Thankfully when I rose the following morning the skies had cleared and it looked like I would get a great days riding in. I had a fair amount of dirt track planned so was a bit worried how wet/slippery it might be.
Wandering down for the "all-included-in-the-room-cost-breakfast" I chatted to the publican and two of his mates who were on kitchen duties. They reckoned that we had only had about 4mm (16 points in the old scale) of rain and the route through Barry and Glenrock stations would be fine. More importantly, the 20 creek crossings on this route would still be at a low level.
I was sceptical but decided I could take a look and if the first crossing was up, I could just turn around and backtrack. The last thing I wanted to do was drown my bike out there on my own.
Loading up I eventually got going at about 9am. The publican and his mates were a chatty bunch and I really had to tear myself away. I could probably still be there talking to them! Yes, I highly recommend the Peel Inn Hotel.
The climb out of town is on smooth, twisty tarmac and a fun way to warm up...but that soon ends at the intersection with Forest Way. Then it is dirt to the east or south. It was going to be south for me today where I would tackle the famous 20 creek crossings track through Barry and Glenrock stations.
I was apprehensive about the creeks, especially the two most southerly ones. Those last two crossings were the only two to be improved by being fully concrete constructions - which one would think is a huge improvement over the other 18 natural rock crossings.
Not so!
I have seen numerous videos on YouTube of riders binning it while riding these crossings. Due to the slime build up with the crossings constantly being wet, they are as slippery as ice. Riders go down so fast while just crawling across that it looks almost impossible to get across unscathed. This was playing on my mind big time, seeing that I was alone on a heavily loaded bike. I rationalised that I would just deal with it when I got to the problem area and so, pressed on....
The road was actually quite dry this morning. I mean, I could see that it was moist but it wasn't wet or muddy. Moisture laden dirt is grippy which equals Awesome! The road out of Nundle very pleasantly winds through farmland and isn't very high speed at all. Still, someone managed to clean this poor bugger up last night. It must have been like hitting a buffalo! They are SOLID critters.
Unfortunately Wombats don't seem to be very road-wise.
Pressing on I really enjoyed the ride along here. There was a bit of everything. Open countryside and tree covered twisty stuff. I had a couple of slides on the western side of tree covered hillsides as I hit some wet clay patches. That got my attention and while I wasn't riding quickly at all, it further reduced my pace.
Looking forward.....
Looking back......to where I had some slips under the trees, dropping off that hill.
I was soon at the entrance to Barry station and was yet to encounter a creek crossing. It was actually going to be quite a way back if I got there and decided to turn back.
The road along here was very pretty as I followed the creek along, sometime climbing away from it then descending back down to it's level. I was soon at the Glenrock Station gate and if you didn't know it was a public access road, one might turn around and go back. I think the intent of the sign is to suggest that you don't venture off the road. Fair enough too I reckon.
A few hundred metres past the gate the road winds it way down another hill into the valley. The view down the valley from here was breathtaking. The rain yesterday had scrubbed the sky clean and it was so crisp and clear.
It felt so isolated as well. There hadn't been another vehicle along here since yesterday and looking at the bark litter on the trail, it didn't look like it got much traffic at the best of times. Yep, I was on my own out here!
Once I dropped off the hill I finally came to the first creek crossing. It was a loooong way from Nundle so I was hoping I wouldn't have to backtrack out of here. This first one was pleasingly very shallow and gave me confidence to continue. Sorry for the hazy GoPro image. My lens has a small crack and it had let moisture in yesterday and the sun was playing on that weakness this morning.
And then the crossings came thick and fast! The track would climb out of one crossing, rise over the bank, maybe twist around a bend and then very quickly drop into another......
....then another.
Thankfully none were very deep. Most were less than six inches (15cm) but a couple were closer to 12 inches(30cm). All of them were easily ridden across. I think the number of 4WDs that the track sees keep the rocks pretty well compacted in the crossings making for predictable riding. It might not be the same after a large downpour where the creek gets a decent flush. That would certainly roll the rocks around and might be a bit more exciting.
I bumped into three guys on dirt bikes about mid way along and had a quick chat. They said they could hear me coming for ages. They also warned me that the last (the paved one) crossing was very slippery. And to post a photo on the Shithouse ADV Riders page on Facebook when I dropped the bike.
Great!!
Here is a super short video of what the last couple of rocky crossings looked like.
And a still of the second crossing from the above video. Totally doable by this creek crossing numpty!
The road opened out again and I made some decent progress. Unless, I was stopping to take photos of shearing sheds or shearer's quarters in the middle of nowhere that is.
Passing Glenrock Station homestead I encountered the first concrete creek crossing. It only had a small amount of water flowing over it and the total width was only about two metres (6ft) so I managed to cross without issue....but I did feel the tyres lose some traction. How would that last crossing go?!
