Half a dozen of us enjoyed a fantastic few days riding in the “high country” over the Australia Day long weekend.  Andrew,

Jack, Peter and Paul met up at the Epping start point and I rode via Dixons Creek

and Yea and met up with them at the service centre at Glenrowan. I enjoyed a cool ride as far as Seymour (bushfire related road closures prevented me going via Bonnie Doon etc) and then it got hotter once on the Hume Hwy.  We topped up on fluids and headed east on the Snow Road to Myrtleford and on to Yackandandah where we had a minor navigation glitch (quickly overcome) and on to Tallangatta for more fluids (both for us and the bikes) as the heat continued rising. 

We checked out Old Tallangatta and rode on. 

The Murray Valley Highway was closed (we were aware in advance) and we were forced to enjoy riding over the Granya Gap and along the Murray River Road

instead to Mount Lawson State Park where bushfire was solemnly evident. 

We rode on

through

Walwa and arrived at Corryong, checked into the hotel, made welcome and met up with Alf who had ridden a very different route up from Gippsland.

After showers and cooling off we enjoyed dinner some camaraderie over dinner at the pub and several of us took a walk after dinner.  The view west

towards the fire ground of the “Mount Lawson Fire” was both sobering and spectacular with the smoke combining with the setting sun.  The local forecast indicated 42 degrees for three days before rising to 45 degrees Celsius.   Lots of firefighting crews were also very apparent around town.    Several people had cancelled their attendance because of the weather forecasted and bike issues etc.  We had contacted police, local authorities and the pub we had booked at weeks in advance and the upshot is that our visit was most welcome and not senas intrusive.

On Sunday we rode off at 7.30 am, crossed into NSW and I was impressed by the views - a weird combination of grasslands and smoke

in the hills.  We enjoyed some great riding

to Tumbarumba where we stopped for breakfast and encountered quite a lot of other riders

out enjoying the bakery, roads and countryside.  We then backtracked briefly and rode into the true high country as we climbed the Elliot Way

up to Cabramurra (elevation almost 1500 metres) and on through Kiandra towards Adaminaby.  This area could be described as the “roof of Australia” and I love the open views and roads up there.

  Temperature significantly lower than down in the river valleys made it nice too.    Unfortunately, Paul had the most innocuous of “offs” along here.  No serious damage to him, but the forks of his bike were bent.  He managed to “limp” it to the service / tow centre in Adaminaby.  Arrangements were made for a tow and I acquired a pillion

for the rest of the weekend.

We lunched at the café and chatted before riding back down Snow Ridge Road

past Tumut Pond Reservoir

and Tooma Dam to our pub at Corryong.   Another convivial night followed. 

On Australia Day we again set off quite early to beat the heat, repeated the Murray River Road and stopped in Tallangatta where the Rotary Club and community were putting on an Australia Day ceremony

and providing breakfast. We enjoyed that simply sitting in the shade on the grass and made donations to the local community fire fighting efforts.   Then it was on via more back roads to Glenrowan where we joined the Hume Fwy in the heat.   Traffic was quite heavy due to the long weekend and diversions away from Mansfield due to bushfires.   Despite that, traffic flowed at a very good clip and we made gods time.  We stopped near Lake Mokoan

for fluids and cooling down our clothing.  

I always wear full protection (Paul proved that wise) and a cotton shirt under my mesh jacket.  Damping down my neck cover and shirt really is effective in providing cooling in really hot riding conditions.  We rode on to Longwood before hitting older backroads and stopped at a very busy Seymour for lunch.  We then split up and headed hie our separate ways.   Paul and I really die enjoy a good traffic aggravation free ride home via Strath Creek and Flowerdale. 

I had a great weekend.    Andrew - Thanks for organising and thanks to all who came along.    

Cheers John Cook