FRIDAY OCT 16, 2009 :: 175 KILOMETRES :: SYDNEY TO THE HUNTER VALLEY

Departing from our base at the Urban Hotel, St. Leonards in Sydney’s Lower North Shore we set out early en-route the beautiful wine region of the Hunter Valley. Early morning legs will be well and truly woken up as we make our way down and up scenic Bobbin Head, meeting up with the Old Pacific Highway North of Hornsby. The rolling hills of the Old Pacific Hwy provide amazing views as we move to the famous the famous Pie in the Sky café in Cowan and make the long descent down to Brooklyn.

The 10 Kilometre climb to the Road Warriors stop point at Mount White is a beauty with some steep sections but a very enjoyable climb. As we reach the NSW Central Coast we follow the Old Pacific Hwy through the rural townships of Kulnura and Peats Ridge where hilly sections will test your legs before giving way to open farmlands and vineyards of the Lower Hunter Valley and reaching the historic township of Wollombi. Our final stretch of the day is from Wollombi to our accommodation at the 4.5 Star Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley in Lovedale, via Cessnock and the surrounding vineyards.

SATURDAY OCT 17, 2009 :: 100 KILOMETRES :: HUNTER VALLEY AND SURROUNDS

While you may not want to leave your very comfortable accommodation, today’s ride is a fantastic 100 Kilometre tour around the Hunter Valley wine region. Starting at the Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley we head North on Lovedale Road, en-route to Rothbury and Greta before a brief stint on the New England Highway brings us to the Elderslie Road turnoff at Branxton. This section of the ride is truly beautiful taking in the lush farmlands of the lower Hunter on quiet secluded roads. After 50K’s of riding we reach our halfway point in the town of Singleton, best known for coal mining and a key training facility for our nations defence personnel. The route continues in a Southerly direction towards the town of Broke and some of the regions premier Vineyards. On the way back the Crowne Plaza from Broke we will cycle past the home of Vat 1 Chardonnay at the Tyrell’s Vineyard and smell the vines at well known producers such as Brokenwood, Hungerford Hill, Tempus Two, De Bortoli and Rothbury Estate. No doubt upon our return we’ll sample a few of their finest!

SUNDAY OCT 18, 2009 :: 175 KILOMETRES :: HUNTER VALLEY TO SYDNEY

Put simply, today is Day 1 in reverse! We’ll depart from the Crowne Plaza in Lovedale making our way through Cessnock and Wollombi back to Peats Ride and Kulnura. Some of the climbs that were fun coming down this time will be a little less friendly. We’ll again stop at the great landmarks on the Old Pacific Hwy before making our way back to our second home at the Urban Hotel St.Leonards where family and friends are all invited to greet you upon your return and enjoy a well earned beer!

Each rider participating in the Kilometres for Kids event has made a personal contribution to the charity to cover all costs associated with the ride. This means that all funds raised along the way and through the support of our sponsors goes directly to supporting the many children we support across Australia.

The Kilometres for Kids ride will start with an official rider and sponsor launch at the Urban Hotel in St. Leonards, Sydney on Thursday October 15, 2009. Riders will depart from the official ride start in St.Leonards on Friday October 16 and finish back at the Urban St. Leonards on the afternoon of Sunday October 18, 2009. In the Hunter Valley our cyclists will be staying at the stunning Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley where they will be able to rest their tired legs and take in the beautiful offerings of the Hunter Valley region.