PADPAL Ride 3rd Oct 2024

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Six riders gathered at Berowra looking for a ride and 3 of them made the same suggestion. “Given the Luskintyre Ride got scrubbed last week why don’t we do that?” Who was I to disagree?

 

So, mindful of the fact time was a’tickin’ we set off a couple of minutes shy of 10am for morning tea at Wollombi with Peter of the Braces in TEC role (thanks Pete) and with no corner marking nor regathers as everyone knows how to get to Wollombi!

 

Four riders arrived together, then another after 10 mins and then Pete after another 5. Again, cos it was now after 11:30am, Pete had to chug his coffee so we could get going again.

 

With corner marking in full swing now we set off for Cessnock and the Old Maitland road. After Bellbird we consolidated the ride group for the only suburbia portion of the ride, trawled through Bellbird Heights and Cessnock before forking left of the Old Maitland road. The first part was AOK and pace was brisk but after a few k’s we hit the first of the roadworks. Mostly they were inactive and had simply resulted in them removing the broken road surface and consolidating the gravel/sand base. Whilst I hadn’t predicted any dirty riding everyone coped no problem.

 

I almost overran the left turn into Old North Road and so didn’t have a chance appoint a corner marker but Brian stepped in (thanks mate) to save the day. Then it was on through Lochinvar to the New England Hwy and I only got one “ are we nearly there yet” but I did get a couple of “wherethehellarewe’s”.

 

After the left turn onto the Hwy it was only a few hundred metres before we turned off for Luskintyre airfield. Luckily the gate was open because I had no idea of whether the gate code I had would still work.

 

Lunch was consumed, world’s problems solved and amusing anecdotes exchanged before everyone scattered for home. I stopped at the Pie and met a couple of other Thursday Riders who had been I forgot to ask where 😜

 

I’m glad I got the opportunity to try out my alternative route to the airfield which seemed to go down well.

 

Thanks for the company, until the next time👍🏻

 

Andy

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