Alpine Ride after the WSBK's

I thought I'd separate this from the main WSBK thread so the 2 don't get lost within each other.

A few of us are planning  a ride through the Alps after the WSBK meet in February, leaving the Island Monday morning and I'm planning on being back in Melbourne by Thursday afternoon.

Chatting with madmax last night we think we'll just wing it re: accommodation so there's no pressure to be in a certain location each night.

I'm pretty sure Tag said he'll catch us up on the Tuesday and if IIRC there was myself, madmax, Ewok, Hammy (+mate?) leaving on the Monday, were you up for it as well Barry?

Ewok had suggested a route on the 1st page of the WSBK thread which looks like it'd take in some awesome country side and roads

Ewok1958 wrote:Sunday: watch the races and stay overnight.
Monday: Philip Island - Reefton Spur - Mansfield - Bright (overnight Bright - it has a great pub, local brewery and some excellent accommodation)
Tuesday: Bright - Mt Beauty - Falls Creek - Omeo - Bruthen - Traralgon (overnight Traralgon).  You simply will not believe the riding on this day until you experience it - it involves crossing the Vic Alps.
Wednesday: Traralgon - Open Cut Mine (for pics) - Licola (for lunch) - Walhalla - Traralgon (overnight Traralgon).  Not quite a rest day but some great riding.  There are extra options!

Ewok, your Day 1 suggestion, is Google maps way out with it's estimate, although it's only 532KM it's suggesting it's a near on 10 hour ride?

Well, that is certainly one way of getting there mate, but it's not what I've got in mind!  This is only 460kms and 7.5 hrs (max).  And another hour can be cut of by doing some boring hwy running instead of the roads north-east of Mansfield (which are more interesting).



Another option which I might explore is looping south around Lake Eildon, via Jamieson. It is all sealed, twisty and so it is quite slow and Bright would be too far.  But I'll have a play - don't want to mess up Day 2 though!

Thanks Ewok, that looks like a much more enjoyable day, I don't mind the occasional 10 hour day in the saddle but not so windy to go with it

At this stage a bit of touring in the hills will fit my schedule, not catching the dingy back until the night of Tuesday 8th.

Those left hand twisties really slow me down on the sidecar so me and Axel will be the tailing Charlie, depending on how far behind we are in the afternoon we could slip up to the highway at Benalla to makeup some time (or not loose too much drinking time at Bright ).

What I'd suggest is to follow Ewok's route except turn off at Taggery, head over towards Eildon then over to Jamieson. Eildon - Jamieson Rd is approx 65k of twisties. Going around the west side to Mansfield as in Ewok's map is pretty boring hwy riding. From Mansfield I'd suggest the Mansfield - Whitfield Rd.

Chook in your map, going from the Reefon spur through Woods Point to Jamieson includes a long stretch of gravel from Woods Point right through to Kevington

Manic Max has right knowhows there 

(Although the Kevington Pub is a wee ripper Max, 85 kms of gravel be damned)

madmax wrote:What I'd suggest is to follow Ewok's route except turn off at Taggery, head over towards Eildon then over to Jamieson. Eildon - Jamieson Rd is approx 65k of twisties. Going around the west side to Mansfield as in Ewok's map is pretty boring hwy riding. From Mansfield I'd suggest the Mansfield - Whitfield Rd.

Chook in your map, going from the Reefon spur through Woods Point to Jamieson includes a long stretch of gravel from Woods Point right through to Kevington

That's why I'm relying on your local knowlege, I've got NFI out there, last time I was anywhere near the Latrobe Valley was a quick ride through on the hwy in 1991, and I haven;t been anywhere in the Alps since 1979 or 1980

#Tag wrote:Manic Max has right knowhows there 

(Although the Kevington Pub is a wee ripper Max, 85 kms of gravel be damned)

We're on the wrong bikes for 85km of dirt no matter how good the pub is, 8.5 m is plenty

#Tag wrote:Manic Max has right knowhows there 

(Although the Kevington Pub is a wee ripper Max, 85 kms of gravel be damned)

And I'm all for a good Pub. So if you really want to go to the Kevington Pub, the road is sealed from Jamieson down to Kevington, just not up from Woods Point.

