to Kariong. Take Pacific Highway and rejoin F3 at Kariong. There is a well marked 2km detour before the F3 onramp at Kariong. Then F3 to Cobbs Road interchange at Tuggerah and along Wyong Rd to Chittaway. OR Continue along Wyong Rd to The Entrance Rd at Bateau Bay then left along The Entrance Rd through Long Jetty to The Entrance. There is a long climb out of Mooney Mooney Creek to Kariong. This can be avoided by a longer but less hilly route leaving Pacific Highway at Calga then to Peats Ridge and then rejoin the F3 east of Sommersby. Take a decent map to make sure you take the correct turns. There are lots of motorcycles (some very fast) on the Pacific Highway on the weekends. 25k/h would be a pretty solid average speed over this distance and terrain. Have a safe and enjoyable ride.

[eon]

thanks for the info guys --> much appreciated.
I'm more inclined not to do the ride, scince i'll be riding solo and have no familiarity with the areas.

i'll just drive up and take note of the sections for future reference.

thanks