Before getting there however, I passed though Ellerston. Now, I'm not sure if this was originally just a property or if it was a locality or even a very small town. Ellerston's claim to fame is that Australian media tycoon Kerry Packer made it his country getaway in the '80s or '90s. He was a mad keen polo player so turned the area into a huge equestrian complex. It is even said that he had the polo fields heated so that they didn't brown off during the winter frosts.
Anyway, I have looked down on Ellerston on many a flight between Brisbane and Sydney and wondered what it looked like from the ground. Well, today I got to see it and it is a vast expanse of buildings, polo fields, equestrian fields etc etc. I stopped at the main entrance to get a photo and the security guard was straight out of his office to see what I was doing. I said g'day and told him the story above and once he could see I wasn't up to any mischief we had a good chat. I asked if it was ok to get a photo. He said "be quick", so I was.
I thanked him and he wished me a safe ride. He looked like he might actually be a rider himself.
Riding out of Ellerston there was a very shiny looking helicopter taking off from the side of the road. Yes, there is some money here still even though Kerry is long gone!(he was actually buried here when he passed on)
I stopped at the top of the first hill out of town to get a photo back over Ellerston. What a picturesque valley! If only I had the billions that Kerry had. It could all be mine!
Just south of Ellerston I came to the Tomalla road on the left. This is where Shane and I turned back east during the inaugural Thunderbolts Adventure mountain bike ride.
Anyway, stopping for a photo I suddenly had the idea that I would like to see what that second half of the ride was like again. On that day back in 2017 we had covered about 110 kilometres already and Shane was about to have a nasty crash, so everything was kind of blurred in my mind. Today could be the day to refresh my memory....
Yeah, great idea, so I turned east. In doing so I think I missed that last greasy creek crossing which must be closer to Moonan Flat which meant no sketchy moment and my yet-to-be-dropped Desert X survived to be dropped another day!
Tomalla road sure had some elevation changes right off the bat! I had forgotten how much climbing we did on our mountain bikes that day! Quite quickly I came to the spot where Shane had his off and broke his elbow while crossing a small causeway. It was such an idyllic little spot today but back then it was a huuuge "oh shit" moment because we were on bicycles, in the middle of nowhere with 98 kilometres (and MUCH climbing) still to ride to get back to Gloucester. To think he powered on and completed that ride shows mind blowing determination and grit
And we did climb some BIG hills. You can actually see the green speck of Ellerston in the far distance.
The blackboys grow in abundance along here too. (I think they are technically called Grasstrees these days.)
They covered both side of the slope along here.
I stopped briefly at the intersection of Pheasants Creek rd and Tomalla road and contemplated going up onto The Tops as I had never done that road. In the end I decided to stick to the route we did during Thunderbolt's. I wanted to see what the bit looked like after it got dark on us that day.
Interestingly, there is a wildlife sanctuary along here that is dedicated to breeding Tasmanian Devils. A few decades back a facial disease was afflicting and killing Tassie Devils in Tasmania and there were grave fears that the little terrors might actually go extinct. So, they set up an "Arc" here on the north side of Barrington Tops. I guess it does look a bit like Tassie around here with the elevation changing the climate somewhat, so is conducive to Tassie Devils feeling right at home..
I didn't stop for photos for quite a while now. The road was narrow and windy and there wasn't much to see. I eventually dropped off the hills and wound my way through more open countryside. I can't believe Shane rode all of this with a busted elbow. Even on the motorcycle it seemed to go on and on and on.
I didn't see another soul for hours and there wasn't any evidence of recent traffic either. It was slow going.
Up, then down, then up again.
Did we really pedal all this?!
Yeah, it was dark but I do remember relentless hills.
I remember stopping at this corner, just after dark and trying to talk Shane into getting into a car. I was shattered, he was physically busted but he wasn't going to quit. At the time I didn't see the sign but seeing it today - fcuk me! - it was still 58 kilometres to Gloucester! With a shite load of climbing to come too.
I was wanting it to be over on the moto today. I had been crawling along for hours! I decided not to go all the way into Gloucester, instead stopping at Barrington for fuel and something to eat. The forecast for tomorrow was for heavy rain so I didn't want to go any further east nor to ride up the coast as it was supposed to get the worst of the rain.
While sitting here a flight of four F-18s or F-35s went over, heading north in finger formation at high altitude. Too high to make out the model but definitely military.
So, I decided to follow them and head back north, well north west, up the Thunderbolt Way to Walcha then on as far as I could go toward home. The forecast for rain seemed to be weakest in northern NSW.
