TRAVEL FEATURE - AUSTRALIA PHIL LALOR
THIS WAS AN ADVENTURE
After a night at over 1000 metres , a campfire breakfast of egg and bacon rolls filled some empty stomachs . Facilities including a hot shower and a flushing toilet were welcome luxuries . For a campsite in the middle of nowhere , this one was up there with the best ! After a day of ‘ transport legs ’ to reach our overnight destination from various parts of the state , containing our travels to ‘ regional areas ’ in line with the latest covid restrictions , a week of adventure , mateship , and good times had finally arrived .
Temperatures were cool as bikes were packed and motors warmed . A few extra layers were added to ward off the chilly weather . Fog formed on the inside of helmets and goggles . The purple line on the GPS traced across National Parks , weaving its way through tall timber , well defined twin track , with a few potholes ensuring riders maintained an appropriate level of vigilance .
Leaving Mummel National Park , the track became a little less defined , memories of the Bicentennial National Trail on Masterclass 2017 flashed into riders ’ consciousness . Mud , slush , and wet grass created a few arse puckering moments , front wheels moving and sliding about .
Tracking southwards towards Nowendoc , a passing helicopter , flying low , spraying adjacent paddocks provided a different form of entertainment , performing steep turns and associated aerobatics . Defining a route on a digital map can provide challenges , not always knowing the condition or accessibility of chosen roads .
Quiet Valley Road turned out to be one such road , arriving at the designated turn point to be met with a large and very prominent ‘ No Entry - Private Road ’ sign .
Waiting for the ‘ beer truck ’ to catch up with us , we consulted paper maps and agreed on a new route ,
TRAVERSE 61