Kickoff_2015

glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
A look at the sky...a look at the bikes...yep, we could make something out of this!
Better be early, too...there's some heat coming south lateron.
Roads are deserted at 8am, New Years Day

Up "the Donna" in the morning cool.



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I can never get enough of the Acheron...



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Enjoyed the sealed singlelaner through the dense bush too much (echidnas and wallabies everywhere) and overshot to Granton Rd., then backtracked for the climb to Strickland Spur.

LOTS of dead "ghosties" EVERYWHERE....as Fuzzy said, it's "post-Apocalypse-country"....and they come crashing down at will, as can be seen by all the dead, shattered branches on the tracks all around. No going quick here...



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Strickland Ridge




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Caught taking the shot...


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There's definitely a bike coming up....and a BM parallel twin at that, I know THAT sound...and there's Squizzy!!
Happy New Year, mate!! :thumbs::chug:


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And there goes Squizzy



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Skipping along the ridge towards Keppel's Lookout, the spur is the border between logging + plantation areas towards Marysville and the Yarra Ranges National Park to the south.



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Being somewhat hazy ahead of the heat, we skip the Lookout, skid and slide past the water-reservoir into Maryville on the marbly gravel, find the expected "closed" signs on the Lady Talbot Drive and bugger off towards Buxton for the turnoff to Mt. Margaret.

Some fresh, deep and loose 1.5" gravel, mainly through the bends, looks after the entertainment-angle....as the road climbs and climbs and climbs.
There aren't too many views, but those that are, are fantastic.


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End of Mt. Margaret Rd...either dip into Lady Talbot on the right (and no "closed" signs here!).... or continue climbing into the first saddle on the Blue Range Rd.


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Sir Francis

Displaced person
Garry and I encountered four classic/vintage cars on the Acheron on the 30th.

Sadly they were going too fast for the chance of a photo but man they looked to be having a hoot - especially the fourth dude who was all sideways and sawing wildly at a ship sized steering wheel trying to get back to his side of the road....:bs
 

glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
Blue Range it is for us...and the thick, coarse gravel stops right here.
The gentle drops and climbs amongst the low, but dense green of the New Growth are soul-soothing stuff.

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Then a looong, gradual descent into the Rubicon Valley on supersmooth!!, rolled and compacted hardpack....



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which leaves plenty of time for trying to steal a glimpse of the promising vistas across the Goulburn River Flats and hills beyond. MAGIC!


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Didn't even see the 2 bends of 5" deep, fluffy, floury dust creep up on us...wobble, wobble, shiiaat :eek::eek:


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Some quicker going on the asphalt cools us down again....and gives a little time to chew over and stow away those brilliant 38km between the asphalted ends near Buxton and Rubicon :clap::clap:


Slowly rolling into Thornton, a mental route for the afternoon starts to build....starting off with a re-visit of a sweet, little road that one of the local farmers has decided to make his own and shut off the public.
It's been a bone-of-contention for a decade or longer...but it's STILL A PUBLIC ROAD!!
And a cracker at that! Barely 4km long....just have a look at it!! :glu:glu

The "gate" at the eastern (Thornton) end.


I think he's changed his "set of warnings"....have to dig up some older pics.


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Those black+white warning signs at the little concrete bridge must be the only "maintenance" that the Shire of Alexandra has done over the last decade.



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Hope, Elmer Fudd and his shotty aren't too close by :killingme



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It's a bit rutted and barely recognizable as a track along some stretches...


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....but the views are simply FABULOUS! The whole Goulburn Basin from Eildon to Alexandra to Taggerty, The Cathedrals and Black Range, the whole ring of hills and mountains....yeeeha! :drool::drool:


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glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
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Western end (Alexandra)


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Nipping around the backblocks of Alexandra.... the rickety, old timber bridge at the Twin Rivers Caravan Park spanning it's flaking white paint across a full and quick-flowing Goulburn River... cruising the gentle meadows of the river flats....there's a piece of the Old Maroondah Hwy at Breakaway with an old bridge across Connellys Creek...


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CRB....initials, that won't mean anything to anyone today !?


Hasta la vista, buddy...let's move, it's getting hot.

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A Highway-drone back to Marysville for a drink and into the nippy chill of the Reefton Spur, hustling some Toorak tractors up Lake Mountain, enjoying the deserted twisties all the way down from Cumberland Junction. Nice!

Some of the usual backroads home for a very entertaining ~300k's total.
Time for a coldie! :gday:
 

glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
Garry and I encountered four classic/vintage cars on the Acheron on the 30th.

Sadly they were going too fast for the chance of a photo but man they looked to be having a hoot - especially the fourth dude who was all sideways and sawing wildly at a ship sized steering wheel trying to get back to his side of the road....:bs


:D Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines...
Acheron is in excellent nick at the moment!
 

nev

Super Térrarist
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CRB....initials, that won't mean anything to anyone today !?

Country Roads Board. The CRB looked after the roads and the RTA dealt with the driver licencing before they combined to become VicRoads in the 80s. Most old bridges built before the 80s will have a plaque similar to that. There's one near my house dated 1970.
 

Williamson

Part of the furniture
Country Roads Board. The CRB looked after the roads and the RTA dealt with the driver licencing before they combined to become VicRoads in the 80s. Most old bridges built before the 80s will have a plaque similar to that. There's one near my house dated 1970.

Mostly correct, this is a bit more accurate.

In July 1983, (under the John Cain Labor Government) the Country Roads Board (CRB) morphed into the Road Construction Authority (RCA).

At the same time, the Motor Registration Board (MRB), the Transport Regulations Board (TRB), and the Road Safety & Traffic Authority (RoSTA) (and possibly a few other Boards, Authorities and QUANGOs) morphed into the Road Traffic Authority (RTA).

In July 1989 (still under a John Cain Labor Government) the RCA and RTA morphed into the Road Corporation of Victoria, but trades under the title of VicRoads.

In 1974, the CRB took over the responsibility of all Freeways, Highways and Main Roads, this included bridges and structures.

Prior to that date the CRB's main responsibilities were restricted to country roads, whereas roads and bridges in the Melbourne metro area were looked after by the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW).

Yes, the MMBW built the South Eastern Freeway, Tullamarine Freeway, West Gate Freeway and the Westgate Bridge - this explains a lot.
 

asphalt

Tassie...where tyres are flat and nights are long


Some of the usual backroads home for a very entertaining ~300k's total.
Time for a coldie! :hi[/QUOTE]

ACHERON
Thanks for sharing........ are very good informations for my next ride :-)

Pete .... I´m afraid You´re right !:poke:
 
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