Weekend Retro rides_Sydney(updates)

[frailer5]

Would have been perfect weather on the day. We just scraped it in on Saturday. Quite a ride there, Andy ...

[Saro28]

Yep, perfect day, for riding. By the time we got bak into Bowral, around 4 I think, the afternoon chill was very noticable, even more than the morning chill. Of course I had de-layered down to a woolen jersey by then.

[Joe H]

Holy-smokes!

I looked at your GPS data and that was quite some ride. Congrats on that one! I did see some quill stems and chrome on those bikes so good on the retro-riders who went out with you. I promised our crew to post the obligatory shot of our last ride but ended up deleting most of the pictures I took that day. Below is the only one I could recover. It was a lot less painful than your ride, even without the coffee.

Joe

[Saro28]

This 22nd or Sun' 23rd? any takers?
Route to be decided/suggested, roll up, rollup

[frailer5]

Yep, either should be OK for me. Maybe we'll wait until the soccer players let us know.

[QuangVuong]

Both alright with me.

[frailer5]

Tentative Route/kite flyer

Please comment, suggest amendments. More Climb than I thought; mainly up Windsor Rd, I suspect, but do-able. Hoping to clock up some more commutes between now and then, so should be up for it.
Also thought the alternative route down Glendenning Reserve might be a change from the M7 cycleway on that bit. Don't know it, if someone's travelled it, please comment.
There's some join-up rat-running on roads, but not too bad. Too many control points on the map, but on a learning curve there....
Being a one-time Registered Psychiatric Nurse, thought Cumberland grounds would be a fitting start point. Very relaxing.

.... just doing the 3D flyover. If it's too long, open to suggestions on a shorter loop through Blacktown somehow. Maybe.

[TedDancin]

I'm keen for the Saturday, unless I'm a father before then, route looks good. How early are you thinking of starting?

[frailer5]

We're usually pretty early. 0630~0700.
Saturday's fine with me too. Shall await a hands-up from some regulars though. I'll PM them tonight in case they haven't looked in.
Whoa TD, a milestone!... 1st time? (partner/expectant).

[find_bruce]

Not looking good for me at this stage, but if that changes I will be in touch.

I'm keen for the Saturday, unless I'm a father before then, route looks good. How early are you thinking of starting?

Congratulations it is a fun time, better get your riding in now, as opportunities will become harder to find.

[sunho]

Sorry, I wont be able to make that weekend

[QuangVuong]

Looks similar to Bruce's 100km route at the beginning but I'm fine to go any of the two days. Maybe drag my bro along if he wants to get up that early.

[Saro28]

looks great Paul, prefered day is .......? Sat'y 22nd is lookin the best from replies so far, count me in also

[frailer5]

Saturday pencilled in then, at this stage. I've amended the map.
Upside; more interesting, (maybe). Downside, navigating could be tricky in bits. But have tried to maximise the paths-through-parks as much as possible.
You really get a feel for how many gaps there are in decent paths in Sydney. Bugger-all continuity.
I'm not wedded to the 'update'. Open to further suggestions, (or constructive criticism if I've led it through injun country; ~busy Saturday roads, stuff like that...)

[Joe H]

I'd love to but I'm booked out on both days with kid/family duties. Enjoy the ride!

Joe

[frailer5]

No worries, Joe...

OK, call me neurotic, but should we shave a bit off this one, to be realistic, in the interests of making it an early Saturday jaunt..
How about we take the Toongabbie Creek one , between Points 6&7. Then Lucretia> Bungarribee>> getting us to Point 25. The Flyover I just did looked a bit far.
Anyone know how busy/wide Bungarribee is? I'll do a GooMaps sample streetview on it anyway...
If there are no violent objections, I'll amend tonight.

.... amended, 1515 hrs. Better, I think. Easier navigating, some wider dual lane stuff through some of it, getting through Blacktown/Doonside. Should be quicker on those bits.. Some big intersections to navigate, but always those.

[frailer5]

Updated Map As per above post, just the link placed for convenience.

Suggest 0700 start, as that is sunrise time then.

[QuangVuong]

Fine with me. Am I getting a lift Andy?

[frailer5]

You guys OK with a 0715 meet time? Determined not to drive. Train gets in 0654 Parra Stn. Need a few mins to get to Cumberland Psych.
It's the shortest day, anyway.
There's a bridge crosses the Parra River in the grounds. See you on the northern side.

I have a cheat sheet in case.... A few twists/turns from where we leave O'Briens Rd till we get to Toongabbie Stn., through back streets. ... pretty easy after that.

[TedDancin]

No baby yet (yes it is the first, so trying to sneak a few rides in before he arrives), so I'm in at this stage. Can you get to the bridge through the campus from Fleet St, off O'Connell in North Parramatta?

Now to decide which bike to bring (or decide if I have time to build another one in the meantime).

[frailer5]

... better have your phone handy.

Yep, from memory, the place is public drive-through. I plan to ride up O'Connell to Fennell>Fleet Sts. from Parra Stn. Any bits that may be closed off to cars you could walk the bike through.
Funny Cumberland anecdote. My sis's partner was admitted there about 15 years back. Bi-polar. Had a meltdown while here from Brissie for a conference; staying at a Parra CDB hotel. Wife and I visited him.
We were told that he'd managed to get into the Nurses Station and was starting to hack into the computer system, (he's a systems analyst~Oxford maths brain). Gotta be something funny in that.

[Saro28]

Fine with me. Am I getting a lift Andy?

6.45 > at the same place

[frailer5]

The Good Weather Gods will smile upon us.

[Johnj]

I'll be there (weather permitting). I think I'll be catching the train to Wesmead.

Don't laugh, but I'll probably be riding a TT bike.

[frailer5]

Be good to see you John. If you're getting off at Westmead, why don't you go Darcy>Mons>Briens, and meet us at Australian Timber Supplies, near the start of the path?
Am thinking that rat-biking through those backstreets may not be so good. Now looking at taking the path up to Fitzwilliam, then Wentworth to Toongabbie Stn.
Fitzwilliam looking reasonably bike-friendly on GooMaps. An easy choice tomorrow, anyway.