Dungog Ride 9th Oct 2025

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 Today’s ride didn’t go exactly as planned. The weather was certainly not perfect with a grey sky and gusty winds and 26 degrees at 10.00ambut this did not deter 15 riders turning up at 7 Eleven Berowra looking forward to a ride but evidently not Dungog. 

Filling in for Jim Cormack today I had the ride to Dungog all sorted going north it was going to be good, however one by one I had 5 riders tell me individually that they would only be riding to Smoko so that left 10 riders. These 10 riders were not showing a lot of enthusiasm either as they looked at the weather forecast on their phones.

Discussing Dungog as a ride destination with three committee members and others it was agreed we take Dungog of the Ride Calendar due to the distance and lack of interest. 

After some deliberation it was decided to ride to the Oak Dairy Café at Freemans Waterhole for morning tea and then onto Mt Sugarloaf for lunch cutting off about 2 and half hours return trip.

Leaving on time from Berowra we rode up the Old Highway to Somersby and then onto the M1 to the Tuggerah exit then Old Maitland Road, Hue Hue Road through Wyee and Cooranbong to Freemans Waterhole. This section of the ride was quite pleasant and uneventful except we did pass two mobile camera cars along the way checking traffic in the opposite direction and a couple of Lolli Pops at roadworks, but we had hardly stopped as we got the signal to continue. Love School Holiday time when traffic is less.

Everyone arrived together at Freemans Waterhole minus the non-conformists Andy and Paul who dropped out at some stage to do their own thing so that left maybe 8 riders to continue after Smoko. Stopping at the Oak Dairy Café was a good call with plenty of easy parking a good café and of course amenities block. 

As the clouds overhead were getting increasingly darker the smart phones came out, and the forecast was indicating a massive severe weather front heading our way. The ride was now finished, kaput, a dead duck. Everyone willingly headed for home or made their  way back to PITS for another round of conversations and some gourmet delights.

Riding away from Freemans Waterhole there was just a sprinkle of rain, but we managed to stay just in front of the worst of it, and I think most of us made it back to PITS without the need to don our wet weather apparel. Although the ride was cut short, I think for all intents and purposes we all had a good ride. Thanks to Rob Toshack for doing an excellent job as TEC.

Cheers

Dave Sipple

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