Road conditions for a drive day

[senator]

Guys where I work, arrange monthly drive days ……….. we have a few cars nut here with very nice daily and weekend rides.

Got a questions for you all…………has anyone used the roads shown in the link below?

I think the car ferry might catch out a few lowered cars

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=d&sour ... =UTF8&z=11

[smythie]

I have done pretty much all of those roads in the past (though that experience is mostly exclusive to the bikes) except 2 sections: Emu Heights to Blaxland and St Albans to Bucketty

Sackville Ferry isn't as bad for lowered cars as the main ferry crossing at Wiseman's (where high tide is needed to ensure no scraping). However, it has been 4 or 5 years since I last did the second ferry crossing up at Wisemans (which is the one noted in your route).

On the roads conditions:
- I haven't done the run from North Richmond to Springwood in around 7 years. Involves a few tight hairpins is the main thing that has stuck in my mind
- Unless there is something special at Mt Tomah, I wouldn't bother heading up the Bells Line to turn around there. You only get 4 or 5km of fun roads (plus Bellbird Hill) before turning around - there are plenty more after that point that you would be missing out on
- The run from St Albans to Bucketty last I heard (couple of years ago) was dirt. I wouldn't expect that to have changed unless they have spent a shitload of money sealing it in the last couple of years
- Wiseman's Ferry Rd can be quite bumpy and gnarly in spots. It might be a little better in the car but I doubt it.
- Maraylya-Hillside-Glenorie is your usual back lane 1.5-2 car widths road from memory. Friends have lead me through there on the bike and aside from dodging the more frequented areas, I couldn't see the interest in the road. Again, it might be different in the car
- Sackville Ferry Rd is a bit of fun, not too hard on the car.
- Cattai Rd was resurfaced a few years ago with lovely racetrack hotmix in the fun section. Need I say more on this one?
- The Old Northern Rd is good fun north of the intersection with Cattai Rd, less so south, particularly when traffic is factored in. Condition was good last time I was through there (year or so ago)
- Wiseman's to St Albans last I went through there was mostly 1.5 car widths with short sections of dirt. I have heard since that it is sealed all the way up to St Albans though. No idea of the surface condition though
- George Downs Dr (North through Central Mangrove) is a fairly good road. Plenty of fun north of Bucketty you'd be missing out on though
- Doing Putty Rd and not heading up to Colo Heights is just a travesty, particularly since the run up the hill from Colo River now has a racetrack ... AHEM ... hotmix surface hmm, must get back there again very soon


Hope that is of some help

[senator]

great thanks mate...... will forward your info to the planner.

any other good routes you would suggest?

cheers

[smythie]

I can suggest a few. Depends on what the guys/gals want though. Full day drive? half day drive? Right out of town? Awesome driving roads? Scenery? Nice destination?

(As a background, for a few years I was involved with a bike club and we were out 2 sundays of every month plus a 2 day trip. We did a lot of bloody good roads in that time and I was usually one of the two or three who had an idea of where the hell we actually were ) So yeah, I know a few runs around the place

I do need to get out and reset my memory of the good roads around here though, this time with a car focus.

A fairly good resource (if you have some spare time) for road condition is Google maps street view. The imagery wouldn't be more than 12-18 months old

After taking a quick spot check of the road from St Albans to Bucketty a minute ago, I realised my info was largely incorrect. It has been sealed in sections but there's no way I'd take a nice vehicle down there. Potholed, single car narrow in places (not enough room for two vehicles to pass) and at best 1.5 car widths wide.

[smythie]

Audrey wanted to go for a drive yesterday so I decided to have a look at some of the roads from the original post.

Google Maps link to the first part of the journey

Google Maps link to the second part of the journey. The link is in 2 parts because fracking Google Maps thinks Settlers Rd is broken

Anyway, in summary, the drive went from home-Windsor-Wilberforce-Sackville Ferry-River Rd-Wisemans Ferry (southern ferry) St Albans. then back down the other side of the river past Wisemans to Central Mangrove-Somersby Industrial Estate-Old Rd-Berowra-Galston Gorge-Dural-home

As far as the roads are concerned, the Ferry at Sackville would be borderline passable for lowered and lipped cars - I'd probably avoid it if I was worried about ground clearance. Sackville Rd was in pretty good condition though

River Rd is a nice gentle drive. Quite narrow at times (single car width in places and rarely more than 1.5 cars width the rest of the way) but not rough. There are a couple of 0.5km long smooth dirt sections though

St Albans Rd is sealed all the way up to St Albans and was screaming out at me to get the 3RB back up there for a proper fang. Lovely, not rough but not 2 cars width the whole way. Still a keeper for me

The southern ferry crossing at Wisemans to get onto St Albans Rd was good yesterday as far as passability for lowered cars (think it was high tide though)

Settlers Rd on the other hand has about 10km of dirt road which at times is badly corrugated. Certainly not one for car clubs. The sealed sections are good fun though

The run along Wisemans Ferry Rd to Central Mangrone isn't as rough as I had remembered. Some of the old bridges have slightly sharp/rough transitions but otherwise a good enjoyable drive. Wisemans Ferry Rd to Somersbay Industrial Estate isn't as rough and not really as much fun either but a decent liason stage to the Old Road.

Don't think I need to say much about the Old Road do I? No traffic = good times

Galston Rd coming from Hornsby is a case of 8 or 9 hairpins down the eastern side of the gorge to the bottom followed by some really enjoyable twisties on the western side.

Hope that's of some help

[senator]

great thanks tony.....

[Mano™]

To much text to read, keep it simple next time tony hahaha

[smythie]

Alright Mano, I'll draw some pretty pictures in crayon for you next time. That do you?

[Mano™]

Yup thank you

[Fangin_RX]

arent alot of them roads 80-90 area's? if so Im all in for the next trip if that route is taken

[smythie]

yeah I think they were mate. Pretty much all of them from memory. Except from the last bit into St Albans - that was "unrestricted". WOOHOO!

[senator]

To much text to read, keep it simple next time tony hahaha

oh mano........ i was wondering how long it would take you or arith to crash this thread...... now i will sit back and wait for your photoshop pics to pop up here........

[Mano™]

Nah won't Hijack mate...

Wiseman is a good cruise, an good to get a feed.. only issues, is those ferries, we will all be needed to get out an push an lift as u got over.. high or low tide.. it ain't matter..!

Heap of twisties, you can see the great dividing rage, could be a good pictorial if we get a chance with out tree's being in the way

Don't think I could make it all the way tho.. the twisties going down the wiseman's would kill me so would the ferry lol