Print Page - Porepunkah to Dargo & Back Nov 20-21

Some weeks back Alex called and asked me to put a ride on the website for him. It was ride two day ride to Dargo and back from Porepunkah. It was a bit different to most in that we were doing it on a Thursday and Friday. We were well organised with two 4wd backup vehicles and Satellite phones. We had a loose plan to go to Dargo and back via some of the tracks we wanted to get a better look at.

Having booked the time off work we left Melbourne at 10pm after the committee meeting finished and managed to get to Porepunkah just before 2am. Our excitement at the prospect of two days of high country riding (without the usual weekend crowds) was tempered by the driving rain that that made visibility on the way up a real challenge.

When we got to the pub we were greeted by several familiar inebriated and tired faces. The night had obviously been a long one for those who arrived early as well. A the last of the expected riders had arrived (us) we all trundled off to bed. After only just enough hours of sleep we dragged ourselves out of bed and suited up. Just as we were all ready the ominous black clouds above started to drop steadily heavier rain on us.

We were going to get wet. To ensure this outcome Alex took us through a very tight track that had sodden tree branches hanging over the track almost all of the way along. By the end of this we had done 4km and were all soaked to the bone. Thanks Alex. Thankfully despite the rain and the soaking the temperature was reasonable.

As we started to climb and make our way around the back of Bright on the side of a ridge and we knew that we had to get up to the top of the ridge sooner or later. Alex tried a couple of potential climbs but could not get up them. Even managing to entertain the assembled group with a little lay down on the second option. The realisation dawned that we would have to go down instead of up. Alex found a candidate for that and headed off. He had just as much luck with the downhill as he had with the uphill, again laying down for a rest, only this time the audience was smaller.

Going through Bright we headed out to ward Wandiligong only to turn off do a 20 loop around the back of Wandiligong. We managed to make our way up mongrel creek and turn up Nolan tack. I sat on the corner and watched Jed come around the corner, line up the first erosion mound only to have a wallaby pop out of the bush next to the track into Jed’s front wheel. It was Jed’s turn for a lay down.

He was OK and by the time we got everything straightened out Phil was there providing encouragement. Nolan track has one spot that can be a bit of a challenge in the wet and today was no exception. I rode three bikes up there, and Jed, complete with a couple of bruised ribs rode two bikes up. Down Clear Creek and up Mt Selwyn Road then Dingo Track. As we climbed it was getting cooler and visibility was starting to dictate the pace. It wasn’t freezing but it was quite cool. When we got to the lunch stop the back up vehicles were nowhere to be seen. We could see their tracks but no 4wd’s. As we waited we heard a noise in the distance. They had turned up, about 5 minutes after us.

A couple of years back Snowy (Dennis Kelly) showed me how to build a fire in the rain with wet wood using a beer can and a bit of petrol. So I gave it a go – much to the laughter of the assembled (disbelieving) group. After about 15 minutes they stopped laughing and all gathered around the source of warmth, which by now had been declared resounding success and fingers, noses, ears and other bits were being warmed by the glow.

Geez its cold.

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The view down Tea Tree Range Road.

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This fire thing of Paul's actually dcoes work.

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There is beer in here somewhere.

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James walking to try and warm up.

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Has anyone seen my fresh underpants ?

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Just as Phil and my gloves were almost dry it was time to leave. We headed down Sarah Spur and across the creek at the bottom.

Awsome view from Mt Sarah.

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Dry feet, dry feet, dry feet.....poo wet feet.

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Alex - you are going the wrong way !

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Plenty of weight stops the KLX floating down the river.

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Phil.

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Phil & Alex

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Phil & Alex

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Wheres Wally ?

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Then and up Bald top Track.

What a stunning view.

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More of the same.

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Then down Brewery Creek in to Talbotville. By now the pace had picked up a bit as the weather had become far more favourable. Then we took on the 24 river crossings of Crooked River track then up Bulltown Spur. Our feet were now as soaked as the rest of our bodies. We did a bit of Collingwood Spur and a few other not so often used tracks as we made our way to Dargo. I recall going down one track at a comfortable pace only to see Brad pass me like a rocket and launch a clear 10 feet high and 80 feet long over an erosion mound. Clearly the man has no fear of flying!

