first long trip

[Zebee Johnstone]

well long for me anyway!

I rode the full distance into Sydney today, taking the Anzac Bridge
and getting lost trying to find the slightly less hilly and trafficked
way over the Bridge

A hard ride for a new rider, but the 'bent proved its worth - I got to
work in North Sydney tired but no part of me sore. No sore wrists, no
sore neck, no sore backside.

I'm not sure which way I'll go home, I may even only ride as far as
Central and take the train for most of it. One thing I won't do is go
back the way I came!

I mean that descent from Anzac Bridge cycleway is fun as a descent,
but as a climb you can have it!

For non-Sydneysiders, it is a very steep spiral ramp making I think 2
and a bit loops. I'd think twice about walking up the damn thing let
alone riding up it.

I also notice that a) there are a hell of a lot of hills in Sydney, no
wonder you don't see that many cyclists and b) the bike route signs
disappear just as you need them to work out which way you are supposed
to go now.

I'm off on a course next week, so won't be riding to work, I hope to
do at 30-40 mins of the hilly bits around home of an evening to keep
working on this fitness thing.

Oh, and those who hate having their metaphorical paint scraped by
being passed by a motorcycle in the bike lane, cyclists do it too....

Zebee
- slow and steady still has the heart rate rising rapidly!

 

[ritcho]

well long for me anyway!

I rode the full distance into Sydney today, taking the Anzac Bridge
and getting lost trying to find the slightly less hilly and trafficked
way over the Bridge

A hard ride for a new rider, but the 'bent proved its worth - I got to
work in North Sydney tired but no part of me sore. No sore wrists, no
sore neck, no sore backside.

I'm not sure which way I'll go home, I may even only ride as far as
Central and take the train for most of it. One thing I won't do is go
back the way I came!

I mean that descent from Anzac Bridge cycleway is fun as a descent,
but as a climb you can have it!

For non-Sydneysiders, it is a very steep spiral ramp making I think 2
and a bit loops. I'd think twice about walking up the damn thing let
alone riding up it.

I also notice that a) there are a hell of a lot of hills in Sydney, no
wonder you don't see that many cyclists and b) the bike route signs
disappear just as you need them to work out which way you are supposed
to go now.

I'm off on a course next week, so won't be riding to work, I hope to
do at 30-40 mins of the hilly bits around home of an evening to keep
working on this fitness thing.

Oh, and those who hate having their metaphorical paint scraped by
being passed by a motorcycle in the bike lane, cyclists do it too....

Zebee
- slow and steady still has the heart rate rising rapidly!

Well done! The eastern approach to Anzac Bridge is a little steep, probably more difficult on a bent than an upright bike, but one reason you ride is 'cos you want to keep in shape (right?). A few months of regular commuting in Sydney and you'll get used to the hills, lack of bike lanes, signage and narrow, busy roads. Oh what fun I have left behind!

Ritch

 

[Damian]

The ramp isn't so bad on the way up, you just have to pace yourself,
pick a low gear and remember to leave some in reserve to get over the
bridge once you're at the top of the ramp. The downhill gives you
plenty of recover time

In good weather you do get a lot of cyclists of all shapes and sizes
going through pyrmont and over the bridge though, so it's not just for
"climbers". I'm living proof of that

The disappearing bike route sign thing is annoying, but it's led me to
discovering new routes

Commuting by bike in Sydney is like life, all dependent on your
attitude. The things you don't like are the things I love about it

Damian

 

[warrwych]

Well done! The eastern approach to Anzac Bridge is a little steep, probably more difficult on a bent than an upright bike, but one reason you ride is 'cos you want to keep in shape (right?). A few months of regular commuting in Sydney and you'll get used to the hills, lack of bike lanes, signage and narrow, busy roads. Oh what fun I have left behind!

Ritch

what are you talking about? The man takes those hills lying down !!!

 

[Zebee Johnstone]

In aus.bicycle on 30 Mar 2006 17:07:31 -0800
Damian <[email protected]> wrote:
> The ramp isn't so bad on the way up, you just have to pace yourself,
> pick a low gear and remember to leave some in reserve to get over the
> bridge once you're at the top of the ramp. The downhill gives you
> plenty of recover time

Not so bad?

