LBUG has been doing this ride for more than 20 years now. I can recall Trevor Briggs, noted long distance cyclist, from Balmain, being the tail-end charlie on one earlier ride, and that was a long time ago. It is a brilliant ride on a good day, and today was one of the best- perfectly mild and sunny, no wind, green bush through Kuringai National Park, and sparkling water at Akuna Bay. The run back along the beaches from Mona Vale was delightful and there was even a good surf running. I always love riding past the statue of The Duke near Harbord Diggers.
Large numbers of people were out picknicking and taking Mum for a drive, and most drivers were well behaved, apart from one woman who clipped Phillip with her mirror as she went past, and then abused us further along, and another woman driver on The Corso, who reckoned we should have been on the shared path. There were hardly any cars on the Corso and it was far quicker to ride on the road than on the footpath.
John Ross did his usual and rode all the way to Pymble Station for the start and all the way back from Manly, while the rest of us took the ferry. We wished Phillip all the best for his trip across France and Germany to Vienna later this month and in June, on EuroVelo Route 6, and I hope he has a great time. Thanks to the riders who turned out today- not as big a crew as we have had at times in the past, and no one brought their mothers, but the company was good.