Canberra - Goulburn

[joingler]

Well I have to go to Goulburn for family commitments in a few weeks and am looking at cycling there. I've looked at a few different routes and my preferred is Mulligans Flat Rd -> Gundaroo -> Marked Tree Road -> Collector -> Breadalbane Road -> Breadalbane -> Hunts Lane -> Gurrundah Road -> Goulburn.

I'm just wondering if anyone is able to tell me how safe the above route is for cycling (I'm especially concerned about Marked Tree Road) and if there are better alternatives that completely avoid the Federal and Hume highways. I live in Gungahlin so I'd rather not have to cycle south to Bungendore. Any other general safety tips for cycling in the country over such a long distance would be helpful. I'm making a list and have included spare tubes, pump, spare clothing, sunscreen, enough food + water and will be turning on my GPS tracker so my mother (whom I am visiting) doesn't get too paranoid.

My fitness isn't really an issue but also wondering if there are any foods I should specifically eat or avoid in the days leading up to and during the ride to help with this. I've only ever done one 50km+ ride and that was as a teenager.

Also if someone wants to join me for all or part of the ride, they are welcome. I'll be cycling on Tuesday December 9, leaving just after 9am.

[Ross]

Mulligans Flat Rd is unsealed from the where it intersects with East Tallagandara Lane so to avoid that you turn right onto East Tallagandara Lane and head toward Sutton. Turn left at the bottom of the hill to head to Gundaroo if you really want to avoid the Federal Hwy. I'm not familiar with Marked Tree Road so not sure if it's sealed or not. Alternatively you could turn right up Shingle Hill Way which will bring you out on the Old Federal Hwy where you turn left and continue on until it meets back up with the new Federal Hwy again just at the start of Lake George. Could be ~20km or so longer going up Shingle Hill Way rather than just going straight up the Federal Hwy but that's up to you.

Fed Hwy has a good shoulder to ride on and the surface is pretty good up to Collector though a couple of narrow bridges just before Collector (bridges are wide, bike lane is narrow). Road to Gundaroo has no shoulder and is pretty bumpy and patchy, doable but not ideal IMO.

The way I would go (have gone) is once you get to Sutton via Mulliagns Flat/East Tallagndara, ride up the new Federal Hwy a couple of kms and turn left onto Old Federal Hwy and and as I mentioned this will bring you back out on new Federal Hwy and then it's about 20km to Collector. Turn left into Collector (take the second exit unless you want to stop in town for a cold drink or snack) and then turn right onto Breadalbane Road. this takes you to Breadalbane (tank water available at the school). Turn left onto Culllerin Rd then after about a km turn right onto Old South Road and then after a while turn right onto Mullins Creek Rd and then at the top of the Cullerin Range turn right onto Gurrundah Road (this turns into a T intersection where you turn right) and this takes you into Goulburn. About 100km from Gungahlin. All sealed roads.

No visit to Goulburn is complete without a visit to Greengrocer Cycling/Cafe in Clifford St to check out the bike porn and to eat some of their great food and stock up on some bananas for the trip back!

As far as food and drinks go, a few bananas should get you there and two or 3 bidons of water depending how hot it is and how hard you are riding.

Here is a map of my version of the ride starting from Collector - http://ridewithgps.com/routes/843386" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[joingler]

Mulligans Flat Rd is unsealed from the where it intersects with East Tallagandara Lane so to avoid that you turn right onto East Tallagandara Lane and head toward Sutton. Turn left at the bottom of the hill to head to Gundaroo if you really want to avoid the Federal Hwy. I'm not familiar with Marked Tree Road so not sure if it's sealed or not. Alternatively you could turn right up Shingle Hill Way which will bring you out on the Old Federal Hwy where you turn left and continue on until it meets back up with the new Federal Hwy again just at the start of Lake George. Could be ~20km or so longer going up Shingle Hill Way rather than just going straight up the Federal Hwy but that's up to you.

Fed Hwy has a good shoulder to ride on and the surface is pretty good up to Collector though a couple of narrow bridges just before Collector (bridges are wide, bike lane is narrow). Road to Gundaroo has no shoulder and is pretty bumpy and patchy, doable but not ideal IMO.

The way I would go (have gone) is once you get to Sutton via Mulliagns Flat/East Tallagndara, ride up the new Federal Hwy a couple of kms and turn left onto Old Federal Hwy and and as I mentioned this will bring you back out on new Federal Hwy and then it's about 20km to Collector. Turn left into Collector (take the second exit unless you want to stop in town for a cold drink or snack) and then turn right onto Breadalbane Road. this takes you to Breadalbane (tank water available at the school). Turn left onto Culllerin Rd then after about a km turn right onto Old South Road and then after a while turn right onto Mullins Creek Rd and then at the top of the Cullerin Range turn right onto Gurrundah Road (this turns into a T intersection where you turn right) and this takes you into Goulburn. About 100km from Gungahlin. All sealed roads.

No visit to Goulburn is complete without a visit to Greengrocer Cycling/Cafe in Clifford St to check out the bike porn and to eat some of their great food and stock up on some bananas for the trip back!

As far as food and drinks go, a few bananas should get you there and two or 3 bidons of water depending how hot it is and how hard you are riding.

Here is a map of my version of the ride starting from Collector - http://ridewithgps.com/routes/843386" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Cheers Mate, much appreciated. I'm not too worried about riding on dirt roads as my bike is more than able to handle it. I would in fact prefer a bit of dirt to break the journey up a bit. That's why I'm happy to go through Parkesbourne - few km quicker even if it is on dirt. From the topographic maps I've studied, it seems to go around the hill instead of over it as well.

I'm aware of the café in Clifford Street but thanks heaps for the tip of water in Breadalbane. I was worried about being without supplies for such a long distance so having a place to refill will be handy.

What is the traffic like on the road between Collector and Breadalbane? Any dangerous spots, nasty hills I should worry about? I'm assuming there is no shoulder either? I've never ridden in the country before other than a bit around Wamboin so I'm just trying to collect any information I can.

[Ross]

What is the traffic like on the road between Collector and Breadalbane? Any dangerous spots, nasty hills I should worry about? I'm assuming there is no shoulder either? I've never ridden in the country before other than a bit around Wamboin so I'm just trying to collect any information I can.

It's a narrow country road, all sealed, you might see half a dozen cars between Collector and top of the Cullerin Range if it's a busy day. Most of the drivers are farmers and are happy enough to drive at a sensible speed and give you plenty of room as they pass but you will get the occasional DH that wants to drive too fast and too close (usually driving a car with ACT plates ). There are a couple of crests over hills and blind corners where you will want to make sure you are over to the left in case a motorist suddenly appears.

The last few hills before the top of Cullerin Range (intersection with Gurrundah Road ) can drag on a bit, just select a low gear and spin to the top. You think you are a t the top but there's one or two more little pinches until you finally get there. Gurrundah Road is a bit of a drag too, downhill for a while but then rolling hills and false flats the rest of the way to Goulburn.