I normally wouldn’t ride a saddle sore on a Friday, especially through Sydney/Newcastle, but the diary is looking particularly full, so with Friday the 22nd being the only free day I had for a while, why not? With a ride plan that had me avoiding the worst of Sydney traffic, once I had my start docket (and coffee selfie) I rolled out of Canberra just after 2:00am, northeast bound for brekkie in North Sydney.
Start docket
Coffee Selfie # 1
Federal Highway was busier than normal, and I had plenty of company with cars and trucks spread out evenly along the way. Lake George was looking resplendent in the bright moonlight. As per usual, once I joined the Hume there was the usual wall to wall semis, but also mixed in with a lot of tradie traffic, all Sydney bound. I made good progress, and as planned once I rolled past Menangle Park, the traffic was heavy, but all flowing at the speed limit. This had me arriving right on schedule into North Sydney for my 2nd coffee stop (and breakfast) of the day.
Coffee Selfie # 2
The coffee was excellent, and I also had company with ol’ mate, who made sure I wasn’t lonely. Time to keep moving, a quick check of Google maps had the quickest route north out of Sydney to Newcastle being up the Pacific Highway through Chatswood. No thanks, I chose to head through the Lane Cove tunnel to join Northconnex. Smooth riding, and before long I was on the freeway to Newcastle, where, after navigating the mess of roadworks through Beresfield/Tarro and Tomago, I topped up both tanks at Heatherbrae. While fueling up I ran through the timing of my return through this roadworks satisfied that a mid-afternoon return timing would be Ok.
A nice little diversion onto the Wootton Way.
At Wootton Way, I took the turn off from the A1 onto what I think is a section of the old Pacific Highway. This was a glorious shady twisty section of road that made a pleasant change from the freeway. Almost no traffic, with the temperature a couple of degrees cooler. Strangely, the GPS lost satellite signal along here.
Rejoined the A1, and from here it was set the cruise control, turn up the music and settle in for a few hours. Taree rolled by, followed by Port McQuarrie and Kempsey. Took the turn off at Ballards Rd to enjoy a few more miles of the ol’ Pacific Highway before stopping at Liberty Providores (an old servo converted into a café) for my next coffee and an early lunch. Rebecca and I stopped here a few weeks agon on our way back from QLD, and this place is a real gem.
Coffee Selfie # 3
The coffee is outstanding along with the Jaffles. Coffee selfie taken, I continued north on the old Highway to Bellinger River, before crossing over to North Bank Road and heading west into Bellingen. This is a neat little back country road, well worth the ride up from Canberra.
North Bank Road, on my way to Belligen.
At Bellingen, I joined waterfall Way to head back to the A1 to head homeward. Just after Macksville I took the turnoff to Scotts Head and meandered my out towards the coast, before turning at Way Way, to head south to Stuarts Point, and then onto the freeway again at Eungai. (this was a great little break from the hustle of the A1).
Beautiful Bellingen!
Scotts Head Road near Way Way.
Rolling into Heatherbrae, early/mid-afternoon, as planned, traffic was a standstill due to the roadworks. Took a while to work out why, but it seemed to be a combination of early Friday afternoon commuter traffic combined with construction traffic signal phasing that favoured heavily the construction traffic. With temperatures in the mid 30’s and no breeze, the K1600 engine went into the red zone, complete with flashing warning lights, so I had no choice but to turn everything off, and when the traffic did move, I could paddle forward a few metres at a time, in the 35-degree heat. After 10 minutes of this, I decided this was sustainable and jumped into the construction/breakdown lane to keep moving. All up I used about 45 minutes extra time working my way through this mess.
Rejoining the M1 at Beresfield was a relief, and while the traffic was super heavy, at least it was moving at a reasonable speed. With an updated ETA into the Sydney ring road (M7) of about 4:30pm, I was optimistically hoping I would miss the worst of the Friday traffic.
Filler Photo, as I didn't take any photos in Northconex
Rolling into Northconex at Hornsby, everything was going to plan, traffic was flowing, until it wasn’t. About 2/3rds of the way through the tunnel, everything just topped. A quick google and radio search, confirmed a major accident on the M4 (near the twin servos), which had diverted traffic onto the M7, which had then backed up the southbound Northconex. Bugger! The temperature in the tunnel was a steady 36 degrees, and sure enough the engine was overheating, so it was a rinse repeat of the earlier experience, paddle off to the breakdown lane, let the engine cool down, then get moving again in the breakdown lane. (not sure what the procedure is for this in the tunnel?)
I was very happy to leave the tunnel and rejoin daylight and fresh air on the M7, slide across into the bus lane and continue riding southwards. At the onramp to the M31 (Hume) things were almost back to normal (if there is such a thing with Sydney traffic) and before too long I was out of greater Sydney and rolling through the Southern Highlands.
Dinner at Sallys Corner. M31.
Dinner stop was Maccas at Sallys Corner. Riding into Canberra in dusk, I decided to add a few extra kms out to Queanbeyan, my GPS was playing up and my total mileage seemed well below what it should have been. Rode back into Phillip, just after 9:00pm to collect my finishing docket and coffee selfie. Job done!
Sunset on the M31, near Goulburn
Lake George in the early evening light
Coffee Selfie # 4 (Finishing selfie)
Finishing docket. Job done!
Did I mention I was having trouble with my trackers and GPS? Check this out!
