Saturday 11th Mary, 2017
Sydney - Nowra - Nerriga - Tarragon -
Bungendore - Cooma
 |
| Day1 |
For three years in a row, if
circumstances at work had turned out as hoped, I have been able to
take a week off in early March at fairly short notice. My wife is
going away the week after I get back so she was happy for me to go.
Although as things turned out it finished up being a very busy time
for her family.
Also at fairly short notice, my
brothers decided to get together in the old home town of Hay prior to
the old home being sold once and for all. So it worked well that I
could have a few days touring and finish up in Hay on Wednesday and
have 3 nights with my brothers before the old home is gone for good.
So with all that in mind, I set off on
the Saturday morning heading for Cooma. Cooma is a great base to set
off through the snowy or down to Victoria and I have been there so
many times now it feels very comfortable. It was a pleasant but
uneventful trip from Sydney to Wollongong and on to Nowra. Good
weather, about 20c. Perfect riding conditions. Since my last trip on
the bike I have invested in a new seat and I have had the handle bars
raised 1 inch. These 2 modifications combined to make the bike even
more comfortable and I was easily able to ride straight through to
Bungendore without a stop and without my backside going numb.
Once through Nowra and heading towards
Nerriga it really feels like you have left the city behind and I must
admit I did open it up a bit and enjoyed having a big powerful
motorbike at my disposal.
I passed quite a few motorbikes on this
stretch and as usual, Bungendore was full of them. I stopped for
petrol and a quick snack before the final run to Cooma. I reached the
motel in Cooma about 2.30pm and enjoyed a little rest and read the
paper before heading for the Alpine Hotel for pre-dinner drinks and a
beef and mushroom pie special. All in all a good first day.
 |
| In the Alpine. Cooma |
 |
| Afternoon Tea |
 |
| View from the pub window |
 |
| Breakfast spot |
Sunday 12th March, 2017
Cooma - Adaminaby - Cabramurra (almost)
- Khancoban - Thredbo - Jindabyne.
 |
| Day2 |
A hearty breakfast at The Lott, my
favourite breakfast spot in Cooma, and I was on the road just before
9am. It was a nice cool morning, about 16c when I left Cooma, but
very pleasant. There were ominous clouds in the distance and a severe
weather warning for the snowy mountains. Despite some strong winds
for about half an hour, I missed all the bad weather and didn't even
get any rain.
My usual route around Kosciusko
National Park is to follow Snowy Mountains Highway passed Adaminaby
and then turn lift on to Link Road (they’d obviously run out of
names by then) and then left on to Goat Ridge Road just before
Cabramurra. This time I had decided to turn right on Goat Ridge Road
which took me down a steep narrow road to the bottom of a valley
where Tumut 2 power station is located. The road then becomes Elliot
Way and follows the Tumut river through some very pretty scenery.
Elliot way came to a T intersection at
Tooma road where I turned right and headed for Khancoban through some
lovely open valleys with the mountain range on my left. I stopped at
Khancoban for petrol and coffee. There was another large group of
bike riders at the petrol station and left shortly after I got there.
 |
| Scenes from Elliott Way |
 |
| Following the Tumut River |
 |
Southern Cloud Memorial - Tooma Rd
|
 |
| Scenes from Tooma Rd |
 |
| Khancoban |
 |
| Group of bikes at Khancoban |
Petrol, Coffee, salad roll and off to
Jindabyne. This is always a great ride, around Mt Kosciusko and past
Thredbo before descending into Jindabyne with the lake stretching out
in front. A shower, rest and wander through Jindabyne shopping centre
before ending up in The Lake Jindabyne Hotel for pre-dinner drinks
and lamb cutlets, chips and vegetables. There has to be at least one
night of lamb cutlets on any trip away.
 |
| Scenes from Kos National Park |
 |
| Stopped at a creek. KNP |
 |
| Passing Thredbo |
 |
| Approaching Jindabyne, the lake in the distance |
 |
| Lake Jindabyne Hotel |
Monday 13th March, 2017
Jindabyne - Bombala - Delegate - Orbost
- Lakes Entrance
 |
| Day 3 |
This morning was a time of reckoning. I
had been planning to go from Jindabyne down Barry Way / Snowy River
road to Buchan and onto Lakes Entrance. This route would have
included 170 Kms of unsealed road over the Victorian Alps. It would
have been a great trip and included some breathtaking scenery. But
the first condition was to be dry. 170 Kms of dirt road would have
been extremely challenging in itself. But in rain, forget it. So
after studying the weather in the morning I decided I couldn't take
the risk. There were storm fronts all over NSW and down into Victoria
with severe weather warnings for thunderstorms and hail. I couldn't
do it.
That left 2 options. The Monaro Highway
from Bombala down To Cann River, sealed all the way and the longest
option. There was also the Bonang Highway from Bombala to Orbost
which included about 10 Kms of unsealed road and some fabulous twisty
road.
I opted for the Bonang. I have ridden
this road before from South to North and found the gravel section
quite challenging. That was on a different bike 2 years ago. Today I
had a great ride, gravel section and all, and pushed it hard to
Orbost. I made it to Lkkes Entrance by about 2.30 and was able to
relax for the rest of the day after a job well done.
