It’s still Autumn here in Oz though it certainly doesn’t feel like it, so, when the BOM said it was going to be 24 degrees today it didn’t take too long to decide on a ride.
Chores done and I was out of there at around 0930. I didn’t plan a long ride as there were still things to do and I have been suffering a bit of hip pain of late and I didn’t want to risk a long ride and be in difficulty sometime along the way.
Nothing flash about the route, Bald Hill and the RNP. Bit of a different way of getting there, though. Up Mt Keira, onto the link road that comes out onto Mount Ousley then up the old highway to Helensburgh.
In recognition of ANZAC Day, I did pause at the war memorial at Dapto.
I’d always wanted to stop and photograph the sign at the Boomerang Golf Course along Maddens Plains so today I finally got that done; this is such an awesome graphic.
Dropping down the hill into Helensburgh I noted a bike pulling up on the other side of the road. My eagle eye detected that it was a Honda 350/4 that had been converted into a cafe racer. Remembering that the 350/4 was my first bike, I did a uie and turned around for a closer look. The owner, Matt, has done a terrific job with this little bike. 400/4 engine, CB72 DLS front brake to replace the pathetic single disk of the original, a lovely little Italian something or other rear mudguard and a pukka top end,, just a tacho, Megura clip-ons and levers and a dozen little bits that make it special.
Don’t you just love the idiot lights built into the old handlebar clamps? Needless to say, we spent about 40 minutes chin-wagging by the roadside and we parted the best of friends. I think you know that I am not really a fan of the modern-day cafe racers/bobbers, whatever, but this one just hit the spot.
The view from Bald Hill is always awesome and so it was again today.
I think you know that I have always said that weekdays are the only time to do the RNP and today proved it again. While there has been a huge amount of roadworks done to rehabilitate the road after the rains, that plus has been well and truly made into a minus with almost the full length of the road, from Otford to Loftus now featuring double unbroken lines which prevent legal overtaking.
This was also at Bald Hill, tempting me, no doubt.
While all of the traffic turned right towards Sydney at Loftus, I turned left and headed south through Engadine and Heathcote, Waterfall and out onto the old highway (can’t remember the last time I took the freeway). It was a simple run home and, with fabulous weather, it was well worth the run. 153kms and a couple of leisurely hours.
Here’s how Relive saw the ride.
Catch you next time
