1st Ride for 2023

[Rider 101]

After a few hot, humid post Christmas days Thursday was forecast as 24° so perfect for a bit of a ride.

It was overcast and threatening rain when I left home but bugger putting on the wets.

Through Aberdeen and over Crawney to Nundle for breakfast.

Climbing Crawney I ran into damp cloud and the temperature dropped to 13°.

Bit chilly as I only had a tee shirt on under my jacket and the vents open from the last ride on Boxing Day.

Dropping into Nundle the temps warmed up and an awesome bacon sarnie was consumed.

 

 

Next was up to Hanging Rock and on to Thunderbolt's Way via Nundle State Forest.

The road was in good nick despite the recent heavy logging traffic.

At the 1100 metre level cloud and drizzly fog was encountered. I had closed up my vents but hadn't worried about a waterproof liner.

 

I turned off Thunderbolt's and headed through Riamukka. The road was wet and slippery.

As it is a State Forest road there wasn't much maintenance done. After recent rains there was a lot of angle washaways to keep an eye on.

With the drizzle and fog ( cloud ) I had to be a little cautious.

 

 

 

 

 

As the run through Riamukka was a bit sketchy I made the call to abandon Mummel and Enfield when I hit Brackendale road. 

I was out there alone and going via Enfield may have been a little foolish given the wet conditions and the remoteness.

 

Gravel road to the now sadly closed Nowndoc general store then on down the mountains through Cooplacurripa and on to Gloucester.

 

 

 

 

 

A quick fuel stop in Gloucester then on to Barrington. This will be my first ride over the Tops as the road was closed 2 years ago due to a landslip.

It was reopened just before Christmas so was expecting the 4WD warriors to be out in force. 

As I got closer and near the end of the bitumen I could see the clouds were low.

It looked like trolls might live up there.

 

 

 

Onwards and upwards through Cobark then back to gravel. The fog got quite thick and visibility dropped to a point where I was down to 60km/hr.

I was more concerned about the brumbies and 4WDs than the road surface.

Sure as Shet around a hairpin I meet a 4WD in thick fog and no lights at all. F**king moron. 

The fog cleared as I descended from the high point to the Dingo Gate.

A mandatory stop and pic as I think this is one of the best views of the Upper Hunter.

 

 

 

14km to Moonan and all down hill. The top section was good hard gravel but the second half had been surfaced in fine slippery chitter.

I was still in ABS mode and stabbing at the rear brake with the Camel "Fix" I was able to get a bit of rear end steering around the tight corners.

At the bottom it is only a couple of Ks to the pub but to my dismay it was closed for the day. Bugger, I was looking forward to a beer.

Oh well, head home via the bitumen and a beer on the front verandah.

All up 585km for the day wasn't too shabby

Edited January 7, 2023 by Rider 101

[Rider 101]

Google maps for those that are interested.

 

https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/Aberdeen+NSW+2336/Gundy+NSW/Isis+River,+Crawney+NSW/Nundle+NSW/Niangala+NSW/Hell+Hole+Forest+Rd,+Nowendoc+NSW+2354/-31.3506348,151.6962066/-31.731778,152.0671276/-31.9213283,151.6708854/Moonan+Flat+Pub,+Mitchell+Street,+Moonan+Flat+NSW/@-31.7493871,150.9418539,9z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m47!4m46!1m5!1m1!1s0x6b0b690fbe81e701:0x40609b490437e70!2m2!1d150.8914436!2d-32.1680712!1m5!1m1!1s0x6b0b3e47b44173e7:0x40609b490438410!2m2!1d150.9937261!2d-32.0173363!1m5!1m1!1s0x6b0ade97e45d4103:0x3e30e99666b82bd5!2m2!1d151.0121462!2d-31.6214567!1m5!1m1!1s0x6b0ac612767c4597:0x40609b49043c280!2m2!1d151.1279037!2d-31.4607738!1m5!1m1!1s0x6b754899fea4c9cd:0x40609b49043a6b0!2m2!1d151.432015!2d-31.3883326!1m5!1m1!1s0x6b7543669abd9ea9:0x264c183f786abc16!2m2!1d151.6059259!2d-31.3586658!1m0!1m0!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x6b0b321cf3a22613:0x388f4f3ec20de8db!2m2!1d151.2378642!2d-31.925311!3e0?hl=en-GB

Edited January 7, 2023 by Rider 101

[Stevoh]

On 1/8/2023 at 8:09 AM, Rider 101 said:

After a few hot, humid post Christmas days Thursday was forecast as 24° so perfect for a bit of a ride.

It was overcast and threatening rain when I left home but bugger putting on the wets.

Through Aberdeen and over Crawney to Nundle for breakfast.

Climbing Crawney I ran into damp cloud and the temperature dropped to 13°.

Bit chilly as I only had a tee shirt on under my jacket and the vents open from the last ride on Boxing Day.

Dropping into Nundle the temps warmed up and an awesome bacon sarnie was consumed.

 

 

Next was up to Hanging Rock and on to Thunderbolt's Way via Nundle State Forest.

The road was in good nick despite the recent heavy logging traffic.

At the 1100 metre level cloud and drizzly fog was encountered. I had closed up my vents but hadn't worried about a waterproof liner.

 

I turned off Thunderbolt's and headed through Riamukka. The road was wet and slippery.

As it is a State Forest road there wasn't much maintenance done. After recent rains there was a lot of angle washaways to keep an eye on.

With the drizzle and fog ( cloud ) I had to be a little cautious.

 

 

 

 

 

As the run through Riamukka was a bit sketchy I made the call to abandon Mummel and Enfield when I hit Brackendale road. 

I was out there alone and going via Enfield may have been a little foolish given the wet conditions and the remoteness.

 

Gravel road to the now sadly closed Nowndoc general store then on down the mountains through Cooplacurripa and on to Gloucester.

 

 

 

 

 

A quick fuel stop in Gloucester then on to Barrington. This will be my first ride over the Tops as the road was closed 2 years ago due to a landslip.

It was reopened just before Christmas so was expecting the 4WD warriors to be out in force. 

As I got closer and near the end of the bitumen I could see the clouds were low.

It looked like trolls might live up there.

 

 

 

Onwards and upwards through Cobark then back to gravel. The fog got quite thick and visibility dropped to a point where I was down to 60km/hr.

I was more concerned about the brumbies and 4WDs than the road surface.

Sure as Shet around a hairpin I meet a 4WD in thick fog and no lights at all. F**king moron. 

The fog cleared as I descended from the high point to the Dingo Gate.

A mandatory stop and pic as I think this is one of the best views of the Upper Hunter.

 

 

 

14km to Moonan and all down hill. The top section was good hard gravel but the second half had been surfaced in fine slippery chitter.

I was still in ABS mode and stabbing at the rear brake with the Camel "Fix" I was able to get a bit of rear end steering around the tight corners.

At the bottom it is only a couple of Ks to the pub but to my dismay it was closed for the day. Bugger, I was looking forward to a beer.

Oh well, head home via the bitumen and a beer on the front verandah.

All up 585km for the day wasn't too shabby

It's a shame Nowendoc store is closed, great B&E Rolls no longer

[Rider 101]

Yes. I always made a point of detouring there for E&Bs and a splash of fuel.