Hah, your faith in me is touching, my faith in me is busy working out
other ways home....

Zebee

 

[beerwolf]

Zebee Johnstone wrote:

> well long for me anyway!
>
> I rode the full distance into Sydney today, taking the Anzac Bridge
> and getting lost trying to find the slightly less hilly and trafficked
> way over the Bridge
>
> A hard ride for a new rider, but the 'bent proved its worth - I got to
> work in North Sydney tired but no part of me sore. No sore wrists, no
> sore neck, no sore backside.
>
> I'm not sure which way I'll go home, I may even only ride as far as
> Central and take the train for most of it. One thing I won't do is go
> back the way I came!
>
> I mean that descent from Anzac Bridge cycleway is fun as a descent,
> but as a climb you can have it!
>
> For non-Sydneysiders, it is a very steep spiral ramp making I think 2
> and a bit loops. I'd think twice about walking up the damn thing let
> alone riding up it.
>
> I also notice that a) there are a hell of a lot of hills in Sydney, no
> wonder you don't see that many cyclists and b) the bike route signs
> disappear just as you need them to work out which way you are supposed
> to go now.
>
> I'm off on a course next week, so won't be riding to work, I hope to
> do at 30-40 mins of the hilly bits around home of an evening to keep
> working on this fitness thing.
>
> Oh, and those who hate having their metaphorical paint scraped by
> being passed by a motorcycle in the bike lane, cyclists do it too....
>
> Zebee
> - slow and steady still has the heart rate rising rapidly!

Good on you, keep it going.
The spiral ramp up onto Anzac Bridge is not so bad - try Johnston St
coming off the Crescent up into Annandale for comparison. The ramp
is relatively short - just try a very low gear to start with and spin up,
then gradually ramp up the gears over a few weeks. You'll find your
strength increasing, and it's very satisfying to measure this by the
way your gear selections can go higher. And once you get to the top
of the bridge, there's a nice gentle downhill run to get your breath back.

The route from Annandale over the Anzac Bridge has improved out of
sight after they finished the cycle/pedestrian bridge over the expressway.
If you go that way often I'll probably catch up with you sometime.
Can't be all that many 'bents going that way.

Cheers.

--
beerwolf (remove amphibian to reply by email)

 

[Fractal]

> Good on you, keep it going.
> The spiral ramp up onto Anzac Bridge is not so bad - try Johnston St
> coming off the Crescent up into Annandale for comparison. The ramp
> is relatively short - just try a very low gear to start with and spin up,
> then gradually ramp up the gears over a few weeks. You'll find your
> strength increasing, and it's very satisfying to measure this by the
> way your gear selections can go higher. And once you get to the top
> of the bridge, there's a nice gentle downhill run to get your breath back.
>
> The route from Annandale over the Anzac Bridge has improved out of
> sight after they finished the cycle/pedestrian bridge over the expressway.
> If you go that way often I'll probably catch up with you sometime.
> Can't be all that many 'bents going that way.
>
> Cheers.
>>

There will soon be an almost no-hill way into the City from the west. The
City Council is building a path (cycle/pedestrian) around the Glebe Point
foreshores that will come out on Pyrmont Bridge Rd. Most of it is being done
now, but the last bit past Glebe High might take longer. Use Taylor St for
that meanwhile. Get to the new foreshore path via Chapman St at foot of
Johnston St and go through the Park to the end of Glebe Pt Rd. Only problem
is dopey dog owners in the early mornings. Nice way to come home if Anzac is
too steep or its windy or whatever. Less car noise and fumes too, not to
mention all those youngsters wizzing past showing off.

fractal

 

[Zebee Johnstone]

In aus.bicycle on Mon, 03 Apr 2006 05:15:59 GMT
Fractal <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> There will soon be an almost no-hill way into the City from the west. The
> City Council is building a path (cycle/pedestrian) around the Glebe Point
> foreshores that will come out on Pyrmont Bridge Rd. Most of it is being done
> now, but the last bit past Glebe High might take longer. Use Taylor St for
> that meanwhile. Get to the new foreshore path via Chapman St at foot of
> Johnston St and go through the Park to the end of Glebe Pt Rd. Only problem

LOoks interesting, I'll check that one out.

