Sydney GTG: November 8th - WHOLE DAY

OK did the recon run today and the date has been set by poll. Details below. This post will change if details change, so be sure to come back and check the first post.

The Great South Drive​

When: Sat 8th November 2008

Meet point: Sylvania Maccas carpark off Princess Hwy heading south




Departure time: 8.00am SHARP - latecomers will have to make their way down to the second meet point at the end of the RNP

Finish time: 6pm going past RNP entrance (allow time to drive home, e.g. another 50min to Chatswood)

Total Drive time (Google Maps): approx 6 hours 30min

Total Distance (Google Maps): 385 Km

Requirements:

• Roadworthy car in good order - tyres and brakes especially
• Check oil & fluids BEFORE arrival - top up if required
• FULL tank of petrol BEFORE arrival - the route used about 2/3 of a tank in the GTI with 9.xL/100Km on MFD. Don't expect to get 98RON easily anywhere down south.
• Check Tyre pressure - GTIs with OEM wheels can usually run 36-37psi front, 35-36psi rear
• Use the bathroom BEFORE we leave - there aren't too many opportunities to stop...

Recommended to bring:

• Walkie-talkie aka CB/UHF radio (FULLY charged), preferrably with hands-free operation (not necessarily VOX). It is useful not only for chit chat, but warning others of road debris, finding people when they get lost and is useful during overtaking.
• GPS (fully charged or with in-car charger) - "just in case". I plan to have a pretty idiot-proof map as I was lost when I followed along with another group. Not going to make the same mistake this time.
• "Sick bags" for passengers if any

Twisty roads travelled (alphabetical):

• Bulli Pass (re-opens Oct 3rd)
• Jamberoo Mountain Road
• Macquarie Pass (up & down)
• Moss Vale Road (1 section up & down + 1 other section)
• Mt Kiera Rd
• Royal National Park aka RNP aka "the Nasho"
• Woodhill Mountain Road/Wattamolla Road

Points of interest:

• Sea cliff bridge
• Hampden bridge
• Fixed Speed cameras - 1 after Mt Kiera, 2 nearing Berry, 1 near the Lunch spot and 1 on the Freeway home. You have been warned!

Visual stimulation:
Lanscapes from farms to ocean to forests. Hills, valleys and the rear end of the car in front!

Aural stimulation:
The sound of your exhaust and the odd tyre squeal as you go around hairpins

Tactile stimuation:
The feel of the GTI/R32 steering wheel in your hands as you flick the paddles or hammer the shift knob home into gear

Olfactory stimulation:
The smell of the ocean to "fresh" countryside air to (recently) placed manure (near Macquarie pass)

Gustatory stimulation:
Gastronomic delights at lunch at Coolangatta Estate (pending numbers).

Road quality:

• Bulli Pass (re-opens Oct 3rd) - ? good (yet to reopen)
• Jamberoo Mountain Road - good
• Macquarie Pass (up & down) - good
• Moss Vale Road (1 section up & down + 1 other section) - good
• Mt Kiera Rd - good
• Royal National Park aka RNP aka "the Nasho" - variable
• Woodhill Mountain Road/Wattamolla Road - variable

Please note that many of the roads travelled are "country" and as such don't get the same attention as city roads do (some would argue that city roads don't get any anyway...). As such you need to expect filled in potholes, irregularities in the road and the odd one under construction. There are a few potholes outside of the RNP but these are easily spotted and avoided.

RNP probably has the worst road quality of all the roads to be travelled.
Macquarie pass, Jamberoo Mountain Road, Moss Vale Road and Wattamolla Road have tight bends with a sloping road surface. For those lowered you may need to adjust your driving style or you may experience tyre rub.

There is a 1.7Km section of Wattamolla Road which is currently GRAVEL.
This section is being resurfaced and is not normally a dirt road. There is no need to travel quickly through this road as there is very little traffic given it only services a small number of dwellings. Provided cars are well spaced and travelling slowly (20-30kph max) there should be no problem with rocks being thrown up. It will be dusty and I would suggest having windows up and recirculating air for that section.

"The Rules"​

• Minimum 2 sec gap for concertina effect. Please keep a sensible distance from the car in front - this varies depending on speed. Most cars don't stop on a dime doing 80+kph. Don't forget that the driver in front has just as much to lose as the driver behind! Conversely don't leave too long a gap (e.g. >5-10 seconds in twisty areas) - the car ahead does provide some clue as to what's coming up!
• "Look ahead" to see what is coming up. This and the 2 second rule will save your ass when someone comes to a dead stop mid blind corner!
• No crossing centre line at all. The oncoming lane is not to be used for wide entries to get a better apex!
• Care with overtaking - use dedicated overtaking lanes where possible. Please ensure there is plenty of room for safety. Please exercise caution if the road surface happens to be loose. Please leave a decent gap to the car behind before merging back in. Be courteous! No one likes a gravel shower at 80+kph.
• Be aware of your speed. It will be rare for cars to reach the limit in the twistier sections of the roads we are travelling. No one likes a speeding ticket...
• Practice correct corner set up including braking & changing gears before corner - not during corner. Heavy braking mid corner is a recipe for hitting the wall, speaking of which...
• Limit trail braking through the corner. Please wash off your speed before the corner NOT in it. This is especially important for the DOWNHILL tight turns/hairpins - you don't want to be ploughing into the next lane at full lock whacking into oncoming traffic because you carried too much speed.
• Parking to be legal unless for photoshoot (for short duration).
• Make sure your car is road worthy!!
• Remember that WJ's on the job 24/7, so please show him some respect and make sure you obide by the laws in NSW.
• It's strongly recommended you leave ESP on.
• New GTG drivers - reread and follow all of the above. There are varying levels of experience within the group. Everyone wants to have a fun and safe day - so don't push your car too hard too early. DON'T NECESSARILY FOLLOW WHAT THE CAR IN FRONT DOES BLINDLY. There may be many modified cars present, many which handle far better than stock cars in some circumstances. You might not know that the car up ahead is tricked up...

