I was looking forward to this weekend, even had new tyres fitted to the Panzer. Left very early in the morning on Friday to make it to the meeting point in Yarra Junction. Once everyone arrived we headed to Noojee to pick up Colin, Oscar and Scott. Then it was off towards Baw Baw dodging logging trucks and snow traffic. Hit the dirt and rode along South face road to Rawson. 

From Rawson it was another dirt section on the Cowwar road to Heyfield. Hit the Hwy at  Stratford, then it was a hwy run to Bairnsdale, onto Bruthen. Lunch was at Bruthen and fuel top up. From Bruthen we headed north through Buchan, this were the road riders blasted ahead of us dirt riders. I tried to keep up with Richard for 2 corners before he was gone. This is one of my favourite tar roads, I think everyone had fun on it. We re grouped at Wulgulmerang, then hit the dirt down to Mckillops bridge. This road is not a place for the faint hearted, with huge drop offs, narrow roads cut into the cliff face and lots of blind corners. No fell off the edge and only one four wheel drive was encountered.  

We hit the bridge mid afternoon and had a break and look around. More great dirt roads through Tubbut until we hit the tar again near Bonang. Some more twisty road to entertain the road riders among us to our over night stop in Delegate, just over the border. As usual lots of alcohol and food was consumed. Over night the wind picked up and a bit of rain came down as well.

Next morning it was cold and windy, with the threat of rain. We headed out in the freezing conditions to Craigie where we hit the dirt roads again. The route went through the pine plantations on the Vic/ NSW border. We stopped for a re group at the goldfields fire tower.  Soon after we rode up the Monaro Hwy then turned off down Imlay rd towards Eden.Another awesome tar road to stretch the big twins legs.

Turned off Imlay rd back into the forest down a over grown track which was 1st gear riding. We hit a main dirt road soon after and rode through Perico to Towamba. Then north along a great dirt road that followed the Towamba river through the valley. The scenery and riding was awesome. The road climbed up the valley back onto the high plains near Cathcart. The Cathcart general store was closed, so we pressed on to Bombala for lunch.

The lure of the pub was too much for Colin and Scott, who headed to the over night stop at Dalgety. The rest of us rode back to Cathcart, then turned north back onto the dirt roads to Candelo. Back onto the tar to the Snowy highway, which had great corners as it climbed higher into the mountains. Richard raced back down for another go.

With the day wearing on we headed to Dalgety via the abandoned railway siding at Jincumbilly. Dodging cattle and sheep we finally arrived at Dalgetty.

The place was jumping, there was a horse/ cattle completion and heaps of people at the pub. Serge had to throw 3 young drunk chicks out of our room. The band played till late and some of the boys were woken up by drunken arguments in the corridor.

The next morning it was a cold one again, we crossed the bridge over the snowy river towards Jindabyne for fuel. You could see the snow capped mountains in the distance. A quick refuel and we headed south to the dirt of the Barry Way. We crossed the border back into Victoria in the valley next to the snowy river. Then it was more dirt on Limestone road which crosses the range and into Omeo. Lunch and fuel at Omeo.

Due to the time factor the group split here, with those who lived in the southern suburbs going back via Bairnsdale while the rest of us headed north toward Mt Hotham. Thanks Richard for leading the other group back to Melbourne. The ride over Mt Hotham was as usual great, with a bit of snow still around. A re group in Harrietville, and a slow boring run to Myrlteford. over the Buffalo dam wall and then onto the Lake Buffalo Whitfield rd. With darkness approaching we managed to get to Mansfield at dusk. Some hot chips, fuel and a quick break. The group started going their own way after this. I got home at 8pm with exactly 1600km showing on the speedo. A great weekend  with fantastic riding and scenery.

   




     

Any photos of the motley crew?

Not neccessarily mounted thanks Dennis/Pee Air 

Ken R wrote:
Photo's !!!!  We don't do Photo's here, it's toooo Hard !!!
look on the Facebook Page Kenny, there are heaps.

Great ride Pat, very well planed with roads and terrain to suit everyone.  Loved the ride down Mckillops bridge.

