RUN.... 17 .......................................Sat / Sun. 2nd & 3rd. August. 2003.


NEWCASTLE to THE BLUE MOUTAINS and KATOOMBA..NSW. WEST of SYDNEY.

NEWCASTLE CRUZERS .. First XMAS in AUGUST overnight stay & fun run to the Blue Mountains & KATOOMBA and return.
Sixteen Members Pre booked for this our First XMAS DINNER & OVERNIGHT STAY at the OLD GARDNERS INN on the
Great western Highway at Blackheath west of Katoomba. A 8AM start from Swansea heading south on the Pacific highway ,west
of Sydney, onto the Great western Highway, Via Penrith for the Climb up the Moutains. First stop Springwood, Coffee , drinks etc.
Next stop Katoomba on the top of the Blue moutains, down to "ECHO POINT " Overlooking the Famous ' THREE SISTERS " Rock Formation & The Huge Jamerson Valley ( Australia's answer to the Grand Canyon in the USA only ours has Trees, & rain forest on the Valley Floor. instead of Desert rocks etc ). To the right is the Scenic Cliff Railway decending almost Verticle to the Bottom of the Cliff Face Hundreds of feet below. The Sky Way Tram is another famous land mark crossing the valley Via Cable.
To the Left Behind the Three Sisters is the Famous Giant Stair Way. One Tousand Steps to the Bottom !!! Not for the Faint Hearted
Just remember ...what goes down must come up..No Volunteers !!!!. Lunch break here at Echo Point.
Cruzin on westward, our, next stop was on the Great Western Highway, at MEDLOW BATH to check out one of the Oldest
Hotel / Mansion in the Mountains...the World Famous " HYDRO MAJESTIC HOTEL' First built in 1904 for The FOYS FAMILY
who owned the Mark Foys Department Store in Sydney..Today the Hotel is part of the " Mercure Group of Hotels '

We parked out front & went inside for a Bo Peep, ran into the Manager who gave us a Grand Tour of the Old Hotel & its History.
Next Stop still going west, was at Blackhearth.. our destination for our over night stay & the much looked forward to XMAS in
August Dinner & next day Breakfast. ( For anyone reading this overseas in the USA or Europe etc. July & August is our winter in Australia. December & January is in the middle of our Hot Summer months, having a Xmas in July Celebration is fast becoming
something different to do " Down Under " ) & yes it does Snow in these Mountains in the winter. Unfortuanately not this time.

The GARDNERS INN at Blackheath, an Old Style Hotel ( Bub ) on the Highway, with Old time Rooms Upstairs, with just the Basics
no TV, No phones in Room & yes just like the old days, Bathrooms down the hall way... ( and Cold as the north Pole in same ). But ,Hey this was a Fun Run...Right !!!.. This is the Oldest Licensed Bub in NSW..After Checking in we hit the Lounge Area
& the Bar, before we all knew it it was time for our Xmas dinner & Boy did the dish out the Food & Deserts & the Crowd Partied on till midnight & the Band in the bar Area beat out the Music till 1 Am. Sunday Morning, Breakfast Country Style, plus a few Hangovers from sat Night. After Checking out we headed west again to CLARENCE and the Famous " ZIG ZAG RAILWAY" Built at the end the 1800's as the only way they could get the Railroad to cross the Mountain range to the great western plains.
Boading the old steam Locomotive at Clarence Station , the Train winds its way up & down the mountain Via Viaducts & tunnels, changing the Engine around from front to back 3 times to get to the valley floor. Then do it all again on the way back. The trip takes one & half hours and costs $16 return, Great trip into the past. Time to head homeward, Stopping off at the Botanical Gardens for lunch, then heading towards Windsor we made a Quick stop at the " Rocking Horse Factory " ( So Mustang Bill,
could get to see what a Grand child would love, a wooden Mustang instead of a V8 Mustang...Right Bill ? ) ( No Comment !!)
Home Via Windsor & Castle Hill & Pacific Highway to Newcastle. Fantastic weekend , perfect sunny weather ( for Winter )
Great bunch of Cruzers & everyone talking about...where we should go for next year, for a XMAS RUN !! start thinking...

" ONE OF THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS?"............................................... " Typical Old Style Mountain Guest House "

" LOUNGE CRUZERS " ???............................. " LAST SUPPER ? XMAS Pig Out ??? "

" NEWCASTLE CRUZERS taking a break "

" ZIG ZAG " Rail Way...Clarence Station.

" Lets do it again !..Cool Ride in the Valley.".................. " First Stop..Swap Engine Front to Back "

" Blue Mountains Wilderness Botanical Gardens, looking ..North."............................ " Unusual SUNDIAL.. Check the Time.. 1.10 PM Exact ! "

" Rocking Horse Shop...and real Mustangs "................................ " OK...Who set me up ? I got enough real Mustangs "