Heading to Polblue Camping ground , commandeering the shelter , building a massive roaring toasty warm fire , and getting dry became the final order of the day . The shelter quickly transformed into a laundry , with wet riding gear , boots , gloves , and helmets adorning the walls . Spots in front of the fire highly sought after , with the outside of bodies warmed , attention turned to warming the inside . A gastronomic delight , surely a Michelin star worthy , sensational feed of chicken cacciatore , cooked in the camp oven , washed down with peanut butter whiskey , red wine , and port , not only guaranteed being warm , but it also guaranteed some excellent story telling .
As riders retired for the night , the fire was stoked , boots lined up to dry and gloves hung close . Mist
and fog rolled across the mountain as riders rolled into warm sleeping bags , mentally and physically tired , comfortable in the knowledge they had truly been on an adventure .
Wow , what a difference 24 hours can make . Leaving Polblue in close to zero temperatures , navigating through fog and mist , the ride was invigorating and challenging .
Donning riding gear was a like putting on wet clothes , the gear so cold it felt wet . Extra layers were dug out from panniers in an effort to ward off freezing wind , which was more akin to a polar jet blast .
Barrington Forest Tops Road was certainly drier than the night before , and visibility was definitely an improvement … in some parts .
The challenge for the first part of the day was to navigate our way to
Gloucester . Consulting an old school map , a potential route identified and plotted . Tomalle Road was the selected route , the track between Polblue and Tomalle Road , relatively benign .
A short deviation saw a reenactment of some scenes from The Man From Snowy River , two wild brumbies galloping along the track in front of two other majestic steeds , BMW GSA ’ s .
The intersection of Tomalle Road became a conference point , discussions revolving around the condition of the track and whether it was passable for all the members of the team . Based on local knowledge from a very obliging local identity , the decision was made to track back down to Moonan Flat , and head to Scone , then Gloucester and then to
TRAVERSE 70