7:30 is an ugly time to meet for a ride, especially when the meeting point is an hour (or more) from home  and even more so when you're someone who likes to allow and hour to get ready to leave!  But meet at 7:30 we did.  A short squirt up the road to Noojee and we met the rest of the crew for our weekend ride.

This ride had a couple of firsts.  First first was that it was Big Col's first AMTRA ride in 15 years and he was like a dog with two tails, eager and rearing to go on his Big Tenere.  Another first was that it was Scotty's first weekend ADV ride and you could tell!  Never before have I seen so much luggage on a bike for 2 nights away!  Pete decided he had a pannier for Friday, a pannier for Saturday and a top box for Sunday, along with a tank bag just-in-case!  Pat was hoping he had a coffee machine in one of his panniers, but I suggested we could use one as a dunny (if things all went to ...poo!)







We pulled out of Noojee on time and ran the glorious twisty squirt up to Baw Baw, where the road turned to gravel as we came down South Face Road.  Pat has already mentioned the route, so I won't elaborate, suffice to say this part of the trip was a little slower, but last time we did this section Pat, Richard and I did it in the failing light of dusk, so it was nice to see it in daylight.

Down the Hwy to Bruthen for lunch, fuel and a well deserved break.





Bruthen to Buchan and back onto the dirt for our run to McKillop's Bridge.  The gravel road here affords great views for those that don't suffer from vertigo.  This didn't include Steve, who traversed this section very carefully. Onto the Bridge and another short stop for views and photos.















After our break here, we hightailed it into our overnight stop at delegate.  Accommodation at the pub was comfortable, food was plentiful and beer was cold.  we sat around for a good while, talking sh!t and drinking.  Some of the crew headed off earlyish, while others...didn't!  But with 550ks on my clock, it was understandable and reasonable to feel a little weary.

Nice start Serge - with photos 

So can BIG COL still ride OK? 

Yeah he can. Starting to get used the supertanker.

Dirtpilot wrote:
Shouldn't take much getting used to, he always rode big ugly bikes  (fast)

As Patsy has already mentioned, it was cold and windy on Saturday morning.  I was looking forward to a brekky of warm pig bits and bum-nuts, but alas it was just continental.  Coffee was hot though, which was good.  We geared up with thermals, neck-warmers (courtesy of TAC) and balaclavas and headed out. A bit of road, a bit of dirt...no one cared, we were all having a hoot!













At the fire tower.









After lunch it was more of the same, eventually stopping at Jincumbilly Siding to play with donkeys and have a look around.































For reasons I can't explain, I left my ignition on while all this was happening and managed to flatten my battery.  A few guys (who were still at the siding) helped to push/roll/tow start it.  Unfortunately, the tow start didn't end well and I put the bike down, resulting in some bent bars and a few nasty scratches on the Beemer.  When we eventually got it going again, we hightailed it into Dalgetty to meet up with the rest of the crew.  The sun was starting to set and I spotted a few skippies on the nearby hills, so getting off the road ASAP was a priority.  I got into the pub safely, to find it full of cowboys and cowgirls who were having some kind of mustering gymkahna.  There were millions of them, all making noise but being happy.  I opened the door to my room and was followed in by two NYLs (and some random bloke) and they asked me if this was the party room!  I escorted them out, I'm too old for that sh!t!

We ate, we drank and we were merry but collapsed around midnight.  the cowfolk carried on till about 2:30.

Sunday morning we left bright and early (still no cooked breakfast) and headed out of Dalgetty.  Across the Snowy River, en route to Jindabyne and the Barry Way.







The Barry Way is a great run in the dirt.  But time was against us as we had a big day to get home, so we made few stops.





A lookout along the way.









And before we knew it, we were in Omeo for lunch.  We all knew it would be a long haul home from here, so we split up depending on different needs.  Onion had blown his headlight globe, so getting back in daylight was priority for him.  Others went over Mt Hotham and the rest ran straight up the hwy from Omeo.  We headed to Bairnsdale and up the hwy from there, getting into Melbourne around 6:00

A long, tiring and windy finish to what was a great weekend away.  Thanks to Patsy for organizing it all and thanks to the great crew who came along.