Day 4 – Sunday 5th November – Thredbo to Beechworth (the long way)
Good early start Sunday morning, breakfast at 7.30am. Shotski and Dicko heading home to Melbourne today (work commitments) for the rest another day of riding through the Snowy Mountains. We do not take up the offer made by the local police at the concert for a free breathalyser before heading out, they did strongly recommend that you walk to the breathalyser station rather than ride just in case you blew positive. Guess we all think we are good to ride.
Another blue sky morning, cool temperature just right for the days planned ride down the mountain to Khancoban then turn right along the Tooma Road back up through the mountains to Cabramurra, on to the Elliot Way to Tintaldra for lunch. Then out on the Murray River Road to Granya, another right turn along the banks of Lake Hume to Albury and on to Beechworth via Yackandandah.
Lots of bikes heading down the mountain keeping close to speed limits as this section is normally policed heavily after the Snowy ride, Rottweiler can testify this having picked up a speeding fine one year (we all know Woger pulled in at the same time and asked “me as well”, say no more). A madman on a Harley flew past, overtaking on blind corners and cutting corners, not surprised to see him and a few others pulled over by the boys in blue further down the mountain. Stopped at Khancoban to re-muster and fuel for Bugger and Rottweiler just to make sure they make the next petrol stop. By this time Smithy’s back tire had a clear white wear strip down the center (down to the fabric), not to worry as we do not intend to be using the center of our tires much on the next sections. Anyway we can’t do much about a bald tire in the middle of the Snowy Mountains on a Sunday morning.
The ride up to Cabramurra along the Snowy Ridge Road is another good road in and out of the mountain valley’s, steep winding climbs over the ridge followed by steep tight descents back down into the next valley. Luckily only a couple of vehicles on the way up so we were able to ride at our own spritely pace, even took the opportunity to stop to take in the scenery at Tumut Pond Reservoir dam wall.
Jumping back on the bikes to beat two four wheel drives pulling vans heading across the dam wall to make sure we have a clear run up the final stretch up to Cabramurra. Cabramurra was a planned rest stop to take on some fluids on a hot day and a petrol stop for those with small tanks (next petrol possibly over 200klm, will Bugger make it or not).
From Cabramurra a quick blast back out of the mountains along the Elliot Way to Tintaldra for lunch. Yet another tight twisty road winding up and down the mountain valley’s eventually opening up to a typical log truck road, fast open road with long sweeper after sweeper.
Tintaldra pub is welcome stop on what has turned out to be a sweltering day, time to take on some more fluids and a Tintiadra burger. Great hospitality at the pub, good food and a cleansing light ale, just the thing to get us ready for the next section out along the Murray River Road to Albury ( now back in Victoria). Checked with the landlord to see if there is any petrol before Albury, he makes a call to Walwa to confirm the general store is open and along with it’s petrol bowser, all good so a short run for petrol (last stop before Beechworth)
At this point need to apologise to Gavin, it seems we did pass a petrol station last year, even though when you pull it looks as if it is closed. Need to read the signs which direct you the general store to get service. By this time it was sweltering so need to find some shade whilst waiting for everybody to get fuel, this should be the last fuel stop of the day and the last stop before Beechworth.
The plan is now to ride through to Beechworth and the Tanswell’s Commercial Hotel for the last night on the road. The Murray River Road as it’s name suggests hugs the banks of the river making it fast and twisty. All was going well until just before the turn off for Granya, corner advisory speed sign 65klm/hr so I start to wash a lot of speed, still covering the rear brake as I entered the corner. Then a police car appears coming in the opposite direction, a quick grab of the brakes to take of more speed, as it passes I can see the officerr wagging his finger at me, quick check in the mirror to confirm he was not doing a u-turn. Sigh of relief and I push on to the turn off to Albury to wait for the others to catch up. Kim arrives then Graeme, the next to arrive are Woger, Bugger and Rottweiler but no Smithy.
Kim and Graeme got the wagging finger but Woger reports that Smithy has been pulled over, the police car hit his brakes putting a cloud of blue smoke and dust at he passed Smithy then did a u-turn to pull him over. We wait in the shade of a tree for Smithy to arrive, he has picked up a ticket for 121klm/hr, $235 and 3 demerit points. The officer indicated that he allows up to 115klm/hr (can only assume me, Kim and Graeme were some how below 115 klm/hr, surprising !!). The officer even got a good look at Smithy’s bald tire, made some sarcastic comment but did not book him for that. The officer also said they patrol this section of road after the Snowy Ride expecting a lot of bikes to be using it. Guess it could have been any of us, next year if we come back the same way suggest we take the River Road on the NSW side of the river.
The run up to Bellbridge was sedate well within the speed limit after run in with the law. Missed the turn off for Bellbridge and ended up crossing Lake Hume so headed on to Albury. Plan was to turm at Bellbridge and to follow the banks of the lake to Tallangatta.
The run down to Beechworth via Yackandandah was uneventful mainly because of the sedate speed, considerate car drivers flashed to indicate a speed camera just before Yackandandah.
Pulled in at the back of the Transwell and headed straight to the bar to replace fluids and in one case to drown his sorrows. After everybody had bought a round of beer we checked in and went to freshen up before heading out for dinner. Aim was to find a pub or eatery that had Foxtel so we could watch Stoner and the last round of the MotoGP season.
Ascertained the Transwell bar closed at 10.00pm therefore no television after that time and they would not keep the bar open for residents. Therefore a pub crawl to find food and a place to watch the MotoGP. No luck at any place, no Foxtel and all closing at 10.00pm, ended up at the Hibernian for dinner and a few beers and wines before heading back to the Transwell for a night cap. Hospitality at the Transwell was abysmal, closed the bar at 9.45pm and would not give us another drink. Suggest we find an alternative for next year.
