Easter Weekend 2009

OK so I’m a bit behind in my blog…

Easter weekend was set to go exploring some roads I hadn’t done before up around the NSW/QLD border.

I set off Thursday after work with the intention of slabbing it up to Singleton… well that didn’t last long, I was bored of the freeway about halfway to Goulburn so topped up the fuel at Goulburn then went Taralga/Oberon and into Lithgow.  It was almost dark by the time I left Goulburn and was dark for the Abercrombie river crossing which was okay until heading up the other side and I am presented with a cliff face - where did the road go??? Oh yeah switchback to the left 

Fuel at Lithgow then Bells Line of Road.  I had an awesome run along here, really enjoyed it, very little traffic and I got around what traffic there was very easily.  Then up the Putty Road.  I stopped at the Halfway Roadhouse which was closed, I was getting pretty tired by then and it was cold (had been cold since about Goulburn lol) so after a bit of a rest into Singleton to try and find somewhere to stay - there was only one place still open dammit and it was expensive but I was real tired so paid the money and fell into bed. 

Slept in a bit the following morning, oops.  Straight up the New England to Glen Innes was the plan and I got there about 1.5 hours later than planned.  Fuelled up then down the Gwydir to Grafton - a very pretty bit of road and then onto Casino via a little town I can’t remember where I stayed the night.  Up pretty late on Saturday and outta Casino and onto Nimbin where I had never been before.  It kinda looked like a prettier Newtown.  Apparently it was very quiet, usually it is much busier??? anyway, continued on, went to Kyogle and then took Lions Road over the QLD border.  I have heard people rave about this road but I thought the road was shit but it was very pretty.  It improved over the border where the road makes the rollercoasterdown the coast look pathetic.  Into Boonah for some lunch then through Beaudesert and onto the Mt Lindsay Highway.  Nice bit of road, shame about the traffic.  Finally got around the two cars I was stuck behind and it was very nice then :o) 

Then through Woodenbong and down one of the bumpiest roads I have ever been on to Tabulam and up the Bruxner to Tenterfield.  It wasnt as exciting as I had thought it was going to be!  Ah well.  From Tenterfield slabbed it up to Warwick where it rained and rained and my left mirror fell off.

Sunday morning the gear is all still wet ah well.  I can’t remember where I went then, somewhere for breakfast then up to some waterfall but it was raining and the roads were kinda slippery so turned around and headed south hoping the weather would clear up a bit.  Back into Grafton then down the Grafton/Ebor road.  It was much better than I remembered!  Had an enjoyable run through here, stopped at Ebor to don the wet weather gear again as it was very black ahead and glad I did, it bucketed down!  Rolled into Armidale for the night, spread just about everything I had with me out to dry and off to the pub for dinner (I can’t remember what the pub was called but it was great food!)

Monday morning dawned grey and miserable and I headed south down the New England.  I was thinking of going and checking out the Bylong Valley Way that I understand is now sealed all the way but with the shite weather I thought nahhhh.  I was then gonna go the way I had come, Putty/Bells Line/Oberon but i remember a stretch of rather slippery roadworks (in the dry! itwas just like clay) on the way into Black Springs so thought nah… just ended up slabbing it which was the biggest mistake ever!  I don’t like to split or ride down the emergenccy lane but after pulling over twice to let the 9 cool down I did just ride up the emergency lane, the F3 was a carpark!  Never again on a long weekend!

Got back into Canberra around 5pm and straight to coffee to give Tess and Stevo a big hug cuz I missed them so much over the weekend - they would have loved some of those roads!