Then jsut have to work out what the "no hill" way is from Johnston St!

Zebee

 

[geoffs]

In aus.bicycle on Mon, 03 Apr 2006 05:15:59 GMT
Fractal <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> There will soon be an almost no-hill way into the City from the west. The
> City Council is building a path (cycle/pedestrian) around the Glebe Point
> foreshores that will come out on Pyrmont Bridge Rd. Most of it is being done
> now, but the last bit past Glebe High might take longer. Use Taylor St for
> that meanwhile. Get to the new foreshore path via Chapman St at foot of
> Johnston St and go through the Park to the end of Glebe Pt Rd. Only problem

LOoks interesting, I'll check that one out.

Then jsut have to work out what the "no hill" way is from Johnston St!

Zebee

Great that you are out there riding Zebee. Where do you start from? I ride that way via Anzac bridge when I head over to Manly and backfor a coffee on the fixie.

Cheers

Geoff

 

[Zebee Johnstone]

In aus.bicycle on Mon, 3 Apr 2006 23:18:29 +1000
geoffs <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Great that you are out there riding Zebee. Where do you start from? I
> ride that way via Anzac bridge when I head over to Manly and backfor a
> coffee on the fixie.

I start from Campsie. I go up through Summer Hill, then down to
Stanmore station, across to Johnston St and down to Anzac Bridge then
to North Sydney.

I've taken the train home so far, because I felt too tired to
contemplate the ride back, I'm now pondering the long way round going
through Redfern and St Peters and the Cooks River path at Tempe.

Zebee

 

[beerwolf]

Fractal wrote:
> There will soon be an almost no-hill way into the City from the west. The
> City Council is building a path (cycle/pedestrian) around the Glebe Point
> foreshores that will come out on Pyrmont Bridge Rd. Most of it is being
> done now, but the last bit past Glebe High might take longer. Use Taylor
> St for that meanwhile. Get to the new foreshore path via Chapman St at
> foot of Johnston St and go through the Park to the end of Glebe Pt Rd.
> Only problem is dopey dog owners in the early mornings. Nice way to come
> home if Anzac is too steep or its windy or whatever. Less car noise and
> fumes too, not to mention all those youngsters wizzing past showing off.

That sounds good. I haven't been down there for a while; what have they
done / plan to do with the beachy mangrove area just after the swanky
townhouses at the end of Jubilee Park? From memory that bit looks ok
for a MTB track, but I think they'd need an extensive raised boardwalk
system to allow road bikes to be used without pick up & carry.

--
beerwolf (remove numbers from email address)

 

[geoffs]

In aus.bicycle on Mon, 3 Apr 2006 23:18:29 +1000
geoffs <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Great that you are out there riding Zebee. Where do you start from? I
> ride that way via Anzac bridge when I head over to Manly and backfor a
> coffee on the fixie.

I start from Campsie. I go up through Summer Hill, then down to
Stanmore station, across to Johnston St and down to Anzac Bridge then
to North Sydney.

I've taken the train home so far, because I felt too tired to
contemplate the ride back, I'm now pondering the long way round going
through Redfern and St Peters and the Cooks River path at Tempe.

Zebee

You'll be ok once you start geting a bit fitter. There is no nice and easy way from the Harbour bridge over to Redfern in peak hour. If we go into the city it's usually along Old Canterbury Rd and over the bridge (brown St) that crosses Parramatta Rd, along Foster, Darley, James and right onto Lilyfield Rd to the bridge that goes over Victoria Rd. The Bridge is a bit narrow but I can get over it without stopping when riding the tandem so you should be OK.
When you get to the city, I do a quick blast up King and turn into Clarence. You can either drop back onto Kent and get to the bridge via argyle or just keep going on clarence and turn onto the footpath and over a small steep climb.

