Drive along Strickland Forest Road and park at the Banksia Picnic Area.
I started this ride at the beginning of the Cabbage Tree Track, which is at the south end of the picnic area.
The track was narrow with steep loose sections, small drop offs, tree roots and lots of rocks. The plants grew a little over the track in parts. It looks like it wallops you but it is actually quite soft.
About half of this track was downhill and the other half uphill.
I continued on and reached the Strickland Fall Track.
This track had a reasonable downhill then it was up, down and very rocky until reaching the falls. I wandered around the falls which were more like a drip today.
After the falls, it was necessary to carry the bike up the steps. The track was slightly undulating from here to the carpark.
A good ride but to me it was about half riding and half walking the bike.
Bay View Crescent, Blackwall. Off Blackwall Road. There is very limited parking at the top of the road.
I passed around the gate and slowly grinded my way to the top of the service road. Once at the water tank there are a number of tracks that go in various directions.
The tracks are generally short and join onto other tracks. The area at the top isn't that large so it easy to go back to the top and try a different way.
A lookout sign isn't posted but there are great views from there and at the very end of the track over Hardy's Bay to Umina.
The day was sunny and warm. The surf was relatively flat and the water was clear and warm.
Kara and I took Mr Archibald, the dusty lori for an outing at Terrigal Haven.
We sat on the beach and while Kara and Mr Archibald did some beach bonding, I had a snorkel.
The water was so clear. I didn't see many large fish but the smaller fish put on a beautiful and smooth acrobatic. The smallest fish swam in groups darting this way and that as a whole. At other times, they just flowed with the water movement.
The bigger fish searched for food and took off briskly when I got too close.
A fun snorkel.
Back on the beach, Mr Archibald and Kara were enjoying their sunshine bonding. Mr Archibald flew to my shoulder (he does have a harness on and lead so he can't get too far) and settled himself in to some salt licking on my wet hair. He loves it!
A drive up to Brisbane Water National Park for a mountain bike ride.
Maybe. I'm getting bike fit but I did the whole of Tommos Loop with no uphill walking. It wasn't really a strain to do so I think I was doing better with gear changes and gear decisions.
Anyway, I enjoyed the ride - along a couple of fun narrow tracks, some good downhill suns, some good uphill grinds, weaving over the sandstone platforms a a fun fast road downhill back to the van.
A lizard under a rock ledge was a nice surprise.
A detour to Kariong Falls was the highlight.
I rode part of the way down the track and locked the bike to a tree and continued the rocky and steep track to the falls.
The falls were very pretty. I had a swim and a play around the base of the falls, followed by a long contemplative sit on a log by the pool,s edge. Nice.
The wind was up early in the morning. I waited to make
sure it had settled in then I was off to Tuggerah Lake for a windsurf.
I got there and well, the wind didn't look that strong. I
had a coffee, Craig turned up, I rigged up and was out on the water.
I used my 6'3" sail and was having a fun time. The
wind steadily increased so I came in and downsized to a 5' sail. All as good.
At times the wind backed off a little too much and I
wished i kept the 6'3" sail on but then the wind would increase and I was
glad I had downsized. It was a fun windsurf though it was one of those days of
up and down wind.
My fastest speed was 38km/h and I clocked up a total
distance of 28 kilometres.
A late afternoon bike ride at Bouddi National Park along the Turkey, NW Ridge and Strom tracks. A fast ride as I did not have a camera with me. :)
8 November 2017
A late start check of the surf at Wamberal Beach. The surf was messy.
I continued on to Toowoon Bay but the wind was too strong. And damn the coffee cafe was closed.
Plan C was a hike. so I detoured over to Strickland State Forest. The GPS took me a different way than I normally go from home. It was an interesting drive past farms and crossing two bridges over the main freeway between Sydney and Newcastle.
I parked at the top carpark. there was a guy there and his dog there. We started chatting and he had just returned from working in the bush (out in the far west)).
