It was a perfect Monday morning for 5 riders to enjoy. Perry, Martin, Russell, Rob and Jim. Unfortunately, Whispers had contacted COVID and decided to isolate, but Perry stepped up to lead the ride for the day’s adventure.
The Plan: A ride to the Austi Beach Café at Austinmer via Bulli Pass, only if there is parking out front, otherwise to continue riding on to Helensburgh. We set off from Loftus Oval at 8:00 AM and headed south on the Princes Highway, taking the Old Princes Highway exit at Waterfall. Leading the ride with no one in front brings a surreal feeling. The Bulli Pass exit was navigated safely, though we encountered a large police operation with RBT at the bottom. Continuing smoothly, we exited at Thirroul and enjoyed a short coastal ride to Austinmer.
To our delight, there was ample parking right out front of the Austi Beach Café — thank you, God! Double bacon and egg rolls with coffee were the order of the day, and the conversations flowed as they always do on these rides. Rob shared tales of his recent lap around Australia in October. Originally planned as a round trip to Perth and back, he and his mates decided to take the longer route, continuing north and circling the continent.
Our return journey included a detour to explore the road past Bald Hill that leads to Otford. It’s a route I’d seen signposted many times but never ventured down. Google Maps indicated it connected to Helensburgh, and Russell, who once lived there, confirmed the road had been closed during repairs to the Otford weir but was now open. He volunteered to lead us on this leg of the ride. The Otford road proved to be an intriguing discovery, lined with homes nestled in the bush. We passed the railway station and a newly repaired weir before ascending a steep hill that seemed to go on for miles, eventually reaching Helensburgh. From there, we took the Old Princes Highway to Heathcote, where we exchanged farewells.
Thanks to all the riders for another fantastic outing. Special thanks to Russell for guiding us through the scenic Otford detour. Here’s to many more rides filled with camaraderie, adventure, and good coffee.
Perry #28669