As we got into Dargo there were a lot of happy and weary faces.

I'm stuffed.

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I'm sending a SMS to the Missus to tell her how stuffed I am.

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This place even sells KTM stuff !

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This place doesn't but it has great tucker.

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With a lot of blokes complaining of monkey butt. We all showered and hit the pub for a well deserved meal.

Does he look like he's just ridden 220km ?

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Does this bloke look like he's just ridden 220km ?

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The Dargo pub is an oasis of civilisation in a unforgiving lascape. Their food is top notch as is their hospitality. My room in the log cabin was a five star affair, I could see five stars through the gaps in the logs! Despite this the cabins were all warm and toasty and everybody slept well, ready for another days riding.

A cooked brekky at the pub and we were on our way down the lower Dargo Road onto Tabberabbera then Punchen Budwuid.

Perfect riding conditions for day 2.

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Then onto Orton track. The section of Orton track that drops down to the river is seriously steep. If you were in the creek in the wet at the bottom of Orton track, you would not be coming up that hill. Steve track and Wayne track

By now I was starting to appreciate the stunning scenery. The tracks were not flogged out like so many near the towns and we were all having an absolute blast. Pheasant track.

A could of bikes went for a swim here. But I didn't catch it on camera so I guess it didn't happen.

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Wild Horse then Dane tracks brought us to Messmate spur. This thing was too steep for me to go down and take some better photos !

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We’d been warned that it was very steep. And that it rose 3000 feet in 3km. What they didn’t tell us was that the middle km was actually a reasonable downhill. What we had were two near vertical climbs which caught a few of the guys out. I ended up dinking Brad down to ride one of the bikes up. And picked up the gear bag of the fella walking up to make his task a little less onerous.

When we got up to Birregun Road we met the backup vehicles at the Dogs Grave. A peculiar spot in the middle of (well – nowhere!).

Me.

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Phil.

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Then down Dinner Plain track top the aptly named Precipice Plain Escarpment where we stopped for a look. Like a lot of the high snow plains there was a lot of rocks at this altitude and the going was slow and bouncy for all.

It's colder and windier than it looks.

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The view over the precipice is scary expecially with wind balsting you around.

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When we hit the road at Dinner Plain it was onto Hotham and down the mountain on the bitmen to Harrietville for a drink and a splash of fuel.

As we’d made good time we headed up to wet gully then down reliance via a few shortcuts and across the road up Big Flat track and through to Tawonga gap. Sadly the KLX650’s cush drive and carrier bearing had given up the ghost and we were in need of a 4wd to come and pick it up. We were thankful that we were somewhere that posed no access issues with the 4wd backup vehicles.

Tow of the group stayed with the KLX until it was loaded then tried to catch the rest of the group. Who (led by myself) was heading along Tawonga gap track and Mt Porpunkah track down Telegraph spur. Telegraph spur shows on the map to be around 6km long. After about 4km we were still quite high and that the ridge that we were on was to end quite soon. This meant that there was a very long and steep downhill coming very soon. Sure enough it did. A couple of the fellas decided to go back down the hill via the road. The rest of us took off down the hill, myself being careful to pick clean lines all the way down, others like Dale and Sam using the hill as a chance to race to the bottom.

The rest of the guys got into Porepunkah just as Alex rolled in being towed by Brad. His rear wheel bearings had collapsed and the back wheel was flopping all over the place like streakers interesting bits.

After a shower and the best chicken parma that I’ve had in a long time we got back in the car and began the 3.5 hour trip home. And the best bit was that we had the whole weekend to relax!

When you go for a ride in the high country you just need to know that you are going to get out if it all turns to poo. Alex is one of the guys who you can count on to ensure that we all get there – in the end. I would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of all who attended, to thank Alex for organising a great ride.

AMTRA.com.au

VIC AMTRA Public Forums => Ride Reports => Topic started by: Paul Smith on November 22, 2008, 08,35:06 AM