Day 0 - Most of us left for Cooma from Beecroft / Epping around 3.00p with a stop at the Chinese Restaurant in Goulburn for dinner. This year it was only six of us - Graham (first timer), Paul, Yarro, JohnO, JohnD, Richard, Phil and Colin. Unfortunately we arrived in Cooma too late to enjoy Kilkenny at the pub but did manage to finish of 2 dozen VB in the room.
Day 1 - Early start, with last shower and shave for 4 days and breakfast in the hotel and onto Cabramurra for the last "real" coffee for 4 days. Some of us managed to slip in a custard tart, pie and power drink for good measure. Our next stop was the Round Mountain Car Park to load up for the ride on the Farm Ridge Fire Trail to O'Keefe's Hut.
The descent past Round Mountain Hut was really steep and challenging but "Engineering Services" had conquered the challenge of the rack. They were holding up really well. It was a misty day and cool but beautiful. JohnD picked up a leech on a creek crossing before a big climb and short ride to O'Keefe's.
Tonight we enjoyed the first wine cask we'd ever had on a MTB ride. Not bad and worth the effort to bring it in. Graham discovered he'd left his wonderful dinner in the car so it was fun watching him forage for food from others as the evening moved by.
On the way to O'Keefe's / Before the creek with the leech for JohnD / Campsite first night
Before the climb up Mt Jagungal / On top of Mt Jagungal / Gray Mare Hut at end of Day 2
Dining table / Day 3 begins / Crossing the creek before the hike
At the car park / The ride is over / We Made It
Day 2 - After a short ride to the weather station at the bottom of Mt.
Jagungal we climbed to the top of "The Big Bogong". Tough climb over 2
hours with crawling and hanging on in places. It was well worthwhile
though with fantastic views and a real sense of achievement in having made the
top.
Down again and off to Gray Mare on a now very familiar trail. Gray Mare was as good as ever. - warm, dry, plenty of water another wine cask and open fire. "De-Hy" for dinner was ok followed by chocolate made it a whole lot better though.
Day 3 - No packs today - hooray!! Day tripping from Gray Mare with the promise of the big downhill from last year back into Gray Mare ahead. Issue: we have to ride up the big downhill before we get the joy. Anyway, after the uphill we planned to hit the Strombole Fire Trail but it was way too dense and overgrown. With no way thru we decided to run a short spur ride along Gray Mare trail south. This was the same path as last year and just as scenic. After an hour or so we U-turned and headed back toward the hut and the downhill we were all looking forward to. We all gathered for lunch at the top and set off like fighters from the deck of an aircraft carrier. What a buzz! Fantastic dirt down hill back to the creek before Gray Mare then a creek crossing and hike to the waterfalls nearby. Excellent falls. Quick hike back to the bikes and short ride to the hut to celebrate over the last cask, more noodles and "de-hy". Great day.
Day 4 - Typically the last day is an easy day. Not this day though. The now easy and well known ride along Gray Mare / Round Mountain Fire Trail to the Car Park was interrupted when JohnO cracked his bike on a fairly unremarkable section of track. Just 5 ks' from the cars the section connecting the seat post to the cross bar cracked. We redistributed the cargo to other bikes and JohnO was able to ride without sitting down.. Once back at the cars we packed quickly and headed to Tumut for Kentucky Duck then onto Goulburn for dinner at a different Chinese. We won't go to this one again. And then home to Sydney.
What happened to JohnOs' bike? Good news story - he got a new one, latest model, under warranty from Spec. Go Spec - cool!!