BRISBANE WATER NP - KARIONG FALLS BIKE HIKE - 7 APRIL 2017

I parked at Staples Lookout carpark.


After admiring the expansive view I was on my bike.

The biggest obstacle on the ride as getting across Woy Woy Road. The speed limit was 80km/h with two curves at the crossing to the start of the track.

Over the gate and down the service trail - Tommos Loop. I followed this for a couple of kilometres over firm ground, sandstone, puddles of water and loose stones. I had a pattern of mud flicked over me by the time I reached the track head.

I rode down the track a short distance and hid the bike in the bush then continued by foot.

The track was fun being heavily eroded by the recent rains with steep sections. Just before the falls there was a narrow path against the cliff and then a sort of tunnel to go through. Surprisingly, I didn't get any leeches considering how wet and muddy the track was in parts.

At this point, I got my first view of the falls. There was a lot of water tumbling over the edge.

I continued to the base and the vegetation became like a rain forest. I scrambled carefully over both sides of the pool at the base of the falls to get a better view.

A fun and challenging 5.km bike and hike with a rewarding view.

MUNMORAH MTB - SNAPPER FIRE TRAIL AND OFF QUARRY TRACK - 8 JANUARY 2017

The chance of a surf today looked slim. I checked Wamberal Beach and Red Ochre Beach but decided on a bike ride at Munmorah SCA.

There were two tracks, I wanted to follow.

The first was the Snapper Point Fire Trail. It was pretty straightforward with a good downhill run on the return leg of the ride.

The second was a track off the Quarry Trail. I had missed this one when I was here a few weeks ago. It started off with a number of branches across the track to block access. Once passed this section it was a great downhill ride that winded down the hill in broad sweeps through the scruffy vegetation. Parts of it were smooth and flowy and other parts were eroded with holes and small drop offs. Heaps of fun. :)

It ended in a pretty and quiet spot surrounded by ferns, dry forest trees with a backdrop of rainforest trees. The rainforest trees indicated where the creeks flowed.

Cover in sweat and pumped with adrenalin ,
I was eased back into a state of rumination,
Looking at the ferns and the motley coloured trees.
Feeling the pleasure of being alone with thee.

Later, I checked Caves Beach for waves but settled on a cappuccino... large :)

BOUDDI NP MTB - 21 DECEMBER 2016

This morning I had a ride at Bouddi National Park.

I biked along the tracks - Turkey, NW Ridge, unknown, Strom - it was quiet with a few surprises.

The first surprise was making it through all the rough of the turkey track at moderate speed without falling or portaging at the harder spots. A good feeling.

The second was a bike in a tree. Obviously, a Christmas decoration.

The next was a mum and daughter running team. They told me of their love for running the tracks on the Central Coast. They have a lot to do.

The final was an additional track off the Strom Trail. I did this before but it was sandy and not very good. the track was now firm and passed through and around thick ferns, grass trees and large boulders. A great ride.

Overall, it was a great 7.32 km fun ride.

Drenched in sweat, I drove to nearby Killcare Beach for a dip in the ocean. Nice.

Later in the early afternoon, we all went to lunch at The Cove at Terrigal Haven. The restaurant has a nice view over the ocean.

It was a nice lunch full of laughs.

SUNRISE, BIKE AND WIND - 23 OCTOBER 2016

The day started chilly and sunny with thick clouds on the southern horizon.

I checked the surf and sunrise at Wamberal Beach.

Next, I drove an hour to Caves Beach to check the waves and maybe a bike ride if the surf wasn't that good.


Well, the bike ride won so I decided to follow the coastal track in Wallarah National Park.

What a great ride! The tracks were varied  with some steep sections, pools of mud, sandy spots, sandstone base, thick to open vegetation, narrow and wide tracks.

The scenery was awesome with beaches, coves, cliffs, bridges, creeks, old fences, open heath and forests.

Putting all of the above together made for an awesome and fun 8.10 km ride with a maximum speed of 38.2 km/h.

Later in the day, the wind picked up and so I went for a windsurf at Canton Beach on Tuggerah Lake.

It was blowing strongly but in gusts. So I had good runs but sometimes the wind would back off and I'd be floundering.

Still, a great 10 km windsurf with a maximum speed of 37.1 km/h.

What a fun day!

PATONGA MTB AND HIKE - 1 DECEMBER 2015

An excellent morning - sunny and warm and getting warmer.



I drove to Patonga to ride the bike along the edge of Patonga Creek. The track started out clearly defined along the banks of the creek. Unfortunately, the first campsite I came across was littered in rubbish and used toilet paper was strewn in a wide area. Some people come to camp in an area like this because it is natural and reasonably pristine and then they leave it like a garbage tip for others to clear up or the wildlife to ingest. On my return Two guys from Gosford council were cleaning the mess up. Congratulations as the area is really BW National Parks responsibility.

I walked the bike across a rocky creek and then the real ride started. Well, sort of started, as there were lots of low  overhanging vines and fallen trees across the track so it was a lot of stop to navigate around, over or under it. At one point, when I had a bit of speed up my go pro hooked on to a vine and I was pulled backwards off the bike.

 

After a short time, I reached a wide flat area of mangroves. There were a couple of tracks leading through it. Some tracks ended in pools of water but I managed to go a fair distance before the mangroves and tough grasses became too thick.

There were thousands of mud crabs! they tended to blot and hide or stand their ground to defend themselves. A puffed themselves up too high and toppled backwards.

I backtracked and followed the foreshore of the creek around the urban area. There were a lot of birds and looking across the still and reflective Patonga Creek it looked so peaceful and serene.

I cycled along the hard sand of the creek edge to the camping area at the estuary of the creek.

I parked the bike and walked out to the point admiring the creek, the bush foreshore , the creek estuary and the small waves breaking on the sandbanks. Very pretty!

Backtracking and continuing on to the pier, I rode along the pier and met some people going by boat to Broken Bay Sport and Recreation Camp where I use to work about 30 years ago.

It was a pretty and scenic 5.99km ride

 

I finished the morning with a fun small surf at Wamberal Beach and then coffee with a friend at Terrigal Haven.