A few beers, some fresh, Local fish and
an early night.
 |
| Welcome to Bonang - with a dead dog hanging off the sign |
 |
| Bonang |
 |
| Gravel |
 |
| Where the bitumen ends |
 |
| Cows just outside Delegate |
 |
| Friendly drovers |
 |
| Lakes Entrance |
 |
| Pub for dinner |
 |
| Dinner |
 |
| A beautiful evening in Lakes Entrance |
Tuesday 14th March
Lakes Entrance – Omeo – Mt Hotham –
Bright – Myrtleford – Beechworth
 |
| Day 4 |
A perfect morning in Lakes Entrance
with sunlight glistening off the bay. Lots of empty wharves as the
fishing boats were out to work. Breakfast at a very nice coffee shop
near my motel and I was ready to head north.
The trip to Omeo was pleasant, there
seems to be some distinct different geography on this leg. Some windy
passes top begin with and then you follow the Tambo River for quite a
while. This is a nice stretch along the valley very close to the
river and some lovely curves. Easy enough to go quickly and hard
enough to make it interesting. This eventually leads to more open
farming country surrounded by beautiful green hills.
 |
| A stop in Omeo |
A quick stop in Omeo for a coffee then
the Great Alpine Road begins the climb to Mt Hotham. This is a great
ride, especially on a beautiful autumn day like this. It did not seem
to take long to get to Mt Hotham where I had another stop and went
into the hotel for a cool drink. A few other bikes were there as
well. The scenery up here is just glorious. You’ll have to see the
photos because mere writing can not do it justice. I had the GoPro
with me from here in which enable me to get some screenshots which
you should see here.
 |
| Omeo to Mt Hotham |
Leaving the resort there is a short
climb to the top of the mountain and then you begin the northern
descent. At this point there are fabulous views and large drops on
both sides of the road.
The last time I came through here I had
my friend Richard on the back, there was a thick fog, the temperature
dropped to 0c and there was snow up to each side of the road. It made
todays trip seem like a walk in the park. Again, words can’t do it
justice, so I’ll add lots of photos.
 |
| Mt Hotham to Harrietville |
Right at the botom of the mountain,
after one of the most wind sections of the road, you’re suddenly in
Harrietville, a pretty villiage that signals the end of the mountain
road.
Through Harrietville, Smoko, Freeburgh
and into Bright. Such pretty country and the entrance to Bright is
lined with large European trees with the leaves just beginning to
change to autumn colours.
 |
| Harrietville |
 |
| Bright |
No Stopping in bright. Straight through
to Myrtleford where I stopped at Delizes for coffee. A favourite
spot. Only another 50 kilometres on to Beechworth and in to the
Armour Motel ( a play on the Ned Kelly theme). A rest, a shower and
off to the Bridge Road Brewery which, fortunately, closed about an
hour and a half after I got there or things could have become ugly.
 |
| Beechworth Gaol |
 |
Bridge Road
Brewery - Beechworth |
 |
| Breakfast in Beechworth |
Wednesday 15th March, 2017
Beechworth – Wangaratta –
Yarrawonga – Cobram – Tocumwal – Finley – Deniliquin – Hay
 |
| Day 5 |
A lovely breakfast in a café at
Beechworth before setting off a short distance to Wangaratta and
straight through to Yarrawonga. I have been here recently so it was
just a quick coffee and on my way along the Murray to Cobram and over
the river to Tocumwal for another quick stop.
Tocumwal to Finley to Deniliquin
started to get boring after the fabulous mountain country I had been
riding through for the last 4 days. I had not been into the town of
Deniliquin for about 25 years so I went through the centre of town to
have a look. I must say it seemed larger and more prosperous than I
remember and seemed to be quite an inviting town. But not today.
 |
| Murray River at Tocumwal |
The last 120 kms to Hay is a punish.
Straight flat roads with nothing to look at. Throw in a strong cross
wind that was trying to pull the helmet off my head and all in all I
was very pleased to reach Hay.
Saturday 18th March, 2017
Hay – Griffith – Temora – Yass –
Goulburn – Oyster Bay
 |
| Day 8 |
If you were
wondering about the other 2 days, they were spent in Hay with my
brothers going through old photos and documents in preparation for
the family home being sold. It was a struggle not to start on the
beer too early in the afternoon and we didn’t always succeed.
 |
| Hay Post Office |
 |
| The old family home |
 |
| My parents a very long time ago |
 |
| The motel in Hay, my brothers car next to the bike |
Saturday morning I set off bright and
early for my 740 km trip, the longest day. The first 400km again had
the strong crosswind which meant it was not a pleasant trip. From
Binalong I started to get a few drops of rain and from the time I
turned on to Picton Rd near Wilton, it poured. Heavy rain for the
length of Picton Rd. I was fairly waterproof so that was not an
issue, but visibility was appalling. Especially when grey cars won’t
turn their lights on. They are virtually invisible. Then on to the Mt
Ousley Rd and straight into a very thick fog. This stretch of road is
notorious for fog and today’s was an award winner. Still cars
didn’t see the need to turn their lights on.
By the time I reached home, about 5pm,
I had well and truly had enough and was ready to put the bike away.
Until next time of course. The trip meter told me I had done 2,531
kilometres and spent 27 hours 59 minutes riding the bike. A busy
week.
 |
| Entire Trip |
