Day 2, Part 1
Woke up gloriously in a 25C room and then proceeded to get a slap in the face when I walked outside. It was 9C. Ouch. Looks like I was back to layering up with almost everything I owned. I did a bit of a walk around the caravan park now that I had enough time and sus out the facilities. It was an older caravan park, with minimal facilities but it was clean, neat and the gardens were beautiful. I checked out the weather App and it stated that it shouldn’t rain, however I was a little dubious from yesterday’s experience. So I got my wets out, just in case.
Since there was nothing open at the caravan park or in town I saddled up and had to go into Bright. Those 9 degress were certainly felt in the 15 minute ride into town. As soon as I left Porepunkah the fog was so thick, that it was actually drenching, that I camped out in a Bright cafe until about 10am hoping the fog would lift enough for me to go back to ride Mt Buffalo.
Reading the local paper while I was waiting for breakfast, I came across an article that spoke about the rains experienced in the surrounding landscape… that will be right. Big droughts, but trust me to come by and have floods hit the area. No wonder roads in the place were so full of debris, creeks were almost bursting etc.
It was a nice breakfast, simple, but it definitely was Bright prices. I was considering getting a second, however, as the fog only just managed to lift a little by 10am, there was no point in staying longer to wait it out. I was burning daylight that I knew I needed. So left the 2nd overpriced breakfast and rode back to Porepunkah, but turned off towards Mt Buffalo. I would collect my luggage on the way back.
So without more delay, I took off up to check out what the fuss was about Mt Buffalo. The owner of the caravan park let me dump all my touring bags in the foyer and told her that If I had not come back in 3 hours to send a search party for me. Feeling as light as a mountain goat on coffee, I took off up the mountain. They told me this place has received so much rain the weeks before there were waterfalls over the edge of the road – which scenery wise would be fabulous but not on a motorbike…
They weren’t wrong when they said about waterfalls on, right at the side of the road! Also didn’t take long to start climbing and climbing quite rapidly. And the view just kept getting better and better.
The higher I climbed the more my jaw was getting wider and wider. I have never been in such as place, and I think it will take me a while to see this again. It was just cold Magic!
I was so taken by this place, that this is going to be one of those blogs mainly to photo dump, as most the time I was riding, my internal dialogue was only really saying things like “wow”, “splendid” “super” “tops!” etc
This mountain was more interesting than the others, not just because of the twisties, but because it seemed to have multiple plateaus and sections. Some were more rocky than others, and had branching roads to the main one, great places to explore.
Some places had mini picnic grounds with adjacent lookouts – but in my case most were not really look-out-able as all you could see was a wall of grey fog. But pretty none the less.
With hardly anyone about, it was easy for me to take my time to find parks and photos to take.
Almost at the top, there was a section of what looked like old abandoned buildings Again – another ski resort, so I shouldn’t have been surprised. However, why was this abandoned? Apparently it burned down in 2006 and left decrepit. . I was able to squeeze through some areas and walk around it. It just looked like such a waste, for suck a beautiful place. 😦
This place had everything; from tight twisties, to long sweepers, open windy plains, with rock formations, undulations, creeks and swampy areas as well as a lake or two!
I was really enjoying myself exploring and stopping anywhere and everywhere I chose. However I was mindful of the time as I had told the caravan attendant that if I hadn’t come back in 3 hours to send out a search party for me.
With good timing as the clouds were coming back and I could feel the first spatterings of cold rain. . Back down the mountain I went.
Just so much water, debris and other hazards were found on sections of the road, I had to be careful. Too easy to slip.
But finally, back on the base of the mountain and setting off towards the caravan park.
So back at the caravan park, thanked the owner for letting me leave the luggage behind, saddled up the Lawnmower and off we went. Back through Bright and on to Omeo, where I would get to check out Gotham Heights as well as connect to the Mitta Mitta, which was something off my bucket list.
To be continued…
Touring Valvoline 