Day one ( Friday )
With Posties all packed up and on the ute, we left Ballarat at about 1:30. Traffic was diverted through the centre of Bacchus Marsh due to an accident on the freeway so we decided to cut across to the Hume via Digger's Rest and Bulla.
About 4 hours later we dumped the ute in Myrtleford, and the Posties were unloaded and ready to roll by 6:00.
Then straight to Bright, and the Wondiligong pub for an ale, and to Tawonga for the night.
The Posties rack was stacked pretty high so the handling was even worse that an unladen post, but we got used to it pretty quick and it was a good race through Tawonga Gap.
To the Tawonga pub for dinner and a few jars and that was it for day one.
Tawonga Gap
Day two ( Saturday )
'off by 7:00, fine weather again. The second town we went through was called Smoko, but it was not even breaky time.
The Posties struggled up the hills as usual, all the way up Hotham in second or third, and then back down to the Dargo turnoff.
The gravel road was pretty easy going, apart from hitting a huge pothole and nearly going over the bars. A few Ks beforeDargo we turned off at Grant Junction,
after a bit of a climb there was a huge descent into Talbotville down a recently dozed track with incredible views. A loaded-up post with roadie tyres was hard to handle in the soft stuff at times but all good, no spills.
The track back to Dargo was a ripper, following the Wonnangatta river.
We just caught a counter attack at the Dargo pub before they stopped taking orders, had a few ales and then hit the track to Bairnsdale. It began as quite a twisty run but soon straightened out, straight flat roads are hard work on an 80kmh max shitter.
Then back up the hills to Bruthen, Tambo Crossing, Ensay sth pub, and Omeo at last! We busted out the tents and stayed at the caravan park after another pub meal.
Near the top of Hotham
Clutch adjustment at the top.
On the road to Dargo
Tree ferns coming back after the fires
Creek crossing at Winchester
Lunch stop
Day three ( Sunday )
We were up early and on the road by about 7:30. Just North of Omeo we took the Omeo valley rd, then went up the Knocker tk, a rough little track that had the bikes changing down to first gear at times, a very steep climb.
That took us to the Omeo highway, a road that changes from sealed to unsealed quite a few times. The views were magnificent, and the sealed sections had the best twisties of the trip by far, they're also better than the Black Spur etc.
We had a quick bite in Mitta Mitta then blasted up the Dartmouth road to Lake Dartmouth, then back to Tawonga via the Trappers Gap rd, another little gravel rd through the mountains above Mt. Bogong.
Then over Tawonga gap again and back to bright where we found the Postie Bike Club of Aust. guys. We hit them for some merch ( T-shirt, stubby holder, cap ) and had a good old gas bag, 'nice guys.
We all road to Ovens where we had a few jars at the pub, then we loaded the ute and hit the track back to Ballarat ( 4.5 hours ).
What a blast, that is beautiful country up there!
Stu
Bugger, 'can't get the posties over the spillway!
Fellow Postie-bikers
With Posties all packed up and on the ute, we left Ballarat at about 1:30. Traffic was diverted through the centre of Bacchus Marsh due to an accident on the freeway so we decided to cut across to the Hume via Digger's Rest and Bulla.
About 4 hours later we dumped the ute in Myrtleford, and the Posties were unloaded and ready to roll by 6:00.
Then straight to Bright, and the Wondiligong pub for an ale, and to Tawonga for the night.
The Posties rack was stacked pretty high so the handling was even worse that an unladen post, but we got used to it pretty quick and it was a good race through Tawonga Gap.
To the Tawonga pub for dinner and a few jars and that was it for day one.
Tawonga Gap
Day two ( Saturday )
'off by 7:00, fine weather again. The second town we went through was called Smoko, but it was not even breaky time.
The Posties struggled up the hills as usual, all the way up Hotham in second or third, and then back down to the Dargo turnoff.
The gravel road was pretty easy going, apart from hitting a huge pothole and nearly going over the bars. A few Ks beforeDargo we turned off at Grant Junction,
after a bit of a climb there was a huge descent into Talbotville down a recently dozed track with incredible views. A loaded-up post with roadie tyres was hard to handle in the soft stuff at times but all good, no spills.
The track back to Dargo was a ripper, following the Wonnangatta river.
We just caught a counter attack at the Dargo pub before they stopped taking orders, had a few ales and then hit the track to Bairnsdale. It began as quite a twisty run but soon straightened out, straight flat roads are hard work on an 80kmh max shitter.
Then back up the hills to Bruthen, Tambo Crossing, Ensay sth pub, and Omeo at last! We busted out the tents and stayed at the caravan park after another pub meal.
Near the top of Hotham
Clutch adjustment at the top.
On the road to Dargo
Tree ferns coming back after the fires
Creek crossing at Winchester
Lunch stop
Day three ( Sunday )
We were up early and on the road by about 7:30. Just North of Omeo we took the Omeo valley rd, then went up the Knocker tk, a rough little track that had the bikes changing down to first gear at times, a very steep climb.
That took us to the Omeo highway, a road that changes from sealed to unsealed quite a few times. The views were magnificent, and the sealed sections had the best twisties of the trip by far, they're also better than the Black Spur etc.
We had a quick bite in Mitta Mitta then blasted up the Dartmouth road to Lake Dartmouth, then back to Tawonga via the Trappers Gap rd, another little gravel rd through the mountains above Mt. Bogong.
Then over Tawonga gap again and back to bright where we found the Postie Bike Club of Aust. guys. We hit them for some merch ( T-shirt, stubby holder, cap ) and had a good old gas bag, 'nice guys.
We all road to Ovens where we had a few jars at the pub, then we loaded the ute and hit the track back to Ballarat ( 4.5 hours ).
What a blast, that is beautiful country up there!
Stu
Bugger, 'can't get the posties over the spillway!
Fellow Postie-bikers