Berowra PADPAL Ride 29th Feb 2024

  With temperatures expected to soar during the day the 9 riders at Berowra were under no illusions regarding the ride comfort wise, it was already quite warm at 9:30am.

The suggestion was made of a ride to Spencer via Ebenezer Church on the basis that there was shade at the church and some shade along River and Wisemans Ferry roads. It also should result in a loop to the Pie in time to escape the worst of the heat. Ah the best laid plans of mice and men eh!

Naturally the suggestor had other things planned so couldn’t possibly lead such a ride and since I had managed to avoid leading for at least a couple of weeks I put my hand up. Clearly I had learned nothing from the last hot day ride I was on which involved ferries.

Anyway, the ride group was all experienced Thursday Riders who knew where Ebenezer Church and Spencer were so I announced a TEC (thanks Alan) to gather up any stragglers but no corner marking because sitting stationary out in the heat just wasn’t on.

With that very brief briefing we set off for Berowra Waters Ferry which was reached with the minimum of fuss to see it half way across heading the WRONG WAY. Bugger, now I remembered why you don’t do ferry rides on hot days!!!

After a hot wait in minimal shade, getting shouted at by a biker hating dog (scared of helmets apparently) whilst we waited, we crossed VERY SLOWLY and set off for Sackville. There was some thought that maybe, associated with the recent strike action, there was some sort of go slow on because he went very very slowly.

Cattai Ridge was reached without issue but when we got to Sackville we were missing a rider, interrogation of the group resulted in the revelation that he turned left where we all turned right, waving as he went. We concluded the heat was already too much and it was already 30+ degrees but it would’ve been nice for a leader or TEC heads up before leaving the group.

This time the ferry was heading in the right direction and we all crossed together and bolted for the church. We arrived shortly after to find we were another rider down, more interrogation revealed he turned right just after the ferry. Ah, a rider looking for a dirty option eh?

We ordered and settled in the shade with a nice breeze blowing. Eventually the dirty rider turned up with stories of a missing bridge, yeah that’s what they all say Ha!

After a leisurely smoko the group was checked to see who was going on and who was set to bale out. Only 5 riders were for going on to West Portland, 1 wanted to go back across at Sackville and get to Wisemans that way and the rest were heading home.

We 5 set off for West Portland ferry and had a quick trip with the first 2 and then the last 2 arriving but we were clearly missing a rider who was supposedly in the middle. I told the rest of the group to go on to Spencer and I went back to find the missing rider after a call went through to voicemail. I was quickly joined by another of the 4 and we went all the way back to Bulls Ridge rd without trace when I got a call from the missing rider to say he got lost and

 was back at Sackville ferry. How he got lost on a straight road and managed to avoid the TEC was beyond me but at that point the last 2 riders, left at West Portland ferry, came screaming past without as much as a wave or explanation. So the final 2 decided Sackville was closer so we’d pick up the missing rider, hopefully catch the TEC and his octogenarian mate to reform the ride.

Arriving at the ferry the missing rider was waiting, the octogenarian duo were already on the ferry but the gates were still open so I waved to the ferry master to say can we get on and he avoided my eye, closed the gates and sodded off inside - MISERABLE SOD!

After waiting in the now 35 degree heat for the ferry we roared off to Wisemans, prior to departure I advised the remaining two it was my intention to stop at Wisemans for lunch as it was already nearly 1pm and I was hungry.

We made Wisemans ferry park before 1:30pm but even in the shade it was bloody hot. We caught up with the 1 rider who intended to go that way so he joined us for lunch only to find the cafe shut - doh!

After lunch the consensus was clearly to head for home from there because it was already 40+ degrees and the swimming pool beckoned so we said our goodbyes at the park and each set off for home with my path taking me through Galston Gorge and Bobbin Head park back to the Northern Beaches, Of the octogenarian duo there was no trace so the assumption was they had already decided it was too hot and bolted for home or the Pie.

Anyway, it was a reasonable ride with bursts of nice ride interspersed with long waits for ferries and missing riders. Two things became apparent during the ride:

1. Basic ride courtesy says if you’re going to leave the group let the leader or the TEC know before you leave and leave from the back of the pack.

2. After the mishap Murray had a while back I noticed a few wides on corners and a wise man once told me “if you are approaching a corner you cannot see around then stay wide, turn late and turn harder than the radius of the bend. That should put you in the apex with more options available if it suddenly tightens on you”. I share this in the hope we won’t have a repeat of someone running wide and having a head on with something coming the other way.

Thanks for the company fellas, it was worth it I’m sure and the pool certainly got a work out when I got home.

Until the next time.... Andy