Blue Mountains trip

Comment by timothy.clifford on August 6, 2012 at 10:56am

Nice. What's the M4 like to ride? Where in the Blue Mountains did you end up?

I ask because I wouldn't mind giving this ride a go, but am curious about the route. Especially in light of the accident in Newcastle last week and yesterday's accident on the Hume Hwy.

Comment by Peter H on August 6, 2012 at 11:02am

M4 is very nice to ride (and in my opinion safer than the back streets heading out of the city). There is a nice wide lane to ride on in which cars can only stop in an emergency. Cars only travel in one direction and they don't (can't) cut me off, or pull out in front of me. There's a bit of glass and debris around but nothing the puncture resistant tyres can't handle.

We only made it to the Lapstone exit (first one after the mountain starts) due to a painful ankle.

Comment by baa baa on August 6, 2012 at 1:20pm

To me, this sounds like the makings of a new Olympic event.

Happy to join a steering group to push this into Rio.

Comment by Bob Moore on August 6, 2012 at 5:39pm

Id be happy to go to Rio too, though no doubt the local cyclists are all complaining about the R(io)TA there.

Re route up the mountains, this is one we do with LBUG
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/katoomba-to-penrith-via-lennox...
Its for the reverse route but can use uphill too, except for the Lennox Bridge bit, which has a one way down hill section to Penrith. Might also be able to ride from Hazelbrook to Lawson on a shoulder now, if the roadworks have finished. There is or was one railway bridge near Badgery Cr that is a bit like the Hunter one, shoulder cuts out on approach. Check it on Streetview, has a giant truck taking up whole lane. Can take Badgery I think, to avoid, if the right turn is still allowed. The whole route is only average 2.5%, but there are a couple of steep pinches, one before Wentworth Falls where there was another shoulder disappearance past a drainage channel about half way up- had a few moments getting past that, which is why the route on the side road is shown (Railway Pde between Bullaburra and Wentworth).

Comment by robflyte on August 7, 2012 at 10:43pm

watch the off ramps, i got hit goping across one on the M4 after a driver on the outside lane decided that this was his exit and had to cut across 3 lanes to get off.

Or maybe he was aiming for me, who knows.

This was many years ago, I'm sure the drivers are better now (sarcasm alert)

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