West-Gippsland...a bag of surprises

It's been brewing ever since Pete (Vtwin) took us for a spin around his backyard last year (or the year before?), showing off some sensational, little backroads, lookouts and a bag full of other goodies....we just HAD to go back for another Gippy-hit.

It all started off not looking too flash up there, but apart from one short shower and a few spits here and there, it stayed dry.

Lindt Hot Chocolate is the specialty at the Kallista Tea Rooms




The back of The Patch...there's Mt. Baw Baw somewhere in that muck.




Always wanted to stop and take a shot...Tonimbuk Rd/ Bunyip State Park









Met Rob (a86) and Pete (Vtwin) in Yarragon, going straight up the hills from here on some sweet, tiny single-laner with astonishing drops either side, great views and loads of dry, tight stuff to play with.

Looking across the mouth of the Latrobe Valley...again, somewhere in that muck is Mt. BawBaw.

Sunshine, twisties galore and not another soul around...having fun in the Gippy hills.

And "fresh" (unknown to me) roads to boot...the second surprise of the day, after the climb from Yarragon, runs through the back of Childers.




Chris (Criswill), who'd just signed up here a couple of days earlier, makes the big GS sing 'n swing.




Pete (Vtwin) + Goodie






Into Mirboo North for what the the Locals (Rob in this case) declare as the only joint serving proper food in town...no arguments there!!



Always a delight....the twisties into Boolara.

Rob (a86)




....and Richard (K1W1)





More "new" stuff along the Morwell River...the northern 10k's are even sealed, further south it's a mix of hardpack with superfine quartzy gravel/ coarse sand on top....bewdifull when damp, like today.
And perfect for laying lines a foot wide outta bends, aye, Pete? (yes, it could only be you!)







Rob (a86) on one of the best-sounding WEE's I've ever come across.





More Morwell River Rd.





K1W1 and Chris

It is stuff like this that makes me want to get out and explore my own back yard. And then when others come, I can show them, or tell them about it

The next surprise proved to be a sealed stretch of the Grand Ridge Rd...some brilliant twisties towards Boolara South along the spine of a ridge with some magic views.

And it was dry, the road good....for once.
There's a hell of a lot of damage on Gippy's roads at the moment....lots of washaways, sudsided road that has just slipped down the steep inclines, washed out bridges, potholes galore... not on this piece, though!



Pretty much the only straight piece of road for the whole loop...."cooling it" after Chris and I let it rip through the climbing twisties just out of Dumbalk.






On top of another ridge, the Leongatha North Rd. offers more fantastic views, usually towards Inverloch and Waratah Bay/ Cape Liptrap.





"Dear Father, please give me strength to keep going with this bunch of looneys"




Oh, another road-hazard.....this bugger was sitting in the middle of the road!! Shows how busy things can get up here...





Up the bum!!




Bloody noice, innit?





Pete offering some of his late lunch...





Yet another perler was the climb out of Wild Dog Valley towards Strzelecki, it just kept climbing into the skies...




That also proved to be the last bit of sunshine and blue sky until just shy of home. The southern end of Lardner Rd. was as narrow, twisty, scenic and chopped up as ever...not a stretch for a "pursuit", but for outright enjoyment of "waltzing" the tiny backroads.



Back through the Bunyip State Park, adding a few extra dirt-doglegs via Mountain Rd., Rainy Hill Rd. and Phillip Rd. into Emerald....just because we could and because the skies started to smile again.

Bloody great day....and a big thanks to all!!
Good riding, too...conditions certainly weren't smooth and easy.


Rob/ Pete...when's the next one??

And can we do that Morwell River Rd to the end this time, and more of the Grand Ridge Rd. twisties into Boolara Sth....and Wild Dog Valley again, there was another road pointing north down there, too...and...and....
let's make it a weekend and tack on a few more Ridge Roads, too...there's a whole swag of 'em down there.

Till then

robbieb said:

It is stuff like this that makes me want to get out and explore my own back yard. And then when others come, I can show them, or tell them about it

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Mate...nobody's stopping you. And you've got one of the best backyards on the globe!!
"Going spazzy over Tassie" certainly holds true in our place.

glitch said:

Mate...nobody's stopping you. And you've got one of the best backyards on the globe!!
"Going spazzy over Tassie" certainly holds true in our place.

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Definitely, what I meant was that it inspires me more to get out there, and I have been! When going for impromptu rides, it is great just taking roads or tracks I've never been down before, seeing where they end up. Sometimes I get myself into a bit of trouble though, get to a technical section and bite off more than I can chew with no backup, but that's all part of the adventure

glitch said:

Rob/ Pete...when's the next one??

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Yeah guys pull finger!

It's been two days and you havn't yet indicated when the next trip is. What is the hold up?


:flame::flame:

BTW

Thanks for Sunday

Some of mine from the day.

The official start



The first stop on some hill overlooking something





another stop another view



Now while the others were busy gas bagging and acting like Melbourne based coffearti I walked down the road and looked at the bike porn!





Now come on Glitch be truthful here. When was the last time your saw TWO Henderson straight fours in the same place at the same time?

so we left and went riding again



probably the lost photographed koala in Gippsland



another in camera pano



then another



then I got a bit arty seeing as I missed out on the conversation at Mirboo North when I was more interested in porn.



then another shot of bikers and views



and we rode home.

The full set of pictures including the porn is here.

I also have about 2 hours of video from the GoPro that I will condense to 5-10 minutes at some stage and post.

K1W1 said:

I also have about 2 hours of video from the GoPro that I will condense to 5-10 minutes at some stage and post.

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Me like...a lot!

That fence shot is

And this...



I didn't see most of those veterans go by....only caught 3 of them on the little carpark on the left as we pulled out.
You're right....missed out big time!!:bang::bang:

2 hrs of vid?
Christ.... that'd be a half-year editing job for me.
Looking forward to it.

robbieb said:

Sometimes I get myself into a bit of trouble though, get to a technical section and bite off more than I can chew with no backup....

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The only downside being by yourself....but shit, it's fun, aye?