4 Ferries Ride 27th July 2023

It must be my early arrival at Berowra which set off a couple of “Oops! Moments” not long after our journey started, but overall, on such a perfect winter day, we had a great day’s riding, with almost no traffic on the river roads.

With only one “virgin”, there was only one hand clapping.

Then I asked riders to introduce themselves, but after about the sixth Peter, the repetition overcame us, so we abandoned that little exercise and twenty-odd riders departed Berowra at 10am, with a Tail End Charlie and a “plan”.

We all “squeezed” onto Number 1: Berowra Waters Ferry – and, just before disembarkation, my Guzzi toppled over in the excitement– thanks, Peter, Peter and Peter for your assistance.

Next Oops – missed the turn-off to Wylds Road – quickly found the way back, and the remainder of our ride went to plan, thus:

Just a minute past the Glenorie Bakery, our Morning Tea Stop at the Les Shore Reserve ticks all the boxes: it’s on the left, heaps of parking, heaps of log-seating, a really good recreation space, with cricket grounds, practice nets, children’s play space, toilets, community hall, and the Fire Station next door. Plus – apparently – Thursday Rides haven’t stopped there before. My job done.

Fortunately, the rest of the ride didn’t include any “Oops” – perfect riding weather, almost no other traffic, predictably bumpy back-roads, and no grumpy ferry-masters.

We continued along the Old Northern Road, left at Wiseman’s Ferry Road, right at Sackville Ferry Road and onto Number 2: Sackville Ferry.

Roll off the ferry, turn right onto West Portland Road, all the way to 

Number 3: Lower Portland Ferry.  Another chance for a quick chat, and to enjoy the bushland,  waterways, and birdlife.

Depart Ferry, left onto the River Road, and bump along, past some of the previously flooded campgrounds, heaps of tight twisting corners, then under all those awesome overhanging sandstone rock-faces plus multiple warnings that Falling Rocks Don’t Stop – DUH !!!!! 

Past the Webbs Creek Ferry turnoff, up the rise and left into Wiseman’s Ferry Township, down to the Park on left for Lunch-stop and Toilets.

Cross the river on Number 4: Wiseman’s Ferry, disembark. Turn right, then move over to invite someone else to take the lead, and head back to:

PITS (Pie in the Sky) for the usual b***sh*t and coffee.

Thanks very much to our Tail End Charlie, and thanks for the company, Guys.  MTC

 

PS 1. Ulysses 40th Anniversary Commemoration coming up Sat. 6th December 2023.

PS 2. Let’s think about a regular (monthly?) meet-up/coffee (similar to monthly Northern Beaches OlFartz coffee meet-up) for those Thursday Riders who are no longer riding – should be accessible by public transport, and relatively central, with cheap car-parking. Hornsby? Chatswood? Ryde?

MTC.