Confirmed Attendees:

1. funny YES #3 Fish & Chips
2. benough YES #3 Fish & Chips
3. FattyBoomba YES- R32 delivered! #4 Chargrilled organic chicken
4. GTI_SS YES #4 Chargrilled organic chicken
5. OZVWConvert YES #5 Chambourcin Pie
6. chaddy YES - meeting at RNP start or before Bulli Pass #3 Fish & Chips
7. mister_duck YES - turbo fixed! #4 Chargrilled organic chicken
8. YouSnooze YES #6 Chargrilled local fish
9. Rennenhaus.com.au YES - up til after lunch #3 Fish & Chips
   
   

Mischa YES - missing RNP due to coilovers (wuss), meeting up around lunch (but no lunch)
mistaka0s YES - for RNP/morning only (no lunch)
gti mk5 YES - yet to confirm for lunch


Black R26 MAYBE
blk_mkv MAYBE - no lunch if yes, maybe +1
fuzion MAYBE
GC3663 MAYBE - ?no lunch if YES

anfernee_nguyen NO
JamesG NO
J_u_l_e_s NO
KTL NO
SlyOne NO
sydney R32 NO
SydneyMkV NO
michael_ NO
jettatfsi NO
johno NO -working
srbsta NO -going the dark side (BMW) instead :lol:
plugger05 NO - late scratch

Unconfirmed
gikku YES
HowieR32 YES



UHF Walkie Channel: Check PM'd itinerary for details.

Map and step by step route & timing: by PM only, closer to date (don't want anyone to plan on pulling us over...)

part 2

Should the day be deemed too long by the majority then Mt Keira Rd may be cut out. Alternatively if numbers prevent us from having lunch at Coolangatta Estate, then time and distance (and photo op) may be cut as lunch will be in Berry instead.

At present there are already large bookings at Coolangatta Estate. They can fit 20 people comfortably in their mezzanine area. Maybe 3-4 more - but it would be squashy. Alternatively is we split the group for lunch. Or have it at the Berry Hotel instead.
If at the Coolangatta - we will probably go with their set lunch menu, which is an alternate choice of 2. This will probably be the only way we can get out on time. This requires a $10pp deposit to confirm the booking.

Opted for Sylvania Maccas as at that time it will be quiet. I left later today and there was still space, especially considering it's the first weekend of school holidays. Means food can be had too.

There is a BP petrol station with Ultimate shortly before the Maccas so you can get fuel there. There is also a Mobil and Shell following the Maccas meet point but I'm NOT waiting for anyone to fill up - do that and you'll be playing catch up.

The photo op place should have sufficient room as there's a decent grassy patch where people put boats out on a jetty. As long as the 4WDs there don't park too haphazardly it will be ok. Could also do the parking lot at the lunch spot.

Should be a good day, been waiting for a day like this to give my new engine, turbo and exhaust a good drive.

Thank god I will be in front!! :biggrin:
* cough *
* splutter *
* cough *

you copy cats! as if copy us melbournians!!!

I wish i could come

can you cut out the gravel trap. likely to give it a miss if theres a section involving gravel. just had a prev bad experience and dont want repeat.

GTI-07 said:

you copy cats! as if copy us melbournians!!!

Click to expand...

Hahaha - not quite. My poll post was 2 days before the Melbourne GTG post. So technically I had already considered it FIRST (in fact I've been thinking about it for over a month before, just hadn't got my ass out of gear to post up).

Sydney FTW :biggrin:
Youse melbournians are just jealous

Besides - with the exception of photos (only because stangely the blue Google maps trip line doesn't match up with the roads on the map on my laptop but does at work :iono - my trip post is just sooooooooo much more informative and detailed. :wink:

One day we'll have to have an "interstate tour"...

Please change my status from "maybe" to definitely YES!! Will have my R32 by next weekend

im impressed by your organisational skills and thats a really great drive to pick, moss vale road is definitely a winner. cant come though, thats the weekend before two maths exams

that looks a good route you have planned, some nice roads.

Count me in as verified.

me too

damn i hope my car is fixed before this day :bow: if not can i tag along with someone :smile:

ok just ignore my comment about the gravel road...