Miss Ally's first grand moto tour

[Sir Francis]

Into Jindy for supplies and onto Thredbo for New Years Eve.

The view from our private room at the YHA.

Such a pleasant way to see out the year.

I must confess, New Years in Thredbo was a disappointment. The tourist folk made a big song n dance about the NYE celebrations including live band in the town square. When I went to book accom in November, few rooms remained available.

I was hoping for a daggy but busy enough to be energetic night.

Miss Ally and I headed out to the bars around 10pm they were almost empty. By 11, we'd given up and retreated home. The band really should have just stuck to playing CDs.

Oh well, there's always next year...


331km riding today / total so far 1,555km

 

[Sir Francis]

Day 7: Thredbo - Myrtleford.


A frustration of the YHA is that there is no on-site parking. You pull up. Drop your bags and then go in search down the hill of general parking.

The closest park I could find was over 1km away.

Heading down to the village square, I hit on the bright idea of taking my keys and going straight from breakfast to the bike. Thus saving a 400m climb back up to the YHA. Brilliant. Breakfast done I set off and got within 300m of the bike before it occurred to me I had left my helmet back in the room...


Leaving Thredbo.

No stops down the Alpine Way.

Almost off the hill.

It was already oppressively hot by the time we crossed the border.

We followed the river towards Granya.

Roadside drink stop.

We had a clear run of the Granya Gap

Unfortunately, at anything faster than geriatric speed Chester the Stubborn turned himself in knots and scraped and grunched


Plan was to take Omeo Hwy to Falls Creek.

By Mitta Mitta that it was too damn hot. We stopped for lunch down by the river, chatted to a strom rider who had his dog in a cat box strapped to pillion seat and listed to the live music belting out at the pub.

We chose a shorter route to Myrtleford with a little back tracking to Lockharts Gap and Happy Valley.

We were soon welcomed to Chateu de Rog. Where our host Famous Rog the self proclaimed happiest man in Myrtleford treated us to a dinner party.


426km riding today / total so far 1,981km

 

[Sir Francis]

Day 8: The run for home.


What to do on the final day when the objective is to make it home?

Turn in the opposite direction from Melbourne and climb a mountain of course...

Nope. No valid reason. I can't explain....

One of the dinner party guests last night told of the time he jumped off here and failed to launch...:wow:

Some restoration works underway but the grand old building is looking rather sick...

 

[Sir Francis]

Heading out towards the horn.

The dirt section was incredibly rocky, rutted and rough going.

But we got there eventually.

I think someone had had enough of riding over rough rocks n slips n slides...

 

[Sir Francis]

A final dirt short cut to lunch.

Mansfield. Yarck. Alexandra.

A good run through the Black Spur. Then we endured the morans travelling at 5-40km/h below the speed limit until we hit Lilydale.


444km riding today / trip total 2,425km

 

[John_Johnny]

Lovin' it Frank. Did you climb to the very top of the horn? It bloody near killed me getting up the but the kids ran up like billy goats! We we so high there were 2 kestrals circling BELOW us!
The Horn, Mount Buffalo: http://youtu.be/yRMjKiPtIc8

The old Buffalo chalet is in terrible shape isn't it. Such a shame. It used to be owned and operated by the railways. Always the cheaper option for those who couldn't afford Buller. (Me! )
I read in the local paper recently that it has new owners yet again but Govt funding is not yet forthcoming as yet. (As far as I know?) The people who vote are mainly in Melbourne.

 

[Sir Francis]

Lovin' it Frank. Did you climb to the very top of the horn? It bloody near killed me getting up the but the kids ran up like billy goats! We we so high there were 2 kestrals circling BELOW us!
The Horn, Mount Buffalo: http://youtu.be/yRMjKiPtIc8

The old Buffalo chalet is in terrible shape isn't it. Such a shame. It used to be owned and operated by the railways. Always the cheaper option for those who couldn't afford Buller. (Me! )
I read in the local paper recently that it has new owners yet again but Govt funding is not yet forthcoming as yet. (As far as I know?) The people who vote are mainly in Melbourne.

We didn't climb the horn this time.

Many years ago I figured it'd be a great place to watch the sunset from so up I went....probably should have thought a little more about getting down and taken a torch....'twas a lot darker coming down than going up....

 

[Miss Ally]

Day 5: Upper Murray Resort.

We stopped for a swim.

There were MANY 'firsts' for me on this trip and one of them was swimming in a river... It was so much better than I imagined... no muddy river bed but lovely clean stones - the water was warm and clear... It was an absolute highlight for me and I began imagining myself living next to a river... hmmm

I could've stayed all day but we had to get the canoes back... not that Timbo cared... I thought he was going to stay all day... in fact - did he fall asleep lying there in the river??? :???:

 

[Miss Ally]

Day 5: Upper Murray Resort.

Lunch again on the decking. Then I think Miss Ally lazed the afternoon away....I'm not quite sure, I was too busy snoring....

Indeed there was plenty of snoring - about 4 hours worth...

... but that's OK I was taking it easy for the week - everything organised and planned to absolute precision and what's more totally chauffeur driven around the snowy's - I reckon a well deserved heap of snoring :cdle

I devoured a Viking Romance novel on the deck... why not?

 

[Miss Ally]

Lovin' it Frank. Did you climb to the very top of the horn? It bloody near killed me getting up the but the kids ran up like billy goats! We we so high there were 2 kestrals circling BELOW us!
The Horn, Mount Buffalo: http://youtu.be/yRMjKiPtIc8

Super cute You Tube