Saturday 5th March, 2016
Sydney - Nowra - Bungendore - Cooma - 420km
The opportunity arose at short notice to get away for a
few days. Despite the rigours of a new pup in the house, my wife was gracious
enough to permit a few days away, and on my return, she will have a few days
away.
I have been looking forward to a couple of new roads (to
me) in the Victorian Alps and East Gippsland. First day was to get to Cooma.
This ride, from home down to Nowra and the back roads through Nerriga and
Tarago are becoming very familiar though no less enjoyable. Sydney to Nowra on
a Saturday morning is horrible. Loads of traffic and lots of roadworks.
Once through Nowra I head west on Braidwood road. That's
where the fun begins. No traffic. No police persons. The wild blue yonder.
Passed a few bikes and made good time to Bungendore for lunch, then on through
Queanbeyan to Cooma. Got there about 3pm.
I had decided to stay at a different Motel this time. The
Bunkhouse. If that sounds cheap, old and worn, well spotted. It was half the
price of the motel I usually stay at in Cooma, and half as good. Though they
did urge me to ride the bike into the courtyard in the middle of the Motel for
safe keeping. Never mind, it was very close to the Alpine Hotel where I enjoyed
some beer and dinner.
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| The Bunkhouse |
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| Bike safe in the Bunkhouse courtyard |
Sunday 6th March, 2016
Cooma - Khancoban - Corryong - Tallangatta - Myrtleford -
Bright - 385km
Breakfast at the Food Lott, Cooma. Fantastic food and
good coffee.
Left town about 9am. Great roads out here. Not much
traffic. More Bikes. Through Berridale to Jindabyne. Quick stop for petrol and
on past Thredbo and into Khancoban. I was feeling good so I kept going into
Victoria and through Corryong. I was thinking of stopping for a bite to eat,
but the travelling was good and I kept on going.
Got to Tallangatta and realised that I would get to
Myrtleford about 1pm and decided to keep going. I knew an Italian Restaurant in
Myrtleford that would fit the bill. Got there in good time, filled up with
petrol and stooped at Delize Cafe and Deli which specialises in local product,
Italian Style. I had Bruschetta which is probably the best I have ever had, and
the coffee is always great. I had been here before with my wife. We just stopped
for coffee, but the Italian salesman sold my wife a bucket a of Tiramisu which
was devoured over a day or so. Been there twice and the memories are all good.
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| Delize, Myrtleford |
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| Delize bruschetta |
It's only 30 kms from Myrtleford to Bright, beautiful
country with lots of crops, orchards and wineries. Very productive country.
I was in Bright fairly early. Again, I had opted for a
Motel I had not been to before.The Coachhouse. The owner was a bike rider and
took an interest in my bike and let me park in his special spot. The room was
fine and big compared to the Bunkhouse.
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| The Coachouse, Bright |
This motel was in the perfect spot. Directly across the
road from the Bright Brewery where I spent my afternoon sampling the wares and
listening to some live music. Kat Fish and the Harp played my kind of music and
I possibly over indulged just a tad.
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| Live music at the Bright Brewery |
Then back across the road to Tani Food and Wine right
next door to the Coahcouse Motel. I had thought earlier on that some Duck would
go down well. I had earlier checked the Chinese Restaurant, also very close,
and was amazed to see no duck. Tani didn't let me down. Half roast duck with
vegetables and a couple of glasses of wine. Fell back into the motel about 8pm
and went straight to bed. It must have been the big ride.
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| Duck dinner at Tani Food & Wine |
Monday 7th March, 2016
Bright - Mt Hotham - Omeo - Orbost - Delegate - Bombala -
433kms
Breakfast in Birght was at the Blackbird Cafe which had a
very inviting menu. I settled for house made baked beans with smokey bacon,
toasted sourdough, rocket and feta. Fantastic.
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| Breakfast at the Blackbird Café, Bright |
This was to be a big day with two highly recommended
roads that I had never ridden before.
The first was the Great Alpine Road out of Bright. the
first section was beautiful coutry through Harrietville. From there you start
to climb and the road becomes a very windy mountain road, but in good condition
and with great views. The big caravans were a bit of worry, but I was usually
able to overtake them fairly quickly. Eventually you emerge from the forests on
to the top of mountains and ridges with amazing views that stretch in all
directions. It continues like this until you come to Mt Hotham which feels like
the top of the world. The buildings and layout of Mt Hotham reminded me very
much of Thredbo except Hothham is right on top of the mountain, not down in the
valley like Thredbo.
