Grade: S-X
Distance: 10km to Reed St and 9.7km to Cowlishaw St, one way
Road Conditions: Mainly cycle paths
Route:
Woden Town Centre via Callam Street, Athllon Drive, Lake Tuggeranong to the town centre.
Map: Location Map (Ride No 19) and detailed map of ride
Starting Point: Callam Street Offices car park, Woden town centre
Description: Unlike Commuter Ride 17, this ride to the Tuggeranong Town Centre begins on the opposite, or eastern side, of the Woden Town Centre. At the start, it crosses a bridge over a stormwater drain near the Callam Offices before swinging right and running on to pass beneath Hindmarsh Dr. It climbs to the left and moves behind townhouses before levelling out. Soon afterwards it passes a Power St, Mawson, cul-de-sac and near here ensure you keep riding straight ahead rather than moving fight because otherwise you will find yourself on a connector to Athllon Dr.
The main path climbs, then becomes undulating before tunnelling under Athllon Dr. Just before this, a long connector on the left leads to the Southlands shopping centre, Mawson. Once through the tunnel be careful to ride to the left because the path straight ahead merely leads on to Melrose High School. The cycleway now parallels Athllon Dr. and continues past playing fields to cross Beasley St (2.1 km from the start) at a signalled intersection with Athllon Dr. and skirt the suburb of Torrens on the right. The path rises steadily (in spring the scent of golden wattle trees along here is almost powerful enough to eliminate the stench of petrol fumes from vehicles using Athllon Dr.) and crosses Beasley St once again before continuing its climb. As it proceeds notice, after 400 metres, a smaller path bisecting it. This actually takes cyclists and pedestrians across Athllon Dr. and is the worst road crossing I saw while compiling this book. The path drops down on both sides of this thoroughfare, thus encouraging cyclists to approach it too quickly. There are no barriers.
The long climb ends as the cycleway tops a rise opposite Farrer Ridge (you have ridden about 3.8 km) and sweeps down to cross an access road to Mt Taylor (care warranted), then Sulwood Dr. near a roundabout. About 300 metres beyond Su1wood Dr. another path leaves the main cycleway and tunnels under Athllon Dr. This takes riders into Wanni
