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Wiseman's Ferry social ride


Morgan's picture

By Morgan - Posted on 29 May 2009

When: 
Sunday, 7 June, 2009 - 09:00
Duration: 
3 hours
Come Rain or Shine: 
If it's raining, I won't be there.
Ride Database Entry: 
Great Northern Road
Meeting Point: 

Wisemans Ferry - by the East ferry crossing (turn right bottom of the hill). There is a good parking area by the kiosk here.

-33.38142,150.989066 (Park by the Ferry)
Details:

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

Well, for this weekend anyway, so I thought I'd go for a Sunday morning bimble.

This will be the compact Wiseman's Ferry ride - up Western Commission Track to get to the ridge, then turn left to follow the good bits of the Great North Road, back to and down Shepherd's Gully with the unfortunate few k's gravel & bitumen finish to the ferry. 35-40k's all up at a respectably social pace - this isn't a training ride, though I would like to get back home in time for cucumber sandwiches and earl grey, so anticipate a 3 hour or so ride.

Who's in?
pikey, lorrie, petulance, Andy Bloot, Gary, anke13, Morgan, jdb, Danielvn, dangersean, shaz, naz, Steve C, beebeep, Antsonline, SpecializedWmn (16 riders)
pikey lorrie petulance Andy Bloot Gary anke13 Morgan jdb Danielvn dangersean shaz naz Steve C beebeep Antsonline SpecializedWmn
What Happened?

Were you there and have a story to tell?

Ride Gallery
naz's picture

haven't been to wiseman's ferry before so am very keen providing it's not pouring.

cheers, naz

petulance's picture

as long as it isn't raining and the pace is social. This will be my first off road ride in a year so it might be interesting (I have been keeping myself busy with a few road rides).

beebeep's picture

Hey,

I'm new to the club....just wondering if its ok to tag along on this ride?? and if anyone has space in their car so I can get to wiseman's ferry, am based in Manly/Freshwater.

Cheers,
Una

lorrie's picture

What's this thing called dirt? See Christine I can ride on the dirt!

Im up for a car pool, can take one person or am willing to accept a life I live in Lane Cove.

Andrew

Morgan's picture

Are you a newbie to NobMob or a newbie to mountain biking?

You're welcome to come along if you've got the fitness to do a steady 35-40k ride with a few stops. Because we have to get on to the ridge, the hill is at the start; it's long but reasonably steady, then the track undulates with at the most a 20 metre climb along the way, a lovely descent to come off the ridge then about 8k's of undulating gravel road to get to the finish.

There are a few short but reasonably technical sections at the top, but nothing you can't walk down or up and there is a lot of nice "flat" singletrack stuff. It's sandstone, so lots of little drop offs & roll downs. I hate technical riding and an a wuss but I can ride the lot except for one ba$tard set of step ups.

Have you done Manly Dam here? If so, you'll be fine. Of course if you're a rock hopping legend, you'll find it easy.

What d'ya reckon?

PS - does anyone live over Manly way that could give Una a lift?

beebeep's picture

Hey Morgan,

Thanks for the heads up....yikes sounds like a lot of climbing!!!

I'm a newbie to NobMob, have done lots of mountain biking(XC and DH) at home (Ireland), I love technical stuff so that shouldn't be a problem, my fitness might be an issue.....havent been on a mountain bike for a few months but have been running and on a few road spins so I think I'd be fine, but dont want to hold you guys up.

If its an uber-fit group that goes out every week then I'll definatley be holding you guys up so I might skip it but if its more casual (and I can get a lift;-) I'll give it a go

Cheers
Una

Morgan's picture

you should be fine. Come along!

christine's picture

can someone take a photo of Lorrie off the road and on the dirt ?? wish i wasn't so busy as then I could come along too - good crowd for this one!

Morgan's picture

There may be lycra present.

Morgan's picture

Just a few things before I pop down to Centrelink -

You should probably make sure you aren't down to your last 3 mm's of brakepad because, whilst the forecast looks OK it might be a bit moist on that lovely sandstone. Shepherd's Gully will be real interesting with no brakes.

Also make sure you've enough liquid for 3 hours on the trail as there isn't anywhere on route to fill up.

If anyone needs more precise directions to the meeting point let me know.

All suitable clothing materials including lycra are acceptable on this ride. Dodgy German football outfits are not considered suitable Hans, and nor is dodgy dancing.

Blootster - have a shave before you come down from the mountains please - you might scare the children.

Gary - you wanna lift?

See you all Sunday!

beebeep's picture

So is anyone passing through Manly with a spare seat in their car and would like to give me a lift??? I'll go splits on petrol, and and bring sweets and and and i can even sing all the way there;-)

cheers
una

christine's picture

Abba you are singing and they will all offer you a lift... Smiling

Colt's picture

After all, not everyone here wears lycra. Sticking out tongue

Antsonline's picture

hi - I'm a nobmob ride virgin, but would love to come along. I hope you dont mind - I've added myself to the list. My girlf will be joining us too - need to get to register too. Looking forward to riding Wisemans area.

