We cycle the Cooks River cycle track today. It runs from Bicentennial Park along the Cooks River to where the river enters Botany Bay at Tempe, right near the airport. The group is Jan, me, Pam and Steve. Pam and Steve drive to our place at Concord with their bikes in the back of the ute and we set off about 9.45 am. It takes a bit of winding about along roads and across the M4 motorway footbridge and then across Paramatta Road before we get to the good part of the track. Then it is through parks and beside golf courses before we get to Cooks River. 
At this early point the river is just a trickle in a big open stormwater channel, flanked by ugly concrete banks. It gradually opens out to a proper river, loses the concrete and gains some mangroves. There are playing fields and parks all along the route. We arrive at Tempe where there is a boat club on the river and a pleasant outlook. We can also see planes going into the airport and get the occasional smell of hot avtur wafting across.
We have a lovely picnic lunch and head back. Total ride 46 kilometres – we get back home at 2.15 for coffee and Pam’s home made pan forte. Yum yum, slightly sore bum!
