Thanks to all whose Photos I've pinched
After a false start earlier in the year due to some of the heaviest rain, flooding, landslides and washouts I've seen in the area in years, we had come to the conclusion that it would be safer to postpone and move the date to October.
So the date rolls around and on the Thursday Night before the day and it's snowing out my front door, not only that it snowing in South OZ !!!!
, yet again I seem to have picked the worst weather for decades for a gathering.Friday dawned cold and cloudy with some scattered showers, (how bloody depressing) Brentong and Azza where already on the way from Adelaide and Bendigo. I had only 90kms to get to Berridale and left at around 2pm arriving at about 3:30pm and parked up at the Pub to wait for everyone, Brentong rolled up first followed by Azza and Mrs Azza .
After booking in to the Motel we waited for the rest to arrive, Graeme, Merlot, and Postman Pat, Matridigan arrived later in the evening, after with had an excellent meal at the Berridale Pub, which was a good thing, it being the only place in town to eat.
After some discussion on the route for Saturday, it was decided to head to the coast and let the weather in the mountains clear up a bit
Saturday morning was clear but cold about +3C, I led the troops into Cooma for Breaky at Macca's
After many comments on the Truck like torque of the MT01 we discovered Graeme's little secret
Off to the coast on the Snowy Mountains Hwy, about 40kms to Nimmitabel open country with some nice fast sweeping curves through "The Monaro", (a naturally treeless plain in the rain shadow of the Australian Alps) regrouping at Nimmitabel it's press on to Brown Mt and Bemboka,
A steep descent with many hairpins and tight corners (and stupid 4WD's) which after 8kms opens out into the Bega Valley (home of the famous Cheese) regrouping at the Bemboka Pie Shop for Coffee and a Pie.
Then down the Valley to Bega along a lovely undulating road through the Dairy country, after Bega along the Prince's Hwy to Eden. We pulled in to the Wharf at Eden for Lunch
after some nice fresh fish and chips we took off for the Mt Imlay road, a beautiful piece of road built for logging trucks, approx 70km of well designed, almost parabolic, corners sweeping up from the coast over the escarpment through old growth forest to the Monaro plain at Bombala
there where some showers in the area as we left Bombala so I pressed on to the next turn at Ando and noticed that I had lost them all, knowing I'm not "that" good a rider, I went back to find them repairing Merlot's flat tyre
after repairing Merlot's rear tyre, we run up the Snowy river Way towards Dalgety
Through some light rain we can see some heavy stuff toward Jindabyne, so I decided to take the Maffra Rd back to Cooma and Berridale to avoid it, getting back to the Motel we wandered up to the Pub for another great feed, i rode to the Pub, but the others walk (about 750mtrs) and they all got drenched on the walk home.
After Dinner we watched, as tradition dictates, "On any Sunday", to the back drop of the rain bucketing down.
Sunday dawned with clear blue sky, no wind and (relatively) warm temperatures, perfect for the Alpine way loop.
Mrs Azza decided to have a rest day today and Postman Pat had to leave to return to work on Monday, we went out the driveway of the Motel and Left on to Middlingbank rd towards Adaminaby, a good twisting road through High country grazing land, Snow still banked up on the edges of the road, temps dropped to just above zero, 30ks of this till the road opens up to more of the Monaro and another 40ks to Adaminaby where we stopped for Breakfast and Coffee.
The Big Trout at Adaminaby
From Adaminaby the Hwy runs up into the hills with some nice tight bit around Sawyer's Hill and in to Kiandra, where Pat left us to go home via Tumut.
from here we went past 3 mile Dam swooping along the ridges and gullies on to Cabramurra, regrouping for Coffee and some photos.
From Cabra to Khancoban down the link road regrouping at the dams
Tooma Dam
after a quick bite at the Khancoban Servo we're off to Tom Groggin, thundering through (at legal speeds of course) the best bit of the Alpine way up past Murray 1 to Scammell's Lookout
closer to Tom Groggin
throwing rocks at Victoria
from here we push on up the tight stuff to Dead Horse Gap and through Thredbo Valley in to Jindabyne for more Coffee,
seeing the time we ran hard back to Berridale just in time to watch the star of the GP
Perfect end to a perfect ride.
And then supprise, Mrs Azza had baked a Cake
But, it had to end and we all left to go home on Monday morning, Thanks to Brentong, Azza, Mrs Azza, Graeme, Merlot, Postman Pat & Matridigan for the great company, I'm glad you all enjoyed the ride.
Stay tuned for the Thunder Down Under Tour 2013.
Edited by Trotski, 27 October 2012 - 03:06 am.
