2015 Autumn Boxerworks in Oz

[Dougal65]

Mal!
Nothing like a bit of a workout as you go...saves gym fees!
I'm sorry I missed the ride... but I had a weekend away last week checking out the Alpine Rally sites...Canberrra via the Alpine Way and then back over the Brindibellas and from tumut up to Talbingo, Yarrongabilly and the Cabramurra past Charlies hut surrounded by blinged up SUVs and hoards of screaming kids ( is nothing sacred anymore?) and then back home.
Now trying to remember how to post pics here!.. Ive got them in reduced form and on a separate hosting site.... got as far as inserting using the "image" icon above and then inserting the link between the url bracket thingeys , but all I get is that text string and no pics!.. there's a magic keystroke that I'm missing!... and its probably so obvious... but I'm stumped!
I know ive been there before and went through old threads to pick up the previous advice, but still something missing!!!

[Airbear]

What a fine escape! Only 5 Boxerworkers in total, and not all in the one place at the one time, but it all worked well. And such excellent roads were travelled.

Apart from the mud on the Dargo High Plains Road, I mean. That was nasty. Mal and I were warned by a mud-caked bloke on a mud-caked GS that we would have trouble getting through “on those bikes”, but we made it. It was my third ride across the Dargo and I think it will be my last. It was Mal’s first ride across there and I think I can confidently predict it will be his last, too. Once across the 50kms of dirt, rocks, pot-holes, corrugations and the rich and variously coloured mud, the tar twisties down towards Dargo make it all seem worth it. Here is the start of that road, near the top of Mt Hotham with suitable warnings, apart from the mud thing:



We met up with Steve a bit before dark and found sufficient firewood at our chosen camp site. A very pleasant evening was had at a comfortable spot by the Dargo River - so comfortable that I failed to get off my arse to take any photos during our stay.

After a leisurely pack-up in the morning, Mal and I said “hooroo” to Steve and headed towards Bairnsdale to get onto the Great Alpine Road for the run to Anglers Rest. There we met up with Jeff and George for another fine night of bullshitting by a generous fire.



Great stuff, gentlemen. On the Saturday Mal, George and Jeff headed for home but I felt like staying for another night. I had a pleasant day pottering about, reading, firewood gathering, drinking beer and so on. Headed home on Sunday – a blissful ride in perfect conditions.



Total distance for me was 670kms. I dunno how many thousands of bends but it was grin-making in the best tradition. Brunhilde didn’t miss a beat and Mal’s gearbox proved to be well behaved.
Thanks guys. Must do it again soon.

Doug, sounds like you had a good run in the hills last week. I gather there was a good dusting of snow in the Brindabellas a few days ago. I'll bet you were sorry to miss that. It's Yarrangobilly this year for the Alpine, and I'm looking forward to that.

Re picture posting, the address URL from the host site should start with and have no spaces. (I had to type it like that with the underscores to get it to read properly). Good luck - we love pictures, and pictures prove that things happen. Mal has a good pic of me playing in the mud - I hope he can post it.

[Mal S7]

This is Charlie and Brun playing in the mud



Not nearly as much fun as it looks, don't dare so much as look at that front brake lever ...

In happier times, a little while earlier.

[Dougal65]

Ah well, I had my fun last week and nicking off again for this weekend would pushing it a bit far!

I wanted to catch up with my son in Canberra before Easter and so got myself organised, loaded and set off down the drive last Wednesday. Got to the main road and which way?? Well I could be efficient and head off up the Hume and then down to Canberra from Yass... about 3 .5 hours I reckon...or.. go the other way!.. and take a bit longer... no decision necessary really!so I headed off up the Murray Valley Highway over the range to Corryong for a lunch break and then on up the Alpine way. Never been beyond Geehi on a bike, so it was new territory. It's a delicious road... good condition, wide sweeping bends as well as some tight bits...First stop for a wee was at Tom Groggin


Then the road heads up towards Thredbo via Siberia, which seems apt. The snow gums are slowly regenerating from the 2003 fires. The effect is pretty stunning with the landscape edged in thickets of silver skeletons... enough firewood up there for the next milenia.

Thredbo passed without even a glance and then on down to Cooma and then to Canberra.
Getting out of Canberra onto the Brindabella Road is a clear as the tax Act. I remember getting lost last time , so had a google map, my gps, and a hard copy map and none of them were the same and none of them reflected what was on the ground!!.. Its a rapidly growing part of Canberrra and we all know how Canberrra does things!
Nevertheless, I was on the right road ... a sealed and generous road through to the Murrumbidgee and Cotter dam and then a firm gravel road beyond. Right at the ACT/ NSW border, the road shrinks to a single carriageway ( most of the time) and a bit of a goat track when the goats get going..Ok taking it carefully but scarey when a a blinged up 4wd surprises you on a blind corner.
From Brindabella onwards, the road improves greatly and is wide, firm, a reasonably fast apart from the drifts of loose gravel that I remembered from last time when you reach the pine forests.
The last section into Tumut is a generous sealed road .. lots of sweeping bends and no traffic.
The Lebanese takeaway in Tumut was open (it was Good Friday) and is recommended!.. then off up the Snowy Mtns Highway looking at camping spots along the way.. Plenty of options if youre into speedboats and screaming kids...As I wasnt, I kept going and arrived at Yarongabilly at about 5.30... just kids here... no speedboats.
Despite the hoards of caravans and campers and generators it was tolerable..

I'd intended to return via the Elliot Way but found myself in Cabramurra having missed the turnoff... so continued on along the delicious link road... not many speedboats and no mud!!!

[Airbear]

Excellent report, Doug. I know what you mean by the 'delicious' roads up that way.
Your bike looks well kitted out - it's probably got brakes and suspension and everything.

So, will you be celebrating Her Majesty's birthday at Yarrangobilly this year?

[Mal S7]

Thats a muy comfy looking bike Doug. Perfect machine for that run.
Nice pics too.

[Mal S7]

I recommend everyone takes this ride around the apple isle;



a thousand kms of great, if damp, roads and beautiful scenery, when the fog and clouds break.

[Rob]

I recommend everyone takes this ride around the apple isle;
a thousand kms of great, if damp, roads and beautiful scenery, when the fog and clouds break.

Sounds like the U.K.!

[Sibbo]

It's on the list, I've seen a lot of tas but not the West coast.

[Airbear]

I recommend everyone takes this ride around the apple isle;



a thousand kms of great, if damp, roads and beautiful scenery, when the fog and clouds break.

Mal, I see you left quite a bit of the pubic isle to explore next time.

Pretty sensible - you have the perfect reason to return.