Some of the Wollondilly Community Health Staff and BARBUG members who Participated in 2011 Ride To Work

For their efforts the community health centre won the Community Health category for the highest proportion of staff participating in the Local Health Districts Ride to Work Day Awards!

Bargo Bicycle User Group members with staff from the Wollondilly Community Health Centre receiving their award from the Health Promotion Service of South Western and Sydney Local Health District.

Cycling has many health benefits like fitness, weight and stress management; environment benefits; fun and a great opportunity to meet new people.

The Bargo BUG organise rides and cycling activities in and around Wollondilly. The rides are open to anyone with a roadworthy bike and a helmet.  We encourage new riders to join and learn to ride with confidence. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.

For more details contact Bargo BUG on Ph 4684 1444

Austcycle, Australia’s national provider of accredited cycle training will be on hand to help improve your skills.

You will learn about conducting a basic bicycle check, learning the correct riding positions, braking, balancing and cornering, changing gears, riding on hills, stopping and turning.

After the demonstration, a short ride around Picton Botanic Gardens, followed by a sausage sizzle lunch.
Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Picton

Picton Botanic Gardens

Where: Picton Botanic gardens

When: Saturday 5th November 2011

Start: 9:am

To register please contact Beverly Garrick, Sydney South West area Health Service on 4683 6025
or Leanne Ledwidge, Wollondilly Shire Council on 4677 1188

With spring on it’s way, this post unfortunately will be relevant to many of us.

Recently a BARBUG member was attacked by a very determined maggie. Twice he swooped, forcefully hitting her helmet. On the third attempt he penetrated the helmet with his foot and got stuck! Poor Janette, here she was trying to stay upright on her bike with a claw scratching her scalp and a very agro magpie flapping furiously above her head! She managed to stop her bike, undo her helmet and throw it to the ground, thus dislodging the angry bird. A very frightening experience for both parties!

After a little internet research I have come up with 2 very informative videos on solutions to this Spring avian problem.

If anyone has any other ideas, we would be delighted to know.

When: Wednesday 12th October at 8:am

Where: Wollondilly Health Centre: 15 Harper Close Tahmoor

Meet at 7:45 for an 8:am start.

We will join the staff from the health centre for their Ride To Work  morning ride and scrummy breakfast at 9:am, after which we can ride a bit further to work it off!

Ride To Work 2010

Please contact me  so we can cater for breaky by Monday the 10th.

On The Right Path

Wollondilly Mayor, Michael Banasik is pushing for funding for a shared cycle and pathway between Picton Highschool and Tahmoor

Cr Banasik said the path would improve safety for students and pedestrians, and would also promote exerciseand a healthy lifestyle

The shared path and cycleway is expected to cost more than $300,000 to construct.

BARBUG cyclist group members Alan Willock and Sally Knyvett support Michael Banasik's (centre) push for a shared cycleway between Tahmoor and Picton High School

to read entire article go to: Macarthur Chronicle

Meet Wolli Creek Station for 10am start

46 km

Easy/Medium/Leisurely pace

Mainly Cycle Path – Some Traffic

Scenic ride mostly on Bay to Bay cycle path, includes some short hills and Captain Cook bridge.
Cafe stop at Dolls Point then on to Kurnell.
Bring snacks, lunch, binoculars and windproof jacket (can be windy).
Ride finishes at Cronulla Station. We’ll return to Wolli Creek by train.

Ride finishes at Cronulla Station. We’ll return to Wolli Creek by train.

Call or email to confirm:

Phil: 8795 0546

Sally: 46841444

50km; Medium Ride/ moderate Pace/ Some Traffic/ Significant Hills

Starts: 10.00AM;Picton Railway Station carpark. Undulating ride on mainly quiet rural roads with some significant hills.Enjoy rural scenery and orchard country as the ride takes in the towns of Picton, Thirlmere, Bargo and Tahmoor. Lunch at the Bargo Hotel.

5 of us set out for a great ride. The weather was gorgeous and Wollondilly looked it’s best. The route was a figure 8 encompassing Picton, Thirlmere, Couridjah, Bargo, Tahmoor, Thirlmere and back to Picton.

We stopped for a scrumptious lunch at Le Jardin Cafe in the delightful new Tahmoor Garden Centre ( Bargo) and ended with a drink at the historic Imperial Hotel, Picton. As a mum and keen cyclist I found this a very pleasant way to spend Mother’s Day – Thanks Phil.

Great Ride, cool weather & perfect conditions. Canyonleigh Store again provided terrific food and wonderful coffee. (Not to mention a cool beer for some). I enjoyed a very good iced coffee, strong & cold with no cream – very refreshing.

The ride passes some beautiful properties in Bundanoon + has wonderful scenery with extensive views across the Southern Highlands. We will definately put this one on again!

65km, Moderate Pace, some traffic on road (some are good quality unsealed), moderate hills

Meet 9am Bundanoon Hotel, Erith St Bundanoon

This medium ride begins with a moderate climb and a short section of rough road with a shallow causeway ( OK for road bikes ), then undulating through quiet and scenic rural roads. Stop for lunch at the Canyonleigh General Store.Return to Bundanoon via Exeter

Call to confirm – Phil: 8795 0564 or email

As usual this is a gorgeous ride with wonderful scenery. Matt rode his electric assist bike (see blog) which gives him the ability to keep up,  read – thrash us, on the hills. I always have trouble keeping to my diet when we visit the cake shop at Cobbity!

Ride Leader – Phil Rylatt

38km, relaxed pace, some traffic, moderate hills, some cyclepaths, some unsealed roads.

Meet 845am at Rotary Cowpasture Reserve Carpark, Camden Valley Way, Camden (see map) for a 9.am start

A medium circuit ride with a few hills, undulating, mostly quiet country roads with great views of the district. Stop at Cobbitty for coffee and cakes. Highlight is the Brownhill Loop Road (hard packed unsealed section suitable for road bikes)

View to Mt Hunter

Call to confirm, Phil: Ph: 8795 0546 or email
View Highlights of Camden Ride in a larger map

Cancelled due to rain – We will reschedule this one soon

We open the BARBUG year with a Picnic to Nepean Dam.

Meet at Rest A While Reserve Bargo (near station) at 9.30am

Some traffic, quiet roads.

An easy ride out to the Nepean Dam. Here we will sizzle a sausage while Jim and Phil teach us how to:

• correctly set up your bike
• change a tyre
• clean your bike and oil the chain

When our bikes are pristine and happy, we will do a short ride to the entrance of Avon Dam before heading home.
Make sure you bring along a tyre changing kit that includes tyre-levers.

For the more experienced riders a challenging ride to the Avon Dam can also be included.

Call to confirm Sally: 46841444 or email.