Cheers

Geoff

 

[Fractal]

They have cleared it all up and probably will be a boardwalk across the
beachy bits. Also maybe some short bridges across the old sandstone docks.
Great views of Blackwattle Bay and teh Anzac Bridge.

"beerwolf" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> That sounds good. I haven't been down there for a while; what have they
> done / plan to do with the beachy mangrove area just after the swanky
> townhouses at the end of Jubilee Park? From memory that bit looks ok
> for a MTB track, but I think they'd need an extensive raised boardwalk
> system to allow road bikes to be used without pick up & carry.
>
> --
> beerwolf (remove numbers from email address)
>

 

[beerwolf]

Fractal wrote:
> They have cleared it all up and probably will be a boardwalk across the
> beachy bits. Also maybe some short bridges across the old sandstone docks.
> Great views of Blackwattle Bay and teh Anzac Bridge.
>
> "beerwolf" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> That sounds good. I haven't been down there for a while; what have they
>> done / plan to do with the beachy mangrove area just after the swanky
>> townhouses at the end of Jubilee Park? From memory that bit looks ok
>> for a MTB track, but I think they'd need an extensive raised boardwalk
>> system to allow road bikes to be used without pick up & carry.

Good stuff! That has been a nice walk ever since they canned the old
ferry workshops and opened up the foreshore. It will be good to do
it on a bike now.

Zebee, I reckon this is a good choice for your ride home at least.
Also, you can avoid the Johnston St hill by going a bit further along
The Crescent, until the bus stop just before the expressway. There's
a short section of shared foot/cycle in behind the shrubbery near the
bus top, after which you're on a stretch of gently undulating road
alongside the expressway until you get to Catherine Street. That is
a good section of road for cycling - nice and quiet, very wide road,
and few cars.

--
beerwolf (remove numbers from email address)

 

[Zebee Johnstone]

In aus.bicycle on Wed, 5 Apr 2006 19:18:42 +1000
beerwolf <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Zebee, I reckon this is a good choice for your ride home at least.
> Also, you can avoid the Johnston St hill by going a bit further along
> The Crescent, until the bus stop just before the expressway. There's
> a short section of shared foot/cycle in behind the shrubbery near the
> bus top, after which you're on a stretch of gently undulating road
> alongside the expressway until you get to Catherine Street. That is
> a good section of road for cycling - nice and quiet, very wide road,
> and few cars.

SOunds good, I'll give it a go.

<checks map>

Yes, I see. Then Catherine, Crystal, Trafalgar and back the way I
came.

I'll give it a go on Monday!

Zebee

 

[beerwolf]

Zebee Johnstone wrote:
>
> SOunds good, I'll give it a go.
>
> <checks map>
>
> Yes, I see. Then Catherine, Crystal, Trafalgar and back the way I
> came.
>
> I'll give it a go on Monday!

Something you might want to know, about the intersection where Taylor
Street joins Bridge Road near Glebe High School. If you're coming from
the CBD end in the afternoon.
There is a red "no right turn" arrow, active between 3-7pm Mon-Fri, to
prevent ratrunners disturbing the peace of Glebe. Police often lurk in
Taylor
St to catch drivers who disregard the red arrow. There is only one *legal*
way for a cyclist to get into Taylor Street - get off your bike in Bridge
Rd,
press the 'Walk' button and become a pedestrian across Bridge Rd.
There are several illegal ways - of which one or other is used by most
cyclists wanting to use that route.

--
beerwolf (remove numbers from email address)

 

[TimC]

On 2006-04-05, beerwolf (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
> Something you might want to know, about the intersection where Taylor
> Street joins Bridge Road near Glebe High School. If you're coming from
> the CBD end in the afternoon.
> There is a red "no right turn" arrow, active between 3-7pm Mon-Fri, to
> prevent ratrunners disturbing the peace of Glebe. Police often lurk in
> Taylor
> St to catch drivers who disregard the red arrow. There is only one *legal*
> way for a cyclist to get into Taylor Street - get off your bike in Bridge
> Rd,
> press the 'Walk' button and become a pedestrian across Bridge Rd.
> There are several illegal ways - of which one or other is used by most
> cyclists wanting to use that route.