Overall, about 1,700kms for another Coffee Cup 1000 to add to the IBA ride collection, as always, a few new things learnt along the way, and a ride I really enjoyed, the diversions off the freeway, were awesome! And the jaffle was delicious!
Start docket
Coffee Selfie # 1
Federal Highway was busier than normal, and I had plenty of company with cars and trucks spread out evenly along the way. Lake George was looking resplendent in the bright moonlight. As per usual, once I joined the Hume there was the usual wall to wall semis, but also mixed in with a lot of tradie traffic, all Sydney bound. I made good progress, and as planned once I rolled past Menangle Park, the traffic was heavy, but all flowing at the speed limit. This had me arriving right on schedule into North Sydney for my 2nd coffee stop (and breakfast) of the day.
Coffee Selfie # 2
The coffee was excellent, and I also had company with ol’ mate, who made sure I wasn’t lonely. Time to keep moving, a quick check of Google maps had the quickest route north out of Sydney to Newcastle being up the Pacific Highway through Chatswood. No thanks, I chose to head through the Lane Cove tunnel to join Northconnex. Smooth riding, and before long I was on the freeway to Newcastle, where, after navigating the mess of roadworks through Beresfield/Tarro and Tomago, I topped up both tanks at Heatherbrae. While fueling up I ran through the timing of my return through this roadworks satisfied that a mid-afternoon return timing would be Ok.
A nice little diversion onto the Wootton Way.
At Wootton Way, I took the turn off from the A1 onto what I think is a section of the old Pacific Highway. This was a glorious shady twisty section of road that made a pleasant change from the freeway. Almost no traffic, with the temperature a couple of degrees cooler. Strangely, the GPS lost satellite signal along here.
Rejoined the A1, and from here it was set the cruise control, turn up the music and settle in for a few hours. Taree rolled by, followed by Port McQuarrie and Kempsey. Took the turn off at Ballards Rd to enjoy a few more miles of the ol’ Pacific Highway before stopping at Liberty Providores (an old servo converted into a café) for my next coffee and an early lunch. Rebecca and I stopped here a few weeks agon on our way back from QLD, and this place is a real gem.
Coffee Selfie # 3
The coffee is outstanding along with the Jaffles. Coffee selfie taken, I continued north on the old Highway to Bellinger River, before crossing over to North Bank Road and heading west into Bellingen. This is a neat little back country road, well worth the ride up from Canberra.
North Bank Road, on my way to Belligen.
At Bellingen, I joined waterfall Way to head back to the A1 to head homeward. Just after Macksville I took the turnoff to Scotts Head and meandered my out towards the coast, before turning at Way Way, to head south to Stuarts Point, and then onto the freeway again at Eungai. (this was a great little break from the hustle of the A1).
Beautiful Bellingen!
Scotts Head Road near Way Way.
Rolling into Heatherbrae, early/mid-afternoon, as planned, traffic was a standstill due to the roadworks. Took a while to work out why, but it seemed to be a combination of early Friday afternoon commuter traffic combined with construction traffic signal phasing that favoured heavily the construction traffic. With temperatures in the mid 30’s and no breeze, the K1600 engine went into the red zone, complete with flashing warning lights, so I had no choice but to turn everything off, and when the traffic did move, I could paddle forward a few metres at a time, in the 35-degree heat. After 10 minutes of this, I decided this was sustainable and jumped into the construction/breakdown lane to keep moving. All up I used about 45 minutes extra time working my way through this mess.
Rejoining the M1 at Beresfield was a relief, and while the traffic was super heavy, at least it was moving at a reasonable speed. With an updated ETA into the Sydney ring road (M7) of about 4:30pm, I was optimistically hoping I would miss the worst of the Friday traffic.
Filler Photo, as I didn't take any photos in Northconex
Rolling into Northconex at Hornsby, everything was going to plan, traffic was flowing, until it wasn’t. About 2/3rds of the way through the tunnel, everything just topped. A quick google and radio search, confirmed a major accident on the M4 (near the twin servos), which had diverted traffic onto the M7, which had then backed up the southbound Northconex. Bugger! The temperature in the tunnel was a steady 36 degrees, and sure enough the engine was overheating, so it was a rinse repeat of the earlier experience, paddle off to the breakdown lane, let the engine cool down, then get moving again in the breakdown lane. (not sure what the procedure is for this in the tunnel?)
I was very happy to leave the tunnel and rejoin daylight and fresh air on the M7, slide across into the bus lane and continue riding southwards. At the onramp to the M31 (Hume) things were almost back to normal (if there is such a thing with Sydney traffic) and before too long I was out of greater Sydney and rolling through the Southern Highlands.
Dinner at Sallys Corner. M31.
Dinner stop was Maccas at Sallys Corner. Riding into Canberra in dusk, I decided to add a few extra kms out to Queanbeyan, my GPS was playing up and my total mileage seemed well below what it should have been. Rode back into Phillip, just after 9:00pm to collect my finishing docket and coffee selfie. Job done!
Sunset on the M31, near Goulburn
Lake George in the early evening light
Coffee Selfie # 4 (Finishing selfie)
Finishing docket. Job done!
Did I mention I was having trouble with my trackers and GPS? Check this out!
Overall, about 1,700kms for another Coffee Cup 1000 to add to the IBA ride collection, as always, a few new things learnt along the way, and a ride I really enjoyed, the diversions off the freeway, were awesome! And the jaffle was delicious!
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