Fernleigh cycling track

[speedoss]

Seems the strange gates on stage 4 have survived onto stage 5 with some design changes, they all seem pretty pointless from a cyclists point of view.
No doubt someone somewhere thinks they are a good idea. Not sure who though.

[speedoss]

This picture was taken Dec 17th 2010 from the road that leads to the start of the Fernleigh Track.
There is a sign there, but is pretty hard to spot unless you know where to look for it.
Seems the planners - designers were not that keen for people to know where the track is or where it goes to.

[gorilla monsoon]

But Speedoss, the number of peds and riders who use the track would suggest that plenty of people do know where it is and can find its many access points.

[speedoss]

But Speedoss, the number of peds and riders who use the track would suggest that plenty of people do know where it is and can find its many access points.

Looking at it from someone new to the area and with the thought of cyclists passing through the area on bikes, they would be a lot safer off of the main roads and on bike-ways.
Even where there are signs for the track at the Newcastle end of the track they are not easy to see or follow.
The track was built for everyone to use I thought, not just the locals who know how to find it. As the equal in bicycle terms to a major road, it would be well signed if it were the F3 for instance.
The more people that use bike-ways the more bike-ways we should end up with I would hope. Lets hope building bike-ways in not a passing fad.

[breezer1]

Seems the strange gates on stage 4 have survived onto stage 5 with some design changes, they all seem pretty pointless from a cyclists point of view.
No doubt someone somewhere thinks they are a good idea. Not sure who though.

why these are there is beyond me,everyone can access the cycleway via bush, side tracks, from the road's etc, and yet they put these in , they look like they could be used for herding cattle

[speedoss]

Seems the strange gates on stage 4 have survived onto stage 5 with some design changes, they all seem pretty pointless from a cyclists point of view.
No doubt someone somewhere thinks they are a good idea. Not sure who though.

why these are there is beyond me,everyone can access the cycleway via bush, side tracks, from the road's etc, and yet they put these in , they look like they could be used for herding cattle

My thoughts exactly, some bright spark thought they were a smart idea no doubt, to what purpose we way learn one day, won't hold my breath waiting for a sensible answer to that though. Why on this track, why this section of track I wonder? An experiment of some kind perhaps.

[speedoss]

This is would be the start of stage 5 at the Jewells end. Will be one of the flattest sections of the track goes through a wetland area.
Section 5 is due to be finished early in 2011, does not look it will be that soon as this picture was taken mid December.
Be good when its finished.
Lets hope it will eventually be extended to Swansea.

[speedoss]

Was in Belmont by TAFE today where stage 5 of the track will end.
Seemed busy with construction workers, track is still gravel base, so might be a while before the hard surface is down and the track finished.
Should be a good ride through the Wetlands.

[speedoss]

No progress on stage 5 at the Jewells to date Jan 5th that is. This was how it looked this morning at 9am

[speedoss]

Not a lot happening still on the Jewells end of stage 5 construction, can't see stage 5 opening too early in the year.
Lets hope they have some money in the budget for signs this time

[breezer1]

Maybe we will see it open around feb/march, if it's like the redhead to jewell's section it may be longer but this is a different contractor on this section, so hopefully they are better.

[speedoss]

Was on the track, I think it was Wednesday morning and for the first time saw 2 Policemen on bikes on the track.
Good to see that it will get some attention and maybe not get to vandelised it the police are known to be around.

[speedoss]

Whoever runs the budget for the track can find money for signs that state "The obvious" .
Maybe in their rarefied worlds everyone has a built in GPS and direction and distance signs are no longer required.
Not the case for cyclists and pedestrians, please note planners and designers.
New signs put up appx early Jan 2011.

[nacho borracho]

Can anyone explain the basketball hoop that has been installed at the Adamstown end?
I'm all for sharing the path with wayward dogs and pedestrians, but do we seriously have to negotiate a basketball game?

[speedoss]

Can anyone explain the basketball hoop that has been installed at the Adamstown end?
I'm all for sharing the path with wayward dogs and pedestrians, but do we seriously have to negotiate a basketball game?

That is giving the meaning of Multi use a new meaning, will check it out tomorrow.