Andy Bloot's picture

I don't shave anything that is attached to me thank you Morgan
And scaring children is my forte - everyone has to be good at something

By the way, I'm not 100% sure of the meeting point
Is anyone coming through W Pennant Hills
I'm thinking freeway until I take the PH exit and along Castle Hill Rd
Onto Old Northern Rd
Anyone want to meet along the way so I can follow in car convoy

Gary's picture

Cheers mate a lift would be great, I will promise not to sing all the way down.

Morgan's picture

Gary - no worries. PM me your address and I'll be there at 7.45.

Bloots - Google maps shows a direct route from Glenbrook thru Cranebrook, Windsor, Pitt Town & Maroota - about 1 hr 25.

Otherwise yes, it's M2 onto Pennant Hills Rd, left onto Castle Hill Rd, right onto Newline Rd then bear left on Old Northern Rd to Wiseman's.

Antsonline - welcome! See you Sunday but holler if you need any more info. Bl@@dy hell, this is getting bigger than Ben Hur; better get the caff to order in more chips.

Please remember we can only be 20 thanks to our friends at the NPWS (yes, even on firetrails apparently), so please make sure to click the star - once we're full that's it and you miss out.

Can anyone help Beebeep with a lift?

petulance's picture

Hey Morgan, is Shepherd's Gully the shared track with 4WDs on it? I vaguely remember going down that track and at the end of the track was a bitumen road where a right turn took you back towards Wisemans Ferry. I need to check my brake pads!

I'll be going through Chatswood (and Fullers / Delhi Road) from Randwick to get to the M2. There is room for one other bike in my car if anyone wants a lift from Chatswood / East-ish.

lorrie's picture

Can I get a lift on Sunday?

I live on epping road right above the lane cove tunnel

Andrew

Morgan's picture

No, that's Western Commission Track, which we shall be riding up to warm the cockles.... Shepherd's Gully is the other end of the ridge, singletrack shared with walkers, so we've still got to be careful!

dangersean's picture

Riding down shepherd's Gully is worth the trip out all by itself if you ask me.

I plan on riding down it as fast as I can without crashing.. Woooooooooo!

Rob's picture

Shepherds Gully is a fire trail (as is all GNR). You could maybe call it double track. It's certainly not single track.

Morgan's picture

However it certainly feels like singletrack when you're half way down trying to stay on the obvious foot wide track rather than sliding off the 20 metre drop to the left whilst doing fort..... er, responsibly riding at a publicly acceptable velocity.

Unless of course there's been any more improvement work recently?

Buck's picture
I plan on riding down it as fast as I can without crashing.. Woooooooooo!

Sean this reminds me of a certain person called Rob who said something very similar at the top of Shephards Gully and then look what happened Smiling

[image:6419]
Rob all stitched up

petulance's picture

Doh. My sense of direction is woeful. OK, glad that was cleared up. I just followed a bunch of people the last time I was at Wisemans.

Andrew, sure I'll give you a lift on Sunday. You have to be my navigator though as I have never used the Lane Cove tunnel before. You have a PM.

naz's picture

Are you still looking for a lift? I could bring my ute instead and happy to help you out if you want to, it’ll have room for you and your bike.
Let me know by Sat afternoon at latest, so then i can clear up and make up some space for our bikes.

Cheers, Naz

Buck's picture

I may come to this. I haven't turned a crank once since the Dirtworks though Sticking out tongue

dangersean's picture

C'mon mate, This ride is as good as any to get back on the bike.

One big hill up then fun, fun, fun!

click the star and i'll see you there Eye-wink

Buck's picture

Damn turns out that I have a BBQ to attend at lunch time. Guess I will have to try and do something local if it's not too wet!

beebeep's picture

I didnt sort out a lift yet so that'd be super, cheers Naz......whoohoo I'm in, looking forward to it!

My no is 0420528592, so give me a shout and we can arrange meeting up.

cheers,
Una

jdb's picture

Working on the epic this afternoon to get it ready

Morgan's picture

I'm gunna be offline now so if there are any changes can you please have text with me so I know who extra to wait for/forget about tomoz.

I need to know how many bandages to bring.

JOOOOKIIIINNNG!!!!

See you in the morning. If you don't know anyone, look out for me - some have described me as Tom Cruise on stilts, others Shrek's pinker brother. However, the grey 2 door ute with big aluminium boxes on the back is a less subjective target.

And bloody hell I'll be bringing some warm clothes coz I reckon it's colder than Canberra here.

lorrie's picture

Awesome views and am keen for another!

petulance's picture

Great ride. Thanks for organising it, Morgan. It wa good to be back on the mountain bike after a year's absence.

Naz, hope you didn't have any trouble getting onto the M2 on the way back. Sorry for losing you at the lights, I didn't realise they were turning yellow.

naz's picture

found my our home no problem! Enjoyed the ride and great meeting you. Naz

beebeep's picture

Great trail Morgan, that was a super dooper spin, i had so much fun! Thanks everyone for being so welcoming;-) Look forward to more rides with NobMob soon.

Thanks for letting me tag along!!
Una

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