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| Mt Hotham scenery |
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| Mt Hotham |
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| Mt Hotham |
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| Near Mt Hotham |
After Mt Hotham the road opens up. Not so windy and
narrow. But still great alpine country and some magnificent scenery. The next
major town is Omeo, which looks like a very interesting place with old
buildings, but with plenty of life about them. I didn't stop as I knew I had
long way to go. Through Swifts Creek, Ensay and a quick stop at Bruthen for a
stretch and toilet break. Then on to Nowa Nowa and Orbost for lunch and fuel.
The second road I was planning for the day was the Bonang
Highway which goes north from Orbost, crosses the border to NSW and ends at
Delegate. I was aware that there were a couple of unsealed sections and I was
ready for that. While in Orbost I stopped for fuel and there were about 10 guys
on bikes stopped there as well. They were returning from the Ulysses Club AGM
held in Tasmania. They were heading back up to Sydney and I asked one of them
if they were taking the Bonang. He looked at me as if I was a complete idiot
and “No”. There was probably a message there.
The first 60 or so Kms was great. Lots of curves, never
faster than about 80 Kmh, more often 30 or 40 Kmh. The road was fine, the
country was wild and there was no traffic. Then the road narrowed, climmbed and
became much more windy. I hit the unsealed section 11 km short of Bonang. When
I think of an unsealed road I think of a straight flat dirt road, a bit
slippery, but no real problem. This was a winding mountain track with tight
corners, huge drops off the side, loose gravel and enormous corrugations which
shook and rattled the bike mercilessly. This was very slow going and nerve
racking. 20 kmh at best. The longest 11 kms I have ever ridden in my life. I
finally got back on bitumen at Bonang, which although sounding like a town, is
just a few houses on the side of the road.
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| The sign Bike riders love. Bonang Highway |
The rest of the run into Delgate seemed like a picnic
after that. But it did feel like an achievement. If I had known more detail
about the road I probably wouldn't have done it.
No stopping at Delegate. Only 36 Kms into Bombala which
was my destination for the night. And I was very glad to be there.
Finished up in the Bombala RSL for dinner, a hearty meal
with no unnecessary embellishments.
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| Alpine loop. Two day ride. |
Tuesday 8th March, 2016
Bombala - Bemboka - Bega - Tathra - Tilba - Bermagui -
Burril Lake – 319 kms
Breakfast at Bombala Bakery and on the bike by
9.30am. Followed the Monaro Highway up
to the Bega turn off, Snowy Mountains Highway. I had never done this section
before and was looking forward to it. The morning was absolutely beautiful.
Clear blue sky. About 24c and not much traffic on the road. Snowy Mountains
Highway takes you over Brown Mountain with lots of beautiful forests that open
up to the valley below and the village of Bemboka. Coming down into Bemboka
provided some of the most beautiful and greenest country I had seen on the
entire trip. Absolutely stunning, lush green hills with contented dairy cows
merely glancing in the direction of passing traffic.
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| Brown Mountain |
I turned south on the Princes Hwy and went a few
kilometres into Bega. Couldn't find a parking spot near the cafe in the centre
of town so I continued through to Tathra and went down to the famous wharf.
There was a sea mist on the water which gave it an eerie feeling. Coffee on the
wharf watching fishermen on the edge. You could only see about 20 meters over
the water before the mist obscured everything. Very atmospheric.
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| Tathra Wharf, with sea mist |
I then followed the Tathra-Bermagui Rd north along the
coast. I have ridden this road quite a few times now and it is very
comfortable. A nice road with plenty of gorgeous sights along the way to keep
it interesting. Through Bermagui and back on to the highway and a lunch stop at
Tilba Tilba. Hard to go past this beautiful village without at least a cup of
tea.
Then straight up the highway to Burrill Lake where I was
spending the night with a friend that I had started school with in about 1961.
Looking forward to a very pleasant evening.
Wednesday 10th March, 2016
Burrill Lake - Nowra - Berry - Oyster Bay – 205 kms
Jim and I had a fantastic night reliving many old stories
over a couple of small beers. He cooked breakfast in the morning and sent me
off feeling very happy with the world.
A 2 and a half hour trip up the Princes Highway, no
stops. My wife had already left for her trip away and I had to get home to be
on puppy duty.
1,870 kilometres later and ready for a quiet day or two.
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| Home to puppy duty |