I hiked along two tracks - the Cabbage Tree track and the Strickland Falls track. They were both great hikes passing between huge boulders and through rainforest. As their names implied, the first track passed heaps of Cabbage Trees and the second lead to Strickland Waterfall.
The falls were flowing lightly but it's the general quietness that is the main attraction to me. Silence that was so profound that it's overpoweringly loud. It seems funny to write it that way but it seemed the best way to describe it.
Rain early this morning. The rest of the morning was cloudy and windy but rainless.
The surf was messy so I decided on a mountain bike ride at Brisbane Water National Park.
I parked along Woy Woy Road and off I wen. I wasn't quite sure where I was exactly going to as the wetness of the tracks would decide for me.
I ended up riding to Mount Wondabyne, which is the highest point on the Central Coast. I had impressed myself by making it up all the steep sections except for the last 20 metres before the start of the track to Mount Wondabyne. Love the new bike. :)
I rode along the final track, dumped my bike in the bushes and climbed to the top of the mountain. It was such a fun hike - rock scrambling, a flat section and a nice view. The climb continue like this two more times and then I was at the summit. I love this view. Looking out towards the east was the green of the bush, the blue of Brisbane Water and pockets of human settlement. Looking towards the west was endless green on an undulating landscape and distant clouds. Well, the clouds didn't look too distant and they looked a little dark.
Back down the mountain and I was reunited with my bike then I heard distant thunder. I continued along the track following the base of the mountain. The track was very rugged and quite eroded. I spend half the time portering and the other half riding. The air was feeling moister and the thunder was getting closer.
I eventually, reached the intersection of the Mullet Creek Trail. I followed it back towards the van. The sky was getting darker, the thunder closer and louder and there were the odd flashes of lightning.
I rode back as fast as I could. There were a few droplets of rain to urge me on and more thunder and lightning. My legs were aching and I was drenched in sweat but I got back to the car, loaded the bike and gear in and then lightning cracked close above me with nearly an instantaneous clap of deafening thunder. I got into the van and it started to bucket down with rain. I just made it.
I drove home in near monsoonal rains with thunder clapping and lightning flashing.
I got back home, the rain stopped and the sun even made a brief appearance. What a morning. :)
BUT there's more. I went down to the Haven late in the afternoon when I brushed my leg and felt a stabbing pain. It was a huge and monstrous tick embedded in my leg. Ticks are not friendly little insects as they can cause massive health problems. We drove to the chemist and bought wart freeze. The idea was that it killed the tick instantly so that they couldn't regurgitate their toxic substances into you. It seemed to work. :)
A surf check not looking good but I settled for a surf at Terrigal beach with
Craig and Bryce. The waves were not so good but it was nice to get wet. I managed to get one nice left at the beginning before the high tide turned the session into closeouts.
21/10
The surf was looking not so good again so I drove up to Brisbane Water National Park. I parked at off Woy Woy Road at the start of the Tunnel Trail.
The ride was about 17km with trails, tracks and a bit of drama.
I had the best fall morning. Straight over the handlebars, slam dunked onto the ground and
tangled in the bike. :) No worries, the rest of the ride was good. :) I had hurt my wrist but it didn't seem too bad.
The Rocky Ponds were nice and surprising the water flow was light considering the rain from the previous day. It was such a nice place to sit in the sun on the rocks, relax and listen to the sound of the bush.
An Eastern Water Dragon, scuttled out from the rocks near me to bask in the sun.
I drove to the start of the Daley Point trail at Bouddi National Park.
A service road takes you to Daleys Point, and to other destinations.
There was a track following the road most of the way along.
It was heaps of fun - narrow tracks, drop offs, trees, overhanging branches, small rock obstacles, large rock obstacles, spiky bushes, cliffs and big drops offs.
The views were great in a couple of locations - looking over Brisbane Water and across the bush terrain.
I have another go at it next week.
Back home and it was off to vote at the local council elections.
.JPG)
