Ride Leader: Phil Rylatt

Meet: 9:00am

Dist: 55km

Easy/Medium ride mostly on flat,off road bike paths or quiet back streets. There is a shorter ride option starting at Guildford Station ( 35km Meeting at Railway Tce exit at 9.45 am )
Ride includes the Olympic Park precinct and Bicentennial Park. Lunch will be on the Parramatta River at the Old Naval Armory Wharf, Newington

Call Phil to Confirm: 02 87950564

65 km, Moderate Pace, Some Traffuc, Unsealed Roads, Significant Hill

Meet 10am, Bundanoon Hotel, Erith St Bundanoon

The weather was fine, but cold and smoke from household fires was fairly thick in the air. This unfortunately meant one of our group of 5 could not start the ride. Another of our stalwarts was tired (too much tour watching) and got cramp, so returned after a short while. That left 3 who struggled on through a fierce headwind to our lunch stop at Canyonleigh cafe. As usual this fabulous little cafe, in the middle of nowhere, provided excellent coffee and great food. After lunch the unsealed section of the ride proved to be excellent. The wind dropped, the sun shone and the views were stunning. The road was in great condition making it easy riding and lots of fun.

View from Canyonleigh Rd

Phil and Geoff on Canyonleigh Rd

Old House on Inverary Rd

We returned to Bundanoon via Wingello and Penrose for another excellent coffee and awesome cake (so much for the diet!) at Ye Olde Bicycle Shoppe.
This is a circuit ride that will definitely be on the agenda again!

Circuit ride starting with a short but steep climb on a rough section of road and then undulating through quiet and scenic back roads to Canyonleigh.Stop at the general store for lunch. The ride then proceeds along the unsealed Inverary Road ( approx 11kms ) to Paddy River, Wingello, Penrose and return to Bundanoon.

Best suited to hybrid, touring or mountain bikes

Call to Confirm Phil: 87950564

Whale Watching Ride

Sunday 27th June

Ride Leader: Phil Rylatt

Meet Wolli Creek Station for 10am start

46 km

Easy/Medium/Leisurely pace

Mainly Cycle Path – Some Traffic

What a great day! Pleasant company, perfect winter riding weather. I really enjoyed the day.

Thanks Phil!
It was windy on the headland and the water was choppy which prevented us seeing many whales, but the ride was still very worthwhile and enjoyable.

It was good to see the LIVBUG folk at Wolli Creek.

Watch This Site!

The whales will be heading back in November. With calves in tow, they travel more slowly and breach more often, so Phil plans to put the ride on again, when hopefully, we will see a few more.

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 from May Farm Rd 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.

Ride Leader – Phil Rylatt

40km, slow pace, easy, some traffic, unsealed roads

Started 10:00am; Mavromattes Reserve ( off Riverview Rd, Nowra )

An easy flat ride at slow pace. On road ride through delightful, mostly quiet dairy country near Nowra. Some traffic, narrow roads. Roadside fruit and veggie stalls on route so bring panniers or packs if you wish to purchase fresh produce. Bring lunch or snacks to have on the island. Time will be set aside to explore Comerong Island Nature Reserve. Note that sections of road on the island are unsealed.

This turned out to be a lovely ride with many of the members of Shoalhaven BUG joining us. The ride to the ferry was flat and easy, wit interesting scenery of the local seaside dairy farms. On the ferry to Comerong Island it was surprising to see the force of the current as the tide was receding.

On the Ferry Across To Comerong Island

Those of us with mountain bikes had an easier time on the corrugated road to the picnic area and only the mountain bikers could take the track to the end of the island for a swim .

Track to Beach

Beach ,Great for Cycling

After lunch we returned via the main road, tuning off at a hamlet of Terara for a look at this lovely little riverside community. The boys found a beautiful old stone terrace  which apparently was the local “joy house”. Although knocking, there appeared to be no-one home!

Phil Knocking Hopefully

Waiting

Apparently Nowra is not good for coffee on a Sunday afternoon, so we headed off to Berry for a cool drink before heading home.

It was a lovely ride and we thank Shoalhaven BUG for their friendship and hospitality. BARBUG will definitely be joining them for more rides in the future!

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.

The return ride amazes even more as the road seems to plunge forever downward towards the Nepean Ford. You can only think to yourself, “Did I really ride all that way up?” Then, the climb back  to the entrance gates,  although it is not as hard as the ride up to Avon, on tired legs, seems to never end!

For more information go to: http://www.sca.nsw.gov.au/recreation/upper-nepean-dams

John, Alan, Gina and Jim on Avon Dam Wall

The Nepean Ford

How lucky we are to have these terrific riding opportunities in the Wollondilly Shire. There is something for everyone, no matter what level of fitness.