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Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

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Off-topic: Climbers who ride MOTORcycles.


IdratherbeclimbingM9

14/06/2013
12:27:02 PM

Well, since I didn’t see you there, then I guess you missed it, which is a shame as it was a good event.

As things turned out...

Highs.

Fantastic weather, and simply riding in the alps again. I took the long way* there...

Meeting a fellow rider/climber at site and hearing (while partaking of a suitable beverage around a campfire), of his epic fall off Mt Tibrogargan after putting his hand on a brown snake on a jug above a lip while climbing there.

The reasonably sensible traffic that I came across, with no near misses, but one crowded moment when a 4wd with trailer thought he’d like more road than acceptable. Overall not bad for a long weekend and the amount of kms covered...

Lows.

Packing the bike the night before, wheeling it out of the garage next morning in plenty of time to meet up with others, then not being able to find the keys.
Searched all the usual places, and then the unusual, with no luck. With time running out I phoned my friends and said I will see you there, as I will miss the rendezvous.
In desperation unpacked the bike and started going through items piece by piece, spread out on a tarp beside the bike. While kneeling there doing it, I happened to look up at bike and noticed the keys caught between the foot-peg and frame, where they had fallen off the seat sometime while packing last night...

Since I was now riding alone I thought I’d stick to the tar and take a longer route, yet still to arrive in time to pitch tent before dark. Refuelled at Khancoban and in casual conversation with servo attendant asked how road up to Cabramurra was. “They closed it yesterday mate” was his reply. I thought he was kidding till an independent fisherman also refuelling, confirmed he had to arrive at Khancoban by another route due same from the other end.

*Decided to go the ‘back way’ (Elliot Way / Sioux City) to Cabramurra, though this entailed extra distance to access that road. While going past the Khancoban-Cabramurra turnoff, I saw another motorcyclist (from Melbourne), checking his map due being stopped by the locked gate further up that road. Had a chat, and he changed his mind about going through Thredbo, and followed me instead.

After some spirited riding, got to pitch the tent just before dark, even though the route turned out to be longer than anticipated.

Blerrie bean-counters closing roads on prescribed dates notwithstanding weather conditions and public holiday patronage... VIC is definitely ahead of NSW when it comes to common sense regarding that!

Oh, and another unusual thing happened.
On the way home, I stopped at the Tumbarumba Bakery where main-street works are in progress. Parked bike rear to kerb and went inside to order food. A pedestrian comes inside and says to me that I better come check my bike as it has fallen over!
I look outside and sure enough, it is on its side. With the help of same pedestrian/s I pick it up again, and they were amazed to see about 150 mm of the foot end of its sidestand come out of the tar when it was righted.
No damage done (fortunately), but not something I would expect in cold weather, new tar or not...

Balmy afternoon, last light.

One of the cold mornings.

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