There Will Be Dirt

Visiting : Erica, South Face Rd, Mt Baw Baw, Tanjil Bren Rd
Distance : ~85km
When : Wednesday 2nd December 2020, 8:00am @ Erica

This was my first ride back in “regional Victoria” after the big 2020 lockdown ended and we all thought COVID was finally over. (LOL!) I wanted to get away from my local roads, grovel up a big climb and generally get lost in the bush, metaphorically speaking. Mt Baw Baw seemed like a great choice as I’d never actually climbed it before, it’s meant to be hard and there’s some great dirt road options if you approach from the South.

Sign me up!

Visiting : Circuit Road, Howitt Spur, Crosscut Saw, Mt Speculation
Distance : 54km
When : Wednesday 5th December, 6:30am @ Speculation Road

For quite a few years now I’ve had the idea of traversing from Mt Howitt to Mt Speculation along the Crosscut Saw in packbike style, with my disassembled bike on my back. I’d never tried it because I didn’t feel ready, not fit enough, didn’t know how to carry my bike, unsure of the terrain etc. etc. etc. Luckily I came to my senses, realised I’d never be “ready” and decided to just go do it. I planned a very conservative loop, gave myself plenty of time to complete it and then set off with every intention of being back home for dinner with the wife and kids.

It won’t surprise you to hear that I did not make it back in time for dinner with the wife and kids.

Continue reading “Crosscut Packbike” →

Visiting : Mt Buller, Circuit Road, Upper Howqua Campground, Howitt Spur
Distance : 63km
When : Sunday 28th October, 9:00am @ Mt Buller

The purpose of this ride was nosin’ around. The Mt Howitt area has fascinated me for years now and my ill-planned walk around Howitt and The Crosscut Saw a while back has only served to increase my interest in that high, windy range. I’ve often stared at the maps and thought about various loops and traverses but have yet to commit, partly because I don’t know what the trails are like in reality – there’s plenty of trip reports online which cover that area but I wanted to see for myself.

So, this was a recce mission to check out Howitt Spur basically. What does it look like on the ground? Would it go?

Continue reading “Buller Howitt Recce” →

Visiting : Blue Range Rd, Lady Talbot Drive, Upper Taggerty Rd, Lake Mountain
Distance : 98km
When : Thursday 28th December 2017, 7:00am @ Taggerty

The name says it all. Dirty Lake Mountain. In the tradition of finding a “back way” up a well-known climb, I thought I’d do a nice big loop up Lake Mountain on nearly all dirt roads. The concept is sound and the ride did not disappoint.

Continue reading “Dirty Lake Mountain” →

Visiting : Murrindindi Scenic Reserve, Ash Creek Road, Yea Rock
Distance : 48km
When : Thursday 21st December 2017, 9:00am @ Murrindindi Scenic Reserve

This was a short, cruisy exploration mission around Black Range State Forest. Primarily, I wanted to check out Yea Rock but there were also a few interesting clearings on Ash Creek Road that I found on satellite view. What could they be? What was actually there on the ground? Only one way to find out.

Continue reading “Yea Rock” →

Visiting : Noojee, Toorongo Falls, Toorongo Road, Newlands Road
Distance : 90km
When : Monday 11th December 2017, 7:00am @ Noojee

I’d read about Newlands Road up near Baw Baw a while ago and it sounded like a top place to visit. When I dug deeper and started reading about a possible hike/bike linkup between Newlands Road and the Australian Alps Walking Track, there was only one thing to do – get out there and see for myself.

Continue reading “Newlands Road” →

Visiting : Sylvia Creek Road, Hardy Creek Road, Mt Monda
Distance : 50km
When : Sunday 15th October 2017, 9:00am @ Toolangi

This was a slow-paced explore around some of the hidden places in Toolangi. Nothing too strenuous, no grand plan, just nosin’ around some places that weren’t marked on the maps but were clearly visible in satellite imagery. The kind of tracks that you might have ridden past before and thought, “Huh, wonder where that goes?” Well, this was the day to go and follow some of those tracks and answer that question.

Continue reading “Toolangi Gun Club” →

Visiting : Mt Torbreck
Distance : 9km
When : Sunday 20th August 2017, 8:00am @ Conns Gap Road

Winter 2017. So much snow. I was keen to get right amongst it but I also wanted to avoid… well… humans. I figured a solo hike up Mt Torbreck would fit the bill.

Another bike ride with no bike? Yes indeed.

Continue reading “Torbreck Snow Hike” →

Visiting : Royston Range
Distance : 41km
When : Sunday 9th July 2017, 7:00am @ Rubicon Power Station

It had been a ridiculously good snow season this year (by Australian standards!) so I decided a snow ride was in order. After much online scouting, planning and weather watching, I decided on a full traverse of the Royston Range from north to south. I figured it would provide a good mix of rideable roads and snowy hike-a-bike given the elevation and the forecast weather conditions on the day.

I was wrong of course.

Continue reading “Royston Range Apocalypse” →

Visiting : Mt Tanglefoot, Mt St Leonard
Distance : 22km
When : Saturday 24th June 2017, 6:00am @ Monda Road

I’ve often wondered what was at the top of Mt Tanglefoot in Toolangi State Forest. When I had a close look at the satellite imagery and saw that there was a mysterious clearing up there, I decided to go check it out. A lot of my planned route was on unnamed tracks that I wasn’t sure even existed any more, so I planned for a prohibitive amount of hike-a-bike and left my bike at home.

This one was all hike, no bike.

Continue reading “Tanglefoot Secret Summit” →