Alpine Adventures - December 07

This bit by Trevor, ride leader extraordinaire...

I have never before faced so much uncertainty with regards to forecasts. For the week leading up to the ride and even on the morning of the departure some said rain with storms yet other sites said sunny and 30 degrees. Thank-god for BMW storage as it allowed me to dress for the worst while carrying the vented suit into the top-box.

Departure was on time and nine brave souls on eight bikes headed off. The weather between Canberra and Jindabyne was slightly chilled but otherwise there were no problems as we got to go for a detour via Middlebank and Rocky Plains before stopping for lunch at a very nice fish-shop. The food was good but the bl.........dy flies came to haunt us for the rest of the weekend. Not even Brian’s freckle was safe from these marauders.

Brian’s freckle .... nuff said
 

The run down the Alpine Way proved enjoyable to all but poor Nick who with his 250mm wide tyre, muttered something about there being no sweepers just a continuous series of hairpins. Not sure what that meant but it appears the Boulevard is like the Yamaha giants (something about limited turning circles)...

The accommodation proved comfortable and the 3 minute walk to the pub bistro saw us all parked for many hours enjoying beers, great food and stories. Oh did I mention I was the only person to have taken shorts, great judgement as it was very warm down there, possibly poor taste but then there were no mirrors. Shortly before dinner we heard the fearless trio of Judy, Terry and Jennie who had braved the toy-run and ridden down in the afternoon.

The following morning we set off for a coffee at Tumbarumba, where the legend of Brian’s freckle was born. Something about Lionel saying he had seen enough having been behind Brian for over 100klms. We then headed onto Tumut for a quick splash and dash and onto Talbingo to meet up with the day ride at the Country Club.

Following some consternation and long delays for food both groups were well fed and reunited for the ride back over the top to Cooma. The ride proved to be without drama although Mr Plod was parked off the road about 5klms before the Mt Selwyn corner. Being very good vegemites we managed to navigate through while not in breach of any laws.

The ride to Cooma and then onto Canberra again proved uneventful and turning into the drive had clocked up 801 km, tired but certainly with a big smile.  Feedback from participants since has been great but the enjoyment came because of the interaction between all who attended, the roads, weather and ability to spend 16 hours of great riding in God’s country. Yes it did include Victoria so I am using poetic licence.

And this bit from Norm (Seamus) McLauchlan

Well, in the tradition of all good chess games, a couple of day trippers went forward first, like pawns, scouting the Monaro Highway, possibly the least interesting stretch of tarmac in the known universe. Suzy and Seamus lurched onto the road at eight am, intending to spend a bit of time at Yarrangobilly caves en route to Talbingo for lunch.

The remaining day trippers, including Garry, Neil, Dave, Andrew and (one other, maybe two? I forget who) left Williamsdale at 9 am, in lukewarm pursuit.

The pawns inhaled a coffee at the East End Café in Cooma, speculating that the next decent coffee could be several hundred km away. Suzy was suffering slightly from sleep deprivation, something to do with a twenty first birthday celebration the night before, so the coffee was in the way of a blood transfusion.

It was a terrific day, there was no significant traffic and the roads were dry and clean, making the section of the Snowy Mountains Highway from Adaminaby to Talbingo an absolute pleasure to ride.

For those who haven’t been there, the thermal pool at Yarrabilly is an interesting spot. The pool is at a constant 27 degrees and is, I am reliably informed, a potent soup of frog spawn and dead insects, almost guaranteed to provide ear infections, terminal gastric problems, and, ultimately, some form of primitive plague. It looked, however, clear and inviting, if a bit slimy around the edges. There were no long term ill effects from the short dip, although there was some sign that webs were starting to grow between the toes, possibly due to the frog spawn.

Talbingo Hill is excellent fun, dropping around 600 metres towards the town. The change in temperature on the descent was quite extraordinary, so was our luck, being close to the 60 km limit as we passed the police car.

The chef at Talbingo was used to having his two regulars in for lunch on a Sunday, so the descent of a Ulysses “Rape and Pillage” crew strained his resource (well, he was there alone) to the extent that the pawns did not start eating until well after the overnighters had left.

The roads were still exquisite for the return trip, highlights of the ride included Mark cleaning up a small rabbit at the apex of a corner.

Also, there may be a new type of bug in the mountains, one that appears to be filled with custard, and which explodes on impact. There may be a case for buying a bike and helmet in a kind of mottled yellow and black colouring, it won’t need cleaning so often.