My favourite ride on the calender and it only comes around once a year. Work is a distant memory Friday morning when I awake and get ready in record time to hit the road with my Sweety Karl. Travelling with my favourite fella to my favourite place….what more could a girl ask for 🙂
We pick Lui & Shannon (know as Dude) up at Pheasants Nest and got going. The slab to Goulburn is pretty uneventful, before hitting the back road to Bungendore for morning tea (and fuel for Dude as he only has a 200 kay range….give or take a twist of the wrist..lol). Next is Cooma – hello & goodbye before turning off too the my favourite 50 kays of road to Adaminaby. Let’s just say here, it was very spirited riding and if my tyres weren’t scrubbed in…..well they were then…he he he 🙂 Huge smile from Dude when we got to Ada as he hasn’t done any of these roads.
Sweety, makes sure the Sweety (that’s me) is feeling ok and off to Kiandra for a regroup before heading through Cabramurra Way….yeah baby. A few kays into the splintered shadows and it’s “hello old friend…..it’s been way too long”.
Everything is right today, the weather was awesome, the roads good and clear, the company great and the Kimmie was feeling hmmmm “Spirited”!!
The top of the mountain not far from the Tumut Power Station…pretty speccy.
Just out of the power station
You have to take the shots when you can.
same spot looking down the road
The boys were gone but I was happy to ride on my own. Arrive Tumut Pond Dam for another regroup and our “paprazzi”…that would be Lui for those that do not know was snapping away. Can’t waste the stop.
Tumut Pond Dam
Ducks in a row……
regroup Tumut Pond
While waiting our friend Don (who is also attending this year arrives). Chat, chat, chat and off we go, but wait have to get the selfie….lol.
See I was there
Now somewhere during the day, I saw this mist? I dunno where it came from but it seemed to become more vibrant as they day went on. It started as a slight pink but became this brilliant red colour…..go figure, what’s that all about..ROFL 🙂 Anyway, Karl accused me of being a hoon…me! really! I did really love that ride down the mountain to the Khancoban T-intersection though.
Corryong for supplies before heading to Tintaldra but not before stopping for paparazzi Lui to have his photo op.
Snowy Mountain Lookout
The view
breathtaking
Remembering “the Man from Snowy River”
How can you not love this high country.
Refreshed and feeling fabulous, so Karl and I go for our annual walk up to the border bridge. Peace and tranquility oozes from Tintaldra in the early evening. New owns of the Tintaldra Hotel have done an amazing job renovating the old girl. I almost didn’t recognize it on the inside.
Inside the Tintaldra Hotel
Don & Fudge chillin’ out for cuddles time while we’re all chin wagging.
Don & Fudge
After an awesome dinner and swapping stories and couple of fibs I’m sure, we noticed that the day or our company…lol was just too much for our Paparazzi Lui. One minute he was wide awake listening and making a comment…..then next zzzzzzzzzzz
Paparazzi Lui…lol
Good Mooorning Saturday – how beautiful is the sunrise from the front of our cabin.
Saturday Morning
Looks like age as opposed to alcohol is getting the best of most of us these days…..come on sleepy heads it’s ride day!!
wakey wakey everyone..
A reasonable day planned today thanks to Bubba and Karl. Those doing the loop are lined ready to go.
ready to go
It’s a beautiful morning, the air is crisp, the skies are clear and Kimmie is set to ride….yeah baby!
scenic
I love the road to Granya (the town) and as many times that I have been here, today I decided was the day to get this photo (one that I have been meaning to get now for 5 years).
Granya
Onto Granya Gap – I love this road (confession time – it’s much more fun on Daisy …shhhh don’t tell Angel though, OK – deal!). There is so much water around in the river running along the road all the way and the cows are grazing on beautiful green grass. The end of Granya at the intersection waiting for everyone to arrive.
Granya Gap Rd Junction
Some corner marking to get through to the Cow Road (it’s easy to take a wrong turn) before heading on down to Mount Beauty for fuel and brief stop. I’ve had a pretty good morning riding so far, here’s hoping it continues. Onto Falls Creek and there are heaps of bicycle riders all over the road, and I’m not having a good time and am very slow. Thankfully Karl and Lui are waiting patiently for me in town. Out through the top end and the road surface to me is horrible (still no better than the last time I did it). It’s hard to read, not very wide and again the riders are everywhere and my confidence is shot. Can’t pass a good time for a pic.
Falls Creek
My poor Karl has the patience of a Saint and stayed with me the entire way to the bottom of the hill, where everyone else had been waiting for us. I decided I didn’t want to do anymore and was going back to Tintaldra. however, there was a massive flaw in my plan……..I had to either go back over that crappy road or continue up Mitta Mitta Rd. Huff!!! I asked Bubba to tell Karl to have some fun with the boys as I was going to just go on my own and I’ll see you back at camp.
I hate his road. Sure it has heaps of twists and turns and gravel! They shudda just had a sign at the bottom saying “Gravel Road”. I had the front slipping a couple of times which just put even a bigger dint in my confidence. It’s hard work this road even dawdling along. I needed a little break so decided to stop here (one of only a few places to pull off the road (there are no verges on this road, unless you call off the cliff a verge – no thanks).
Mitta Mitta Rd
Looking back from where I’d come. The sun was blaring down and it was getting quite hot.
Looking back on Mitta Mitta Rd
Sigh, finally on the outskirts of Mitta Mitta. I’m exhausted and was going to continue on but I saw Karl standing at the General Store and decided to stop….I needed a cuddle. While everyone had lunch in the pub, Karl and I had a lovely lunch at the General Store and mind you, they make fabulous coffee too – don’t let the look of the store put you off. The sausage rolls and pies and made on the premises and are yummy.
entering Mitta Mitta
Confidence shot, I say to Karl “let’s just head back”. I like the road back through Eskdale up to the Murray Valley Way and just meander our way through before coming into Corryong where we stop for an ice-cream. It really is a lovely afternoon and we doddle on back into Tintaldra, where I get this photo that I have also been wanting to get more many years.
Back into Tintaldra
Trying to get the group photo this year was impossible, so you’ll just have to settle for this somewhat mediocre pic.
as close as we got for the group pic
Rick had done a clean up of the caravan park and gathered an enormous amount of debris for our fire…..which roared for hours (and i think helped keep the mozzies away). Another fabulous night and great food before we head off to bed.
Saturday night camp fire
Sunday morning is always a bitter sweet time. You’re excited to go back and do some more fabulous roads but you are leaving your friends that make the pilgrimage every year to this wonderful treasure of a place.
Tintaldra is the meeting place of friends – old and new, ages – young and old and everlasting memories!!!
Hope you enjoyed this years trip.
