These upgrades provide usable service that will increase safety and enable better communications.

What remains is probably more a ‘quality of service’ issue for locations experiencing either limited or unusable service with available connections.

Situations where these occur are opportunities for local communities or groups of users to identify ways that the network can be improved by localised solutions that provide cost effective outcomes.

It is unreasonable and untenable that users should be moved from cost competitive solutions to options that offer bandwidth limitations and significant cost steps.

Well done, but may we work together to improve the effectiveness of the available infrastructure.

Often, I catch sight of a group of cyclists heading out of the village and don’t wish to impede their progress by stopping for a chat and some shots.

On this occasion, I was lucky to get a second go as I noticed them in a group outside the ‘Merino Café’ at what was the end of their ride. Rather than interrupting their conversation, I simply asked for an email contact and waited for more information. It did take close to a month, but I think the story is still worthy of comment.

To summarise the words of organiser Chris Walsh, for the past four years he has been organising rides over five days for a group of friends, always in the central west district of NSW.

The trip this year started in Gunning. They rode across to Binalong, mainly on back roads although one stint of 10 km on the Burley Griffin Way was necessary. Next day took them to Temora via Harden and Cootamundra. Day 3 they went to Young and then across to Boorowa. Day 4 was up to Crookwell, a beautiful climb that was mostly traffic free until the last 20km or so out of Crookwell. Then on day 5, it was a rollicking 50 km downhill to Gunning along an exceptionally traffic free road.

“The Devil's Elbow was fantastic!” he said.

I guess it highlights both the existing and potential activity for cycling in our district and the adjoining shires.

What a difference some rain and a blast of true late autumn weather can make. The rich contrast of colours is a palette made for the heritage streetscape.

The first reference I can find to Cullarin is in a colonial book written by Robert Montgomery Martin entitled ‘The British Colonial Library’, published in 1844. It states that the Cullarin Range is the source of the Upper Lachlan River. Subsequent publications on local geology identify a Cullarin Block, which is a fault bordered rock slab which runs from Lake George to Queanbeyan, of which the Cullarin Range is a feature.