Don't know the road, but can you do a hook turn? Hook turns are legal
for bicycles in all parts of Australia. The single situation where
they are not legal (unless of course a right turn is going to bring
you into a road which is not legal to travel in that direction on a
bicycle anyway), is where a sign explicitly says "bicycle no hook
turns" (or words or symbols to that effect). I am not aware of the
existance of any such signs.

Certainly made good use of the rule in the Melbourne CBD during those
rat run games, when no right turn arrows were put up everywhere.

--
TimC
When I'M trying to get somebody fired, I always walk a mile in their
shoes first. That way, when I get them fired and they get all angry
with me, I'm a mile away, and I'VE GOT THEIR SHOES! HAW HAW!
--Beable van Polasm, alt.religion.kibology

 

[beerwolf]

TimC wrote:
>
> Don't know the road, but can you do a hook turn? Hook turns are legal
> for bicycles in all parts of Australia. The single situation where
> they are not legal (unless of course a right turn is going to bring
> you into a road which is not legal to travel in that direction on a
> bicycle anyway), is where a sign explicitly says "bicycle no hook
> turns" (or words or symbols to that effect). I am not aware of the
> existance of any such signs.
>
> Certainly made good use of the rule in the Melbourne CBD during those
> rat run games, when no right turn arrows were put up everywhere.

A hook turn is not possible there. It's a T-junction, with Bridge Rd
as the cross and Taylor St the stem. We're trying to turn right from the
cross into the stem. It's a very obvious *******-invented ratrun preventer.
The real bummer is that about 50 metres past the junction, Bridge Rd
makes a sharp left turn that takes you a looong way away from where
you really want to go.

BTW, I like your sigs.

--
beerwolf (remove numbers from email address)

 

[Fractal]

You can do a sort of hook turn. There is a left turn onto Darling St (more
of a lane really) just before and opposite Taylor St with a half road
closure with a convenient ramp, so you can easily get onto the footpath and
prop there next to the traffic signal pole while you wait for the pedestrian
lights to cross Bridge Rd. Our local bike group got that put in years ago to
make it easier to turn right, peak hour or any time, as it is a bit exposed
there.

Come to think of it, if Zebee is going to Petersham, you can just follow
Bridge Rd all the way to Parramatta Rd - shorter than going around via
Johnstone or Brenan Sts. Its a bit busy but reasonably wide, except for the
uphill to Glebe Pt Rd. There are growing numbers of cyclists using it for
commuting. You can bypass the tricky section by using Colbourne St and St
Johns Rd, coming back to Bridge Rd on Union St. Havent tried it but from
Paramatta rd you could then go left on (another)Bridge Rd, Stanmore, then
Macaulay Rd and Westbourne up to Crystal, or similar.

From Catherine St you can avoid most of Crystal St by zigzagging up on
Phillip, Margaret, Charles and Westbourne to meet Crystal at top of the
ridge.


fractal


"beerwolf" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> TimC wrote:
>>
>> Don't know the road, but can you do a hook turn? Hook turns are legal
>> for bicycles in all parts of Australia. The single situation where
>> they are not legal (unless of course a right turn is going to bring
>> you into a road which is not legal to travel in that direction on a
>> bicycle anyway), is where a sign explicitly says "bicycle no hook
>> turns" (or words or symbols to that effect). I am not aware of the
>> existance of any such signs.
>>
>> Certainly made good use of the rule in the Melbourne CBD during those
>> rat run games, when no right turn arrows were put up everywhere.
>
> A hook turn is not possible there. It's a T-junction, with Bridge Rd
> as the cross and Taylor St the stem. We're trying to turn right from the
> cross into the stem. It's a very obvious *******-invented ratrun
> preventer.
> The real bummer is that about 50 metres past the junction, Bridge Rd
> makes a sharp left turn that takes you a looong way away from where
> you really want to go.
>
> BTW, I like your sigs.
>
> --
> beerwolf (remove numbers from email address)
>