A fine spring morning at Loftus Oval saw three riders ready to roll: Perry, Gary, and Russell. Gary, who never misses a chance to ride through the Royal National Park, volunteered to lead. Perry settled into his role as Tail End Charlie, while Russell lined up behind “Maestro” just to enjoy the music. (I once made the same choice and thought my bike had developed a strange noise—turned out it was just Maestro’s soundtrack!)
We headed south to Waterfall and dropped into the RNP. It was pure riding pleasure—sunlight playing peek-a-boo through the trees, dappled shadows stretching across the road. At Stanwell Tops, we swung left, then cruised down Lawrence Hargrave Drive, over the Sea Cliff Bridge, and on to our destination: Cucina Café at Thirroul.
We scored easy parking right out front, and the café delivered on all counts—great service, excellent food, and a relaxed atmosphere.
For the return leg, Perry took the lead, guiding us through the correct Bulli Tops turn (the second one, not the first!), onto Campbelltown Road, then across to Darkes Forest and Helensburgh. At Helensburgh, Russell couldn’t resist and slipped into the lead, quickly vanishing into the distance.
As tradition dictates, we stopped at Heathcote for farewells. By 11:00 a.m., I was back home with another coffee in hand, catching up on Itchy Boots on YouTube.
Another brilliant spring ride in the books.
Perry #28669
