Australia Day Long Weekend-Jindabyne

Despite the bureau’s forecast, the weather couldn't have been more perfect. The forecast had predicted thunderstorms each day prior to departure, so the decision on what gear to take was mixed. Knowing the fickle nature of the weather up in the mountains and having such a high variance in temps had me betwixed and between in gear choice. Eventually I decided to pack the lot! In the end I am glad I did, as I genuinely had something for every possible weather condition from freezing cold with rain to blistering heat!

Saturday, I jumped on the bike from Newport around 8.30am and headed out the South Eastern Freeway. I turned North-East after Moe and back roaded it to Bairnsdale. Then ran up to Bruthen and across to Lakes Entrance. I turned left at Cann River and headed for Bombala where I stopped in for lunch. Ben’s text message suggested I head towards Cathcart to attempt to intersect with the group. We tripped over each other about halfway between Bombala and Eden. I did a U-turn and filtered into the freight train as it ran back up to Bombala. Ben was leading on his Blade, and Dave (CBR6), Cliff (GSXR1K), Misho (GSXR750), Renzo (VFR750), Nick (on his new-to-him CBR6), Jean (Bandit 250), Geoff (R1), Pina (R6), Rob (R1150GS) and newcomer Tony (Katoom950 Adventure).

We back tracked up to Bombala and then meandered back over to Jindabyne via a rather fast, smooth dirt road which was fun at $1.40 on the failing Marshmallow (BMW R1100RS for the initiated!) for a 5.30pm end of day. Showers and a mix up of eateries eventually seeing us retire for the night at about 11.30pm!

Sunday dawned bright and sunny once again and even Jindabyne was a balmy 19 degrees overnight making for a warm but refreshing morning run. Sunday’s run was to include one of my favourite pieces of road, Elliots Way. Mmmm! Ben had mapped out a little route to snake our way across to Adaminiby and then down to just before Kiandra where we turned left and headed towards Cabramurra. We had stopped at Adaminiby for Geoff to refuel his R1, but as it is only getting 5 mpg we had to stop at Cabramurra again for a refuel in order to make the Elliots Way loop!

The run down Elliots was a hoot as always. It rates in the top few roads I have sampled around Oz! The failing marshmallow acquitted itself well, keeping the Blade, Gixxer and CBR6 honest all the way down! Mind you, it did leave a tad bit of metal along the road at various points! Perhaps riding with the Club is a touch outside its design brief!

We then did a loop around Cabramurra and then looped back around to the Alpine Way again for the run back to Jindabyne for the night! Dinner was a more organised affair and the $10 steaks were damn good, even if you had to cook them yourself!

Monday was a run back down the Alpine Way to Khancoban, Walwa, the Granya Gap, Tallangatta, Tooma, Myrtleford, Whitfield, Mansfield, Yarck, Yea, Flowerdale, Kinglake West and Whittlesea.

Marty Thompson