stevegt738
Tour Pro
Tuesday 10/1 was the day to get out on the bike for some more exploring.
First stop for the day was Camp Hill Lookout at the northern end of Lardners Track.
Entered the Latrobe State Forest via Latrobe River Rd, a well graveled road.
Latrobe River bridge.
Hawthorn Creek Rd to the left, Wild Bull Rd center, Kings Rd to the Right.
Went left first along Hawthorn Creek Rd, reasonable to good road mostly hard packed clay. Easy ride with lots of spoon drains across the road so best to throttle back and take it easy.
Hawthorn Creek Rd ends at Ferguson Rd and Duggan road. Looking South Hawthorn Creek Rd to the right, Fergusons to the left.
Looking North Ferguson to the left, I went right along Duggan Rd which ends at the Willow grove Rd just south of the Fumina turn off.
Duggan Rd started out with a rock layer which is easy enough if you don't be a hero.
Soon became clay / dirt with a lot of leaf litter, easy if you take your time.
Onwards to Fumina.
Nice little valley with views.
Ballentynes rd to the left, Simpsons Rd to the right.
Simpsons Rd starts out with rock base past the logging coup.
Then turns to Clay with the usual litter on a low traffic forest rd.
Lots or tree ferns to see.
Road starts to descend to the Tanjil River West Branch,
where there is a picnic area and a shallow ford. I have already crossed.
The lower part (1km?) of the drop down to the ford looks like it could become a series of bog holes. The drains across the road have been chewed up and could hold water in them. Light bikes will probably be ok, but anyone on a pig might be there for a while.
Relatively easy ride till Rowleys Rd.
Towards the end of Simpsons Rd, you come to a logging coup T intersection with no signs. Simpsons Rd continues left, passes through the Simpson Rd Quarry with these signs as you exit the north of the quarry.
I turned right at Rowleys Rd, and then right at Costins Rd (both well graveled easy fast roads) which took me back to Willow Grove Rd.
Turned left at Willow grove Rd for about 3 kms, and then right at Kings Rd back into Latrobe State Forest and onwards to the Latrobe River bridge were I was earlier.
I Turned right onto Wild Bull Rd and straight into a steepish climb with lots of erosion humps that seemed to go forever, about 3 to 5 kms. Too busy to stop. At the top came across this all locked up with no one around.
Soon settled in to a easy wander through the trees,
and then noticed these.
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, Optical Fibre cable through here!
Wild Bull Rd terminates back at Ferguson Rd, I went left and headed to Baw Baw Rd. Turned left again and headed to Noojee. And here I made my first stuff up of the day, I entered the western end of Vespers rd to see what state it was in. It's less overgrown than when I was last in there. Was progressing well at 20 to 30kph until I came across the saddle bag killer.
I failed to swing far enough left and spiked the right hand saddle bag on the branch just as I launched the front over the main trunk. The spear brought me to a sudden stop unbalanced to the right, and took a wee nap in the debris. Shite happens. Eventually dragged it all out backwards and continued home.
230 kms over 7 hours of travel time, was a top day out.
First stop for the day was Camp Hill Lookout at the northern end of Lardners Track.
Entered the Latrobe State Forest via Latrobe River Rd, a well graveled road.
Latrobe River bridge.
Hawthorn Creek Rd to the left, Wild Bull Rd center, Kings Rd to the Right.
Went left first along Hawthorn Creek Rd, reasonable to good road mostly hard packed clay. Easy ride with lots of spoon drains across the road so best to throttle back and take it easy.
Hawthorn Creek Rd ends at Ferguson Rd and Duggan road. Looking South Hawthorn Creek Rd to the right, Fergusons to the left.
Looking North Ferguson to the left, I went right along Duggan Rd which ends at the Willow grove Rd just south of the Fumina turn off.
Duggan Rd started out with a rock layer which is easy enough if you don't be a hero.
Soon became clay / dirt with a lot of leaf litter, easy if you take your time.
Onwards to Fumina.
Nice little valley with views.
Ballentynes rd to the left, Simpsons Rd to the right.
Simpsons Rd starts out with rock base past the logging coup.
Then turns to Clay with the usual litter on a low traffic forest rd.
Lots or tree ferns to see.
Road starts to descend to the Tanjil River West Branch,
where there is a picnic area and a shallow ford. I have already crossed.
The lower part (1km?) of the drop down to the ford looks like it could become a series of bog holes. The drains across the road have been chewed up and could hold water in them. Light bikes will probably be ok, but anyone on a pig might be there for a while.
Relatively easy ride till Rowleys Rd.
Towards the end of Simpsons Rd, you come to a logging coup T intersection with no signs. Simpsons Rd continues left, passes through the Simpson Rd Quarry with these signs as you exit the north of the quarry.
I turned right at Rowleys Rd, and then right at Costins Rd (both well graveled easy fast roads) which took me back to Willow Grove Rd.
Turned left at Willow grove Rd for about 3 kms, and then right at Kings Rd back into Latrobe State Forest and onwards to the Latrobe River bridge were I was earlier.
I Turned right onto Wild Bull Rd and straight into a steepish climb with lots of erosion humps that seemed to go forever, about 3 to 5 kms. Too busy to stop. At the top came across this all locked up with no one around.
Soon settled in to a easy wander through the trees,
and then noticed these.
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, Optical Fibre cable through here!
Wild Bull Rd terminates back at Ferguson Rd, I went left and headed to Baw Baw Rd. Turned left again and headed to Noojee. And here I made my first stuff up of the day, I entered the western end of Vespers rd to see what state it was in. It's less overgrown than when I was last in there. Was progressing well at 20 to 30kph until I came across the saddle bag killer.
I failed to swing far enough left and spiked the right hand saddle bag on the branch just as I launched the front over the main trunk. The spear brought me to a sudden stop unbalanced to the right, and took a wee nap in the debris. Shite happens. Eventually dragged it all out backwards and continued home.
230 kms over 7 hours of travel time, was a top day out.
Last edited: