Jindabyne – Last Day

Monday is sort of an anti climax, the Snowy bug has really sunk its teeth in and the last thing you want to do is stop. Reality beckons so an 8.00am start is called with breakfast at Khancoban the scheduled first stop after about 120km of demanding riding. Rob, Tony and Renzo had not been on this road yesterday as they had gone north to visit Canberra The rest of the bunch had done this leg twice and were aware of some unsigned fine gravel about 40km from Khancoban.

Renzo lost his front on a dropping left and ended up low-siding into a 1.5m deep box gutter. Minor cosmetic and loss of a clutch lever the only damage. Renzo seemed okay, so after pulling the VFR out of the gutter and duct taping the rear plastic damage, it fired up and the ride continued in to Khancoban and breakfast.

Much discussion about the physics of falling from a bike ensued with formulas and graphs filling up numerous pages. Not sure what the outcome was but after a leisurely stop we headed for the Murray River Road and a fuel stop at Walwa for the thirsty R1 now doing the rear rider thing for the run home.

Up the Granya Gap and another fuel and food stop at Tallangatta. Renzo considered an extra day in Albury to get a lever but carried on south with the ride. Rod and Tony had gone home via the Barry Way and Dargo enjoying the dirt

Myrtleford via the Rosewhite/Happy Valley Road: grouse. Then down the King Valley to fuel at Whitfield. Weather now much warmer as we dropped down into the valleys. Renzo had no luck with the Whitfield mechanic so needed a push off or a slope to kick the VFR into gear to get mobile.

Ben called for the off, giving the run to Mansfield as 60 odd kms where the ride would break up. It looked too easy. Pina and Misho were the last to leave, some further bonding required. As I had not come this way on Friday did not sense anything amiss as we did not take the right hand turn out of Whitfield but carried on to Chestnut. No corner markers noticed.

Through Chestnut on made roads had me thinking that this new route may have been a Ben "option". A few kays of dirt had my doubts high so I pulled up Pina to check if this was the way the ride had come on Friday. Misho had done a runner and only patches of dust confirmed that he was ahead and getting further ahead by the minute. No way I could catch the flying GSXR on the dirt so we carried on willing Misho to stop. He did pull up but as he saw Pina and I still coming, he took off again. This dirt road was as tight as the made road and the R1 with its rich spots below 5000-rpm was a pain in the butt, dropping to 3 then coming clean and firing on 4, backend slides with a mind of their own and all the while travelling in thick fine dust.

By now I was yelling at Misho with frustration but at about 25km into this dirt hell he stopped. We turned around and I noted the increased speed as we headed back to Whitfield to pick up the Mansfield road, Pina coming to grips with the conditions rather well. She even had time to wipe her mirrors of the dust build up as we bopped along. On to the made road (what a relief) and soon picked up by Ben and Marty who had come back to check on the missing trio. Past the camera ute at a slow pace and into Mansfield about an hour late. Fuel up, clean some dust off the visor and wave goodbye feeling rather sheepish at being a dud rear rider.

Route home for me was the highway to Yea, on to the Hume at Tallarook, fuel at Wandong, off the Hume at Wallan then home through Darraweit Guim, Bolinda and Riddells Creek.

Trust all made it OK after a fantastic long weekend, great weather, roads and company set in the backdrop of the Snowy Mountains. Thanks for the effort Ben; it was grouse.

Set of 2001 R1 carbs ordered from the USA on Amazon.com and a UK Morgan carb balancer also to come. Will persistence deliver longer fuel range? I guess credit card grief and time will tell.

Geoff Jones