Hello everyone, and thank you all very, very much for your concern and offers of help.
I set off from Moonan Flat pub heading for Glenrock and Barry to Nundle. The first river crossing was just below groin level and I was a third of the way in, so plan A down the drain. Backtracking through Moonan Flat I decided to check out a loop that would cut out some tar in future rides. I missed a turn that was just a grass track through a cow paddock and found a great track that looked like it would loop round to where I wanted to go. It was raining a bit now and I got stuck in a bog hole that sunk the bike. It was panniers off and dragging the bike inch by inch I pulled it out.
This tack was unreal. There were wet slippery rocks and tree roots, slippery downhills, waterfall stream crossings, log crossings and more bog holes. There were slippery uphills with no run up so standing next to the bike, pushing and clutching gave the best result. Four times the panniers came off for bog holes or to drag the bike to a new spot to have a go at a slippery up hill. I was definitely in enduro mode and forgot I was on the DR. There was a snotty down hill that came it a snottier uphill. By this time it was pouring with rain. Apparently 60mm of rain fell in 2 hours. After a few attempts at this hill it was clear it was not going to happen.
The bike was parked and I walked a further K and a half or so to an intersection, got my bearings and worked out the quickest way to accommodation/phone was the way I had come. I walked back to the bike and jumped on again and rode to the snotty hill I had come down and had a few cracks. No good, it was now just slushy mud and water pouring down the hill. So set off walking 14k to the turnoff to a phone.
If I wasn’t stuffed from dragging the bike for the last 6 hours, on the walk back I was knackered. At least there was plenty of water to refill the camelback, best water I’ve tasted in a long time. There was no moon so when the light went, it was pitch black so I used a small torch and a gps for light. The rain had stopped and it was a nice stroll when the track had turned to fire trail. Through out the day I downed a couple of endura gels and magnesium tablet for cramps and some energy and had a mars bar and some lollies, which got me through. There were a half dozen fords that were up to my knees to cross which was a bit scary in the dark. I didn’t feel like taking a bath even though it was Saturday night.
I walked until my torch and gsp batteries failed. With no light there was the possibility of walking off the drop off on the side of the track, I decided to bunk down for the night using my bum bag as a pillow and tried to catch some sleep in between shivering. Everything was wet so didn’t bother trying a fire. A few stars came out a bit later and with the sound of the bubbling brook nearby it was very peaceful.
At first light I set off again and less than a K came a cross the farmhouse that I had passed the day before. Dan and Kerry were great about me waking them up at 5.30 am on a Sunday and made me coffee and toast after I made the all important call to Sheena. Sheena rang mickP who was half an hour away and thankfully in phone range and Dan gave him directions.
When mickP and Scotty arrived I was sitting on the verandah looking at the stunning view, drinking coffee, eating toast and chatting to Dan and Kerry who are keen Moto Guzzi riders.
All of us sat around for an hour drinking tea and talking bikes. I can’t thank Dan and Kerry enough. They only moved in 4 months ago otherwise the house would have been empty and it would have been a longer walk for me.
Big thanks to Mick and Scotty who left home at 3am to come look for me. A spot tracker is on the wish list and I won’t be riding trails like that on my own again. Sheena would like a bathroom renovation after this incident, how do I argue with that.
The bike is still in the bush and this Saturday, providing the rain stays away, Scotty is going to double me in and we’ll get her out. I’ll put a post up for this if others are keen for an outing.
Thanks again for everyone’s concerns and help and I hope none of us have to go through this worry again.
Cheers
lotsa
