End of Autumn - finding Nabowla

robbieb

Tassie Daddy
Couple hundred kays for the last weekend of autumn



If I can get the map to work....
 
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robbieb

Tassie Daddy
Intention was to head to Lilydale and loop back through Pipers River, but got a bit more adventurous and kept going to Scottsdale...

Bangor Road, just before Second Rivers road



Just had to do it, ride through the train tunnel at Tunnel. Of course, I didn't heed my own previous advice and ride in the middle of the tracks. Next time







Thought I'd take the road out instead of heading back through the tunnel



So since I was at Scottsdale, may as well do the sideling





More tomorrow...
 

glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
:drool: What a stumper of a day.
Blue skies, sinshine...and a new bike.
Heaven!!

The tunnel at Tunnel...obviously TasRail's given up on that route, or did you?....naw, you didn't! The Terra isn't quite terrafying enough to go up against an 80ton Diesel :D

Thanks for the shots...looking out at the grey skies makes 'em look twice as good!
 

robbieb

Tassie Daddy
Bit more info here

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3898

Same tunnel I went through last year, on the now disused North East Line out to Scottsdale. Been disused since about 2005, I think. Section from Scottsdale to Herrick is now a cycle path, and if they can, there's mobs lobbying to make the rest from almost Launceston a complete cycle tourist route. For now though, the tracks are still down. There are several spots on the Golconda Rd where you cross the line, with signs saying "Railway Line Not In Use"

If you do come to Tas, and want to ride through, best to be in the middle of the tracks. The path is much more narrow on the sides and washed away so speed is really needed to skip over the exposed sleepers, but extra concentration, and clutch work (Terra geared higher than the XT) to get through, and nowhere good to put the sidestand down and get some shots. Despite the coolness in the tunnel, I was sweating by the time I reached the exit, with still another 500m or so to get to the track out.
 

robbieb

Tassie Daddy
So up over the Sideling we go. Back stepped out on one tight slippery left hander so I didn't push it too hard. Still, managed to catch up to a motarded DR 650 I think, before turning up Targa Hill Road at Myrtle Bank. Thought I might go through Patersonia Road and take the link across to Lilydale Road, but when I got to this intersection, I changed my mind... again...



Nabowla, now there's somewhere I don't think Ive been too. May as well have a look. Only 23kms away...

Now only 21km. I break the wrist srtap on my camera when I get it caught in the pocket zipper of my jacket :mad:

Well it looks like it might be a nice way to go





The sign says Lisle Road, The big sign says C827, so I just have to follow the signs, right?

Pass a white ford panel van on the side of the road. May or may not be stolen, may or may not be out inspecting the dope plantation, I don't stop to find out!

Fast through here



So, following the signs, I seem to be on the right road



That says Nabowla on the left, and Myrtle Bank, which is wher I've just come from, so all good so far, although things like this don't instil me with a lot of confidence



Just up there is a 4 way intersection. I don't have any maps or gps on me, and there are missing and smashed beyond recognition signs on the posts. Well by process of elimination, I decide that the one I've already come up is out, as is the one in vaguely the same direction. I recognise this intersection from a dirt ride a few years back when I brought the XT up in here following some blokes on smaller lighter bikes, and this happened



But I digress!

I choose the left fork, as I think this will take me roughly in the right direction. Onward I plunge, through pine plantation forestry roads. A bit rough, but firm, wondering where I will emerge







Well this looks alright!

Now to see if it will get me where I want to go. The sun is getting lower in the sky now.
 
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robbieb

Tassie Daddy
Somewhere up further I pass a sign saying Lisle Road, so I chanced on the right one, although looking at the map, the right fork would have had me back tracking to bring me out here anyway.

The fields are lush and green, the herds of black angus cattle flee in terra



Reminiscent of the Culverden Stock Route in NZ, I end up chasing a young heifer down the road.



Mad cow



Well at least I've come out at the right place. 4 more kays to Nabowla



Dunno if the cows want a feed or what. These are fare more curious than further up the valley



Nabowla cemetery, so many regulations! I thought you didn't have to bother with that crap once you were dead?



Not a bad view if you had to look at it for eternity, Nabowla is just down there, to the left of the dam



And before I knew it, I was through it!



There's the church up on the hill



Over the Golconda Road is Bridport Back Road.

I've not been through this way either, why not check it out? A quick text to the girlfriend to let her know I haven't been buried in a shallow grave in the Lisle forest by some of the North East's drug kingpins, and I set off



Why not indeed? This road is awful. At times riding directly into the setting sun, and a surface covered in marbles had the bike squirming underneath me. Nothing for it but to push on. And what is my reward at the end? 26km of boring highway to get back to Pipers River. I really don't like this highway much. It is more boring than the Midlands. Oh well, the Pipers River Road will make up for it

Looking back towards Mt Arthur from the end of the Bridport Back Road



Pipers River, Old Bangor Tram Road, Dalrymple Road, the now very fast smooth dirt of East Arm Road, Batman Highway and Deviot Road to home. 240km and 3.5 hours done
 

nev

Super Térrarist
Fantastic roads you travelled there. Just love those roads which wind their way through dairy country.
 

robbieb

Tassie Daddy
Cheers, Nev. I'll have to take a ride through there in summer and see how green it is then. Plenty more Lisle forest to explore, though sadly places like that are great at attracting bogans who leave all their broken bottles and rubbish behind when they go camping. Point J on my gmap is shown on a proper map as Jackey's Picnic Ground. This is where I had to take a punt as all the signs weren't there any more.
 
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