WEDNESDAYS RIDE 26-1-2011 Mt Wilson, NSW, Australia

[BMBEN]

Wednesdays Ride
26/1/2011
Mt Wilson, NSW, Australia

I had kept an eye on the weather forecast throughout the week with Wednesday being +42 with a chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon, so I had decided earlier in the week that I would only do a short ride and be back home around lunchtime to beat the heat.

So with this info I headed around to McDonalds. Its 8.30am and there is nobody there yet. About 8.45am another rider turned up and suggested that we go to Mt Wilson for lunch. Now its 9.00am and its the two of us for the ride. We went up the Great Western Highway to Springwood and out through Hawkesbury Lookout and around to North Richmond, then up the Bells Line Road to have morning tea at the Fruit Bowl. So far the weather is still pleasant and there are a lot of people out having their picnics, so there were not a lot of free tables to sit at.

After morning tea we continued up the mountains along the Bells Line Road to the Mt Wilson turnoff and then to have lunch at Cathedral Reserve at Mt Wilson.





As we finished our lunch and started getting ready to leave, there were a few drops of rain and lots of people started to arrive for what look like a family get together. We headed back to the Bells Line Road and continued up the mountains to Bell. We took the Darling Causeway across to Mt Victoria then down the Great Western Highway past Blackheath and to have afternoon tea at Evans Lookout. Still the weather is still pleasant with cloud cover and a few drops of rain.

We said our goodbyes and headed back down the mountains along the Great Western Highway to Blaxland. It was near Lawson where you could start to feel the heat starting to rise and by the time I arrived home it was very unpleasant. Still a very pleasant ride with very little traffic. That surprised me, as everyone must have been in Sydney for Australia Day stuff.
I arrived home at 2.30pm and covered 180km.
Regards Franz


Facts about Mount Wilson
Mount Wilson and Mount Irvine are basalt-capped mountains lying between the Wollangambe River and Bowens Creek. Most famous for their private gardens and fabulous trees, Mount Wilson & Mount Irvine also experience high rainfall, combined with rich volcanic soils and you have a perfect formula for cool-climate gardens.
Walks and picnic grounds are also very special in Mount Wilson. A beautiful location for a picnic is opposite 'The Cathedral of Ferns' - not to be missed. Back towards Bells Line of Road you will discover Bowens Creek Picnic Ground. Other places of interest include Wynne's Rock Lookout, Du Faurs Rock, and Pheasants Cave
A large number of private gardens are open to the public in spring and autumn, but a few of them are open all year round or for special occasions. Behind the magnificent old stonewalls and gates of Mount Wilson's distinguished homes lie lush private gardens. Some have been planted for over 100 years with mature specimens of exotic fine trees and shrubs.
A truly unforgettable experience is to witness the changing colours of Autumn at Mount Wilson with leaves of brilliant green changing colour as the effect is rich in contrast to the colours of the native trees and flowers.