This was the first time I had ever ridden up the Thunderbolt Way and it is an interesting road. It is quite unpredictable, with potholed, fast sections broken up with random slooow (like 25km/h) corners here and there that could really catch you out! The climb up the range on new, smooth hotmix is pretty sweet and I had the DX singing along here!
I stopped for fuel in Glenn Innes but that was it. Oh, I did stop briefly in Deepwater as the sun was getting low and I liked the way the light played on the old theatre.
I made Tenterfield just on dark and found it to be very booked up, accomdation wise. No luck at the Bowling Club nor the Tavern. I eventually found a room at the Tenterfield motel. I just had to wait until they put a bed into it, put a new shower rose on the outlet, put a t.v. into it etc etc. They hadn't used the room for a couple of years and I get they were doing me a favour but it was frustratingly slow. I just wanted to get out of my riding gear, have a shower, get a feed and then sleep. I was shagged after a long day of hard concentration in the saddle.
Settled in, I walked down to the Telegraph Hotel for a pretty average (if I'm honest) chicken parmy dinner. Walking back I stopped briefly to read some plaques on the buildings. Tenterfield holds a special place in Australian political history as it was the location of much debate about how to form this rag tag collection of states into a united Commonwealth. The seeds of Federation were sown here.
Yeah, it was a big day today with all of that slow dirt.
Day 4
I woke to the sound of rain on the roof. Bugger. The BOM actually got it right for a change! I wandered down to the United petrol station for a breakfast of champions meat pie and coffee. As I was packed light I only had thongs to wear which are possibly not the best choice in wet, hilly terrain...but I wasn't going to put up with the squeaking of my Tech 7 boots. They are great boots on the bike but deafening when off the bike!
I was in no rush this morning. I only had to retrace day 1's route to get home and I had all day. I would wait for the rain to ease before heading out. At this point I was right under some of the heaviest on the radar. I needed to get to a point just slightly north of the "G" in Logan, near the centre of the crosshair.
Add to that my next door neighbour last night was another motorcyclist, from Cairns, who was on a ride back there from Tassie. He said he had waited 52 years to get this, his first bike and was loving the experience. I nodded knowingly as he told me about the mistakes/discoveries he had made of what not to do when touring by bike and I felt a little sad that it had taken him half a century to experience these occurrances that I had the pleasure of learning about in the early '90s. Better late than never, I guess!
We finally decided to hit the road around 9am. I wished old mate a safe ride and watched as he tried to coax that old BMW into life. It sounded very much in need of mechanical attention. I wonder if he made it back to Cairns before it totally let him down?
No such issue with the might DX! She fired straight up and I splashed my way down to the United servo to put some air into my slowly leaking front Motoz Rallz. I had started with 25 psi in the front which was fine as I planned on doing plenty of dirt roads. Checking the pressure each morning it seemed to be losing about 2psi per day. This morning it was down at 19psi. As I was going to be doing all sealed road today, I put it back to 27 psi so as to generate a bit of heat in the wet. Normally it'd be 30psi.
Of course I had all my rain liners in today. It was going to be wet.......and it was! I took it steady, not knowing how hard to push in the wet on a knobby front tyre. I only had what felt like one front end slip which was strangely on a positively cambered right hand bend. Maybe there was something on the surface there? Either way, I took it easy and enjoyed the challenging conditions. Light rain, heavy rain, low cloud and fog. I had it all.
I had never seen so much water in the creeks around Koreelah either. In fact, I had never even noticed these creeks along here before. It turns out that we had had a massive amount of rain the previous evening on the coast side of the ranges. So much so that people had lost homes and we had lost people!
On the twisty section from Woodenbong to Palen Creek it absolutely HOSED down! The water was running in huge, deep sheets across the road as I negotiated the bumpy mess that is the Mt Lindsay highway as it passes in front of Mt Lindsay. I could feel the water infiltrate my suit but I was thankfully nice and warm. Possibly what peeing your pants feels like?
I decided to stop at Rathdowny for a bite to eat and a rest from the concentration.
The little store is always a great place to stop.
Back on the bike and the last bit to home is always the bit I hate. That first hour away or towards home simply sucks. The down side to living in a city I guess.
I was extra surprised today by how aggressively people were driving in this weather. No wonder we have so many accidents when the roads get wet. People drive like total tools with no regard for anyone else OR even themselves. Are cars too safe today? Hmmmm....
Anyway, another awesome trip away on the Desert X. I am loving this bike and while I didn't get to camp and stare blankly into a campfire for hours on end, I still had a great time exploring some more new-to-me roads. The beauty of these ADV bikes isn't the rugged good looks or trying to ride them like a motocross bike. It is the new country they allow access to due to their versatility. Tapping into people's inquisitive nature, the bike manufacturers have slightly changed the formula of the drug they have always been pedalling...... and it is keeping us hooked.
Cheers and thanks for reading.
