Got moving a bit earlier today. Train to Berowra and then cycle up to Cowan and beyond to find donkey orchids
Lead in to October ride for Kids Cancer Ride is a $24 raised in 24 hours practice run. Dug out my Champions kit - get one of these as I have been riding this since the program began in 2014.
Train photos for the followers who like those - Gordon Station
Cockatoo ignoring the "stay behind the yellow lines" signs. Was begging for food.
Cycled up to Cowan - budding bearded orchids on the roadside. Counted more than 10 plants. Took the side track down to the RFS station. The orchids are all between the access track and the main road
Close up. Beard just showing
No sign on this bud. Looks like 2 weeks away
A few sun orchids showing
Tear drops flower - twins
Grand pea flower
Spotted sun orchid - was hoping to find two others orchids in this ribbon next to the main road - no such luck
An orchid sighting is a win - thelymitra ixioides with spots
More subtle and differently shaped. Walked down Glendale Road a bit. Front end is a grassed area marked off for parking
I counted at least 10 plants - sun orchids - not ixioides as they are more slight. Sure hope mower man does not nail them in the next two weeks
Road crosses the Great North Walk from Berowra to Cowan - that is an easy leg to plan. Train to Cowan and walk back to Berowra - trains more frequent form there
Have walked bits of that before. A lot of she-oak = not good for orchids
Found one sun orchid on the way back - just to disprove the she-oak theory
Context photo
Back to the Pacific Highway in pursuit of donkey orchids - found one over the crash barriers where I was hoping
Found only one - diuris aurea - golden moth orchid
Stepped back photo showing the leaf and flower
As it happens there were two budding right where I parked the bike. This is a good example why searching by bike works - easy to see flowers over the railing and can stop anywhere to take photos
Train spotter gets to see grain train working up to Boronia tunnel
Cycled up to Pie in the Sky. No orchids there - maybe a bit early.
Cycled around Cowan - forgot to take photo of the lookout view
Longest ride in a while - mostly level. It is one of my favourite ride zones
Did the shopping on the way home - been a while since I had to squeeze shopping into a pannier bag
Dinner: Fried rice - easy
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Height183.0 cm |  | Weight90.0 kg |  | Body Fat% |  |
Waistcm |  | Thighscm |  | Chestcm |  |
