Another lockdown evasion diary
Day 0
Just about to leave Traralgon, I discover I forgotthe pump. The only spare I get is at an eclectic op shop (for free, as a future Xmas gift).
Follow the rail trail out of Traralgon.
Camp 5km off Murderers Hill
Day 1
Plenty of 4WD traffic around.
One of drivers tells he has seen me at St Kilda.
Pass many gold mining-era artefacts.
Some drizzle.
See a wild cat (looking like a big domestic one) walking the roadside.
Pass an overturned truck with gravel. The crew from forest fire management (trying to lift it onto whrela with an excavator) doesn't look too upsetwith the accident.
Camp at Jorgensons hut campsite.
Day 2
More mining artefacts on my way.
Ascent to Aberfeldy is steep,but steady and pretty easy : 300m of elevation pushing up, then 200m more on the road.
Weather is dodgy and montaneous : changes between drizzle and sun few times.
Descend to Woods Point (some new gold mining started there).
Miss a niceriverside campsitethere, ascend another 300m, camp near Frenchmans Gap in deep twilight.
Day 3
Coast down to Jamieson, get another flat tyre.
Try to patch a 'self-sealing' Decathlon tube few times with no success.
Hitchhike to Jamieson and then Mansfield, get new tube 10min before srore closes.
Camp at Pollards rd with view.
Day 4
Descend Buttercup creek and climb Mountain #3 (unload the bike half way up, at ~1000m elevation)
Camp off Bald hill (which doesn't look bald, lined by tall gumtrees)
Day 5
Lazily ride down to Toomboolup (half-abandoned village with single closed pub, reminds me of places in subtropical QLD).
Pass Stringubark Ck (with carefully preserved and reconstructed Ned Kelly memorabilia) and descend to Tatong.
Camp on Mt Pleasant foothills
Day 6
Ride 10km through few showers to Benalla, then catch a train back to Melbourne
Just about to leave Traralgon, I discover I forgotthe pump. The only spare I get is at an eclectic op shop (for free, as a future Xmas gift).
Follow the rail trail out of Traralgon.
Camp 5km off Murderers Hill
Day 1
Plenty of 4WD traffic around.
One of drivers tells he has seen me at St Kilda.
Pass many gold mining-era artefacts.
Some drizzle.
See a wild cat (looking like a big domestic one) walking the roadside.
Pass an overturned truck with gravel. The crew from forest fire management (trying to lift it onto whrela with an excavator) doesn't look too upsetwith the accident.
Camp at Jorgensons hut campsite.
Day 2
More mining artefacts on my way.
Ascent to Aberfeldy is steep,but steady and pretty easy : 300m of elevation pushing up, then 200m more on the road.
Weather is dodgy and montaneous : changes between drizzle and sun few times.
Descend to Woods Point (some new gold mining started there).
Miss a niceriverside campsitethere, ascend another 300m, camp near Frenchmans Gap in deep twilight.
Day 3
Coast down to Jamieson, get another flat tyre.
Try to patch a 'self-sealing' Decathlon tube few times with no success.
Hitchhike to Jamieson and then Mansfield, get new tube 10min before srore closes.
Camp at Pollards rd with view.
Day 4
Descend Buttercup creek and climb Mountain #3 (unload the bike half way up, at ~1000m elevation)
Camp off Bald hill (which doesn't look bald, lined by tall gumtrees)
Day 5
Lazily ride down to Toomboolup (half-abandoned village with single closed pub, reminds me of places in subtropical QLD).
Pass Stringubark Ck (with carefully preserved and reconstructed Ned Kelly memorabilia) and descend to Tatong.
Camp on Mt Pleasant foothills
Day 6
Ride 10km through few showers to Benalla, then catch a train back to Melbourne