Great Alpine Road

Another 4 members (2 riders, 2 pillions) have attacked the Great Alpine Road, following Alan & Ron's ride last week. This time Peter & Heidi, along with Ian & Erika left at 8-00 on Saturday morning, in beautiful sunshine, travelling through the Dandenongs for a coffee break at Healesville. Then on through Black's Spur to Alexandra, and Mansfield before tackling the challenging Whitfield Road, for a lunch stop at the Whitfield Pub. Then a leisurely ride through the King and Ovens Valleys to picturesque Beechworth for some afternoon "shopping " for Heidi and Erika.

Overnight stop was a delightful B&B at the nearby Stanley Pub. (Highly recommended).

After a huge thunderstorm, during the night, Sunday morning dawned to clear skies. It was over breakfast that the decision was made to go "over the top" via the Great Alpine Road through Bright, Harrietville, Mt Hotham, Dinner Plain and on to Omeo where another Thunderstorm dropped a short downpour on us, while we sought shelter under shop verandas. Once the storm had passed, it was back on the road to Bruthen, for another coffee break, then Bairnsdale, Sale, and on home after one final coffee stop at Yarragon. Total distance for the two fantastic days to riding was 990 kms.

January1st 2009 was the start of many weekend rides to be undertaken by two of our members.

One of the members was contacted by the other one and asked if he wanted to go for a ride "where to was the response?" " I don't know" replied the other member "that's your problem". Well after our last journey to Townsville I thought that we hadn't better be away to long this time so I said "how about Mt Hotham?" . "Do you know the way?" was the response, 'not yet but how hard can it be to find a mountain?'.

We left at 8.30 and soon found ourselves winding up to Drouin, Warragul and on to Rosedale, Maffra, and Stratford. Had lunch at Bairnsdale and went in search of THE GREAT ALPINE ROAD.

Now for those that don't know this road is made all the way to Bright via Omeo Harrietville and Myrtleford.

To say the two members that did this trip had a ball would be an understatement.

Stopped at Omeo over night, 'isn't that a hive of activity ?'.

Friday morning saw us with the larks [feathered bird] and after having a "monster" at Twinkles we ventured on to Bright,as most of you kow we're not known for taken the most direct route any where so just outside Bright we turned right and went to Mt Beauty for some sustenance and to fill in time, well what else would two God fearing blokes do?.

At Myrtleford it gave us chance to have a look around the market which we just looove doing. After the market we took up residence at the Pinsent hotel at Wangaratta had a a good feed, walk around town then hit the sack for some Zizz's.

Saturday gave chance for a very relaxed ride home with all the 'Grey Nomads'. If you haven't done the Alpine road do your self a favour and see the High Country in the summer but, do remember it gets mighty cold on the mountain [2 degrees'] even in summer.

Monday February 06, 2012