[nacho borracho]

Can anyone explain the basketball hoop that has been installed at the Adamstown end?
I'm all for sharing the path with wayward dogs and pedestrians, but do we seriously have to negotiate a basketball game?

Cancel that, it was there last week, but has completely disappeared by this afternoon.
Or maybe it was never there and all the partying over the festive season has done my brain some damage?

[speedoss]

If they put signs up we won't be able to use the track, as even now it get's crowded, and if it was advertised too much you wont be able to move on the track at weekend's

Good to know it was short term, certainly no sign of it today, thought I must be going blind

[breezer1]

speedoss, let me know if you want company on a fernleigh track ride i'm up in gradburn pde, so can meet you down at carpark.
heres my new ride these days you will probably see it around.

[speedoss]

Flash bike
I have a 21 speed mountain bike so not so fast, if you are into a more leisurely ride, would be good to meet up for a ride.
When do you like to cycle ?

[breezer1]

i cycle nearly every day, we do a casual ride into nobbys on sunday mornings, leaves jewells at 7.30, sometimes 8, but tomorrow morning it is 7.30, we don't ride fast it's usually a nice steady ride with a bit of chatting along the way!, that is with the group that is on the newcastle bicycle riders forum, link is in my signature here.I did a ride to adamstown today to maurice mathe cycles for a derailluer adjustment from a new chain/cassette we put on there yesterday, it must of stretched and put it out of whack!, anyway all good now ,track was quite around 1.00pm on my way home, clocked about 35 odd km by the time i got back home, wanted to test out the new cassette and chain so had a few variation's on the way back, i really don't like hills much! too old for that! but needed to see how the new cassette tackled them!

if your keen in morning ride(sunday) pm me here and i'll give you my contact no, cheers

[gorilla monsoon]

Hey Breezer, you old bugger, happy new year and all that.

So is the Sunday ride to Nobby's the new thing? I've been away for the last month and still getting over jet lag so I missed the track this morning. Will miss it again next Sunday because I'm going to Melbourne for the tennis.

The week after? I'm up for your new gig to Nobby's. So what's the route? Down the track and through Adamstown and back or do you have another route worked out?

[breezer1]

Hey Breezer, you old bugger, happy new year and all that.

So is the Sunday ride to Nobby's the new thing? I've been away for the last month and still getting over jet lag so I missed the track this morning. Will miss it again next Sunday because I'm going to Melbourne for the tennis.

The week after? I'm up for your new gig to Nobby's. So what's the route? Down the track and through Adamstown and back or do you have another route worked out?

yeah we have a few more members "the duck(tony)" and his son, and we have been doing the nobby's ride, we done it today , jewells/fernleigh/broadmeadow thru to tighes hill tech then onto throsby creek cycleway to nobby's and return to jewells, take in a coffee at nobbys on the route.
Yeah let us know when you are available.

[speedoss]

Hi Breezer, thought you said you don't cycle fast or like hills, I think I followed to Jewells on Monday Morning, saw you in the distance and then at Jewells putting you bike on the back of the car.
You were not hanging around
At least I am guessing it was you. Only crossed my mind when I saw the picture of your bike again

[breezer1]

Hi Breezer, thought you said you don't cycle fast or like hills, I think I followed to Jewells on Monday Morning, saw you in the distance and then at Jewells putting you bike on the back of the car.
You were not hanging around
At least I am guessing it was you. Only crossed my mind when I saw the picture of your bike again

no it would not have been me, i ride home from jewells, i never have my car there!, i live in gradburn pde, it's only two streets away, and anyway if it was me you would have caught me i don't ride fast and i don't like hills

[speedoss]

Hi Breezer,
that is good then as did not figure cycling at that guys pace would be any fun for me
I always cycle home, am never at the car park.
Most week day morning I cycle from Newcastle Uni to Belmont North. Go there by car with the bike on the back, have breakfast, leave my partner to go to work and i ride home. Helps keep me a bit fit at least.



[no it would not have been me, i ride home from jewells, i never have my car there!, i live in gradburn pde, it's only two streets away, and anyway if it was me you would have caught me i don't ride fast and i don't like hills ]