Oooh a free weekend! What to do? Tee up a ride with a friend!
Friday saw me leaving work at 4pm for the slab down the Doom to Albury (halfway to Melbourne). It was unexciting. It was the Doom. Got into Albury about 7:30pm, at pretty much the same time as James. The plan had been to have an early night, get up early and get a full day in on the awesome roads that Victoria has to offer.
FAIL.
It was pretty hot so we had a swim first of all. Then we had visit from Mr Beam. A wander up the road for dodgy servo frozen pizza and coke.
dodgy servo pizza... it is as bad as it looks
We did a spot of ‘decorating’ (every ceiling needs stars, right?)
stars
after a few hours of sitting outside, talking shit, laughing at the bogan kids in the park across the road and listening to some truly AWESOME music, the bourbon was somewhat depleted and at some stupid hour it was finally bedtime.
Mr Beam
Saturday morning dawned fair (it usually does) and I woke up at stupid o’clock and felt great (actually I was probably still pissed). After a while I fell back asleep… dragged my arse out of bed by about 10am? and was feeling rather poorly by that stage.
Into town for a coffee (where I was amused by James putting about 7 sugars into his coffee… and then not stirring it because he “didn’t want it sweet”) and then round and round Albury trying to find a servo. Eventually fuelled up and then I took the lead trying to lead us to some good roads. I actually had no real idea where I was going so just made it up and we ended up in Mt Beauty.
Mt Bogong lookout
Filled up, sent James off first and headed up to Falls Creek. James was promptly out of sight and I had quite an enjoyable run up to Falls Creek (love this road). Regroup up the top and then it was time to ride the ‘new road to Omeo’. I had been looking forward to this road for some time as it was supposed to make an awesome circuit… but it was not to be. So much gravel on the road, it might as well have still been dirt. I wasn’t impressed and I don’t think I’ll bother going that way again (would much rather go back down Falls Creek, over Tawonga, over Hotham and into Omeo that way 
).
).
We stopped at the Blue Duck Inn for lunch before heading onto Omeo… I had a moment on this road where, for some reason, I threw the nine into a right hander harder than normal and had the front wheel slide :O but it was all OK just shaken nerves! Fuel at Omeo and then for the run up to the top of Hotham and down. We got caught up in another group of riders at the top and then I had something biting me on my neck so I had to do an emergency stop and strip off the jacket to get rid of whatever it was (no idea, but I had some nice blistery things on the back of my neck from it). The run down Hotham was OK though towards the bottom I got caught up in that group of riders again (and it turns out I know some of them!).
We made our way to the backpackers and after a shower it was dinner time - and an alcohol free night followed!! Hung out in the park for a bit, before turning in pretty early.
Sunday morning we were up pretty early and feeling good! Went to get on the bikes and realised that the cafe across the road was open - hurrah! so after coffee (James tried to convince me I wanted lots of sugars in my coffee this time… but I managed to get away with only one extra) and toasted sandwiches it was time to hit the road… Halllloooooooo Mt Buffalo! Passed a huge bunch of cyclists and luckily got onto the mountain ahead of them :). James was once again quickly out of sight (though he kept stopping for photos so then I would get in front again) and I had a nice run up to the top.
This was going to be a special weekend - the 9 was going to turn 100,000km! Got to the end of the tar at the top of Buffalo and I was 4km short. Bugger! So we turned around and James must have got sick of me going so slow watching the odo (on the way up I kept having too much fun and forgetting to look at the odo) and he rounded me up on a hairpin just as she clicked over 100,000km.
my first 100,000km bike
OK so the odo pic didn’t work out so good.
The 9 at 100,000km
Pulled up at a pretty spot for some pics - decided to see how my self-portait skills were holding up after the efforts Robyn and I put on at the Border Run…
Not bad for first try!
Stood and admired the view for a while - it is just breathtaking up there…
Mt Buffalo
and because I love having photos of my bike… here is the 9 at the bottom of Mt Buffalo LOL
Mt Buffalo
From Mt Buffalo it was back into Bright to top up the fuel and have a quick break before heading back up Mt Hotham :D Had a pretty good run up, stopped up the top and James kept going and I turned around and headed back down (damn shame that) then over Tawonga Gap and Redbank Road towards Tallangatta where I would get more fuel.
Not long after I joined the Murray Valley Highway, it was stinking hot and all I could think about was getting a drink of water at Tallangatta… and then I noticed a copper nearly on top of me, coming the other way… I looked down, 130.. bugger. Sure enough, when I checked in my mirror he was turning around, so I just pulled over and had the helmet off by the time he’d stopped behind me. He walks up to me and pulls out the breathalyser… apparently they are stopping and putting all motorcyclists on the breatho in Vic at the moment because there have been too many crashes. Phew! Finally after about ten minutes he let me go (he wanted to chat) and I got my fuel and drink and had a bit of a rest.
Fuel again at Corryong and then up into the hills - thankfully the temperature was about 10 degrees cooler up there :D I stopped at Jono Corner and took some pics - it’s a bit faded now but definitely still there.
Jono Corner
Jono Corner
Jono Corner
I really enjoyed this stretch of road - there was hardly any other traffic (I think I saw maybe five cars all up??) and it was just heaven. Stopped (as tradition dictates) at Tumut Ponds and it was a bit strange to not have Stevo & Tess there waiting for me.
Tumut Ponds
From here, onto the Awesome Road (and it was AWESOME) and into Adaminiby where the usual dude at the servo wasn’t there (I still haven’t seen him yet this season). From there it was a straight run home to Canberra.
I love riding the snowies.
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