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As someone who doesn’t really get into New Years celebrations that much, the idea of riding the next day always appeals and I have made it a bit of a yearly activity, so needless to say there was a report to make as well.
So, New Years just gone was no exception and so I found myself heading up Macquarie Pass but rather than the usual path to Fitzroy Falls I decided to head through Burrawang and see if any others were there waiting. Not to surprised to find the carpark empty (figured that everyone would be nursing a sore head) I headed into the bush with the intention being to take a look at some of the side tracks and places I hadnt been for a while.
The first side track I had done before and there are still some off shoots that urge to be explored but I just went to the dead end and returned, making sure that I avoided some small obstacles along the way
Returning to the main track it was onwards along the usual route but with the intention being to have a look at GunRock Falls track again. Last time I was here it was wet, muddy and so slippery you couldnt stand up but I knew there was a creek that begged crossing so I headed to it for a look see at the falls.
Instead of finding the usual nothing I came across some camp gear, the remnants of a fire and a tent literally being blown away with the wind, So it was off on a quick short trek (as it turned out) to find the owners and warn them that they were about to lose the tent if they didnt return and secure it.
Finding the owners was easy, they were sitting about 70 metres downstream but this is where my ride took a decided turn as it turned out that their car was stuck and broken down further along GunRock Creek FT (hadnt got there yet), so needless to say they were happy to see anyone. After checking that they were ok and leaving them some water (they had little) it was off and back to GunRock Creek FT where I found the car well stuck (standard sedan on that road 😮 ) it was off to look for anyone with a 4WD. None found so I just headed out and called the police for help, stressing that there were no injuries and then headed back to help as best I could.
Well the girls (yes it was two girls) were trekking back to their car so I left the bike at the intersection of the track with Meryla Road as I had told the police (to help them spot the area). It was now my turn to walk the few hundred metres back to their car and whilst waiting for the girls to turn up I decided to look along the track and found something.
The story with the above pic is that a few weeks back we were riding through the same trails and a mate lost his number plate/rego sticker although we did not realise until much later. Well, as can be seen I found the sticker
Sadly though, there was no number plate.
After a while two 4WD came along the track having been alerted by the bike parked beside the road. Suffice to say that whilst one of the 4WD was helpful and very willing to get the snatch-strap and get the car out, the second was driven by a guy best described as a pure unadulterated d*ckhead. This guy rather than help just started hassling the girls about driving there and then decided to ell me that I would be booked by the police for riding in that area, to which my reply was that they are public roads, not that he believed me.
Anyway the helpful guy got the strap attached and pulled the car free but he had a near dead battery and could not provide a jumpstart for the car, the other guy just refused point blank and gave the girls the finger. So, if anyone sees a ………………………………. no, better not.
Car free it was rolled to the bottom of the hill where I then headed out to cancel the emergency call before returning to get a jump start as best possible (was an automatic so needed the battery start). On returning from canceling the call I found the police in attendance and they promptly jump started the car for the appreciative girls and then the police and I discussed how damn good the track are in the area. One of the officers being so kind as to say that he rides there all the ‘damn time’ as it is the best place around, just got to be careful of the unregistered. He also backed up my thoughts to the ‘wayne kerr’ of earlier when he said that the roads are public roads and not closed forestry trails.
Ok, girls restarted meant the ride could restart so I headed to Wombat Hill, but didn’t get there instead taking a side trail that I had thought in the past was a driveway. It isn’t.
This trail is quite fun and does skirt some private property before it crosses another track (the one I usually use) and heads off into some area where the damage caused by 4WD is evident.
This track eventually joins the main track and from there it was out to Redhills Road where I decided to turn left and check out the top end of GunRock Creek FT.
This is a fun little track with a few mudholes and fallen trees (some appeared deliberately cut across the track) before you arrive at a little hill that I had found ages ago on the Weestrom and will one day attempt on the DR (need knobbies).
After taking a few pics and sussing out the alternative routes up the hill it was time for a quick drink and then back out to Redhills Road, once again ducking under fallen trees.
Whilst I do not get to this end of the track often I cannot recall seeing others in the area and today I noticed a track almost opposite and it had Forestry Signs so was all good to ride. This was a damn good piece of trail and was close enough to single track as it meandered through the trees and over a few hills.
The surface varied from loose rock to sand to soil and all was testing and immense fun. Eventually I came to a fork in the track and chose the right fork with the aim being to return and do the other. Again this was fun as shortly I had to stop and let two wallabies jump out of the way and then decided for a few pics of the track.
And a few bush ornaments which I suspect have been there years (looked like an old moonshine type of carrier car).
This piece of track was fun, fun and more fun. Nothing to testing but challenging all the same and I have to say that the DR was great to throw around, twist the throttle, turn, and throw some more. At times there were no obvious signs of use on this track and it really gave the feeling of isolation but what fun. After following the track for what seemed like 10 – 15 minutes I re-emerged onto Redhills Road and made a mental note of the entry point before turning left and heading to Fitzroy Falls along the usual route.
Now, this is where something interesting occurred.
Remember Mr Wayne Kerr from earlier, he of the these are forestry roads and you cant use them?
Well guess who I came across in the middle of Redhills Road track?
Yep you guessed it and once again he was as arrogant as earlier as he simply drove the entire track caring little (well not at all actually) for anyone else on it (ie. me). Mind you, I do think he had the mega sh*ts that I had come upon him and once passed I just continued out and on home.
All up, an eventful day to a degree thanks to the damsels in distress but in honesty it was an awesome day to be in the forests and so good to do some tracks not done for ages and others never done. Gees, may even head back in the next few days.
Garry
Karma for a great report – again!
AnonymousMoto wrote:
Quote:The DR looks like she’s getting out and seeing some trails!Sure was through my holidays.
Have to relax somehow.
Quote:What camera do you have, is it an SLR? Or just a normal digital camera with a decent lense?The camera is a Fuji Finepix S5600 and it does have heaps of settings etc which help me get some good pictures. Best camera I have owned by a mile.
Garry
AnonymousSeems to do a lot better job than my digital camera. Must be the operator
:laugh:
AnonymousIt’s more getting decent exposure that I find an issue. My camera has so many different modes and it takes reasonable pictures when a specific mode is selected. Problem is it’s all too hard to do on the trail. I just want to leave it in auto and it to a good job, it let’s me down
AnonymousI can adjust shutter speed and few other things on my camera, I think we both agree that we can’t be arsed to do it on the run though. A good camera for me is one with a good auto setting. Point and click
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