And a fine road it is too, Max.  (erm - Jamieson to Kevington, that is)

You won't go south of Whitfield and end up in Myrtleford on anything not resembling dual purpose bikes.

Isn't Whitfield - Rose River - Dandongadale - Myrtlerford sealed Chris?

#Tag wrote:Isn't Whitfield - Rose River - Dandongadale - Myrtlerford sealed Chris?

Part of the road is seen by google maps (street view) and is sealed, for some reason the camera car didn't travel the whole distance (unsealed?)
Personally I haven't travelled that stretch of road.

I'm a Whitfield/King Valley lad and the majority of it is unsealed. Doesn't get the traffic to warrant sealing. At times it's a great gravel road and others it's a shocker.

Great stuff guys. 

2wheelsagain wrote:You won't go south of Whitfield and end up in Myrtleford on anything not resembling dual purpose bikes.

So we'd either have to go:

1/ Maindample - Mansfield - Whitfield - (nearly into) Wangaratta - Myrtleford (154 km - 2 hrs 9 min)

or

2/ Maindample -  Benalla - Wangaratta - Myrtleford (137 km - 1 hr 33 min)
(could also still go into Mansfield, about a extra 5 km / 10 min)

??


Assuming we made it into Bright for the night that would make option approx (Google time) 1/ a 486 km 6 hr 50 min  and option 2/ a 469 km 6 hr 15 min ride

If you added Lake Eildon in to that as well that would change to approx (Google time) 1/ 514 km 8 hr 8 min 2/ 516 km 7 hr 48 min

map

545k nearly 9 hours

Alternative

557k  8 hours

madmax wrote:Alternative

557k  8 hours

I like the look of this one MM.  But I'm a long way away so I'll be happy to follow you guys . 

I was also thinking of an anti-clockwise loop Hammy, so I'm in favour of you proposal (with a slight mod to cross the Strezlecki Range between Yarram and Traralgon).  It would also set the ADL/MLB guys up to then do the Eildon loop on their way home. And you and I could head north/east.

IF the guys want to spend an extra day riding then your proposed route (or most of it) could be Day 2, with the following being Day 1.


https://www.google.com/maps/dir/-38.4966953,145.2369771/Powelltown+VIC,+Australia/Noojee,+Victoria,+Australia/Willow+Grove,+Victoria,+Australia/Erica,+Victoria,+Australia/-37.8504221,146.3746196/Walhalla+VIC,+Australia/Traralgon+VIC,+Australia/@-38.1572,145.6056184,10z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m45!4m44!1m5!3m4!1m2!1d145.5032099!2d-38.0238668!3s0x6b29e01bcf1d1c11:0x13045674ec242081!1m5!1m1!1s0x6b29cc824f3559e9:0x40579a430a07020!2m2!1d145.7526728!2d-37.8631031!1m5!1m1!1s0x6b284cfe15927bc9:0x40579a430a065e0!2m2!1d145.9999093!2d-37.8935715!1m5!1m1!1s0x6b29a870e45050f9:0x40579a430a06b00!2m2!1d146.1784063!2d-38.072265!1m5!1m1!1s0x6b28fd3465b89aa7:0x40579a430a05e10!2m2!1d146.3718082!2d-37.9747936!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x6b28e69f88c453a5:0x40579a430a06a40!2m2!1d146.4516002!2d-37.9416753!1m5!1m1!1s0x6b2917784eec1ba1:0x50579a430a0dc10!2m2!1d146.534618!2d-38.1971087!3e0


Then potential Day 2:

https://goo.gl/maps/fKZhv7NNyKB2

Then Day 3 would be head out of Bright in whatever direction each wants to take.

In other words, there are options - just depends on how quick guys are leaving to head home.

Ewok1958 wrote:I was also thinking of an anti-clockwise loop Hammy, so I'm in favour of you proposal (with a slight mod to cross the Strezlecki Range between Yarram and Traralgon).  It would also set the ADL/MLB guys up to then do the Eildon loop on their way home. And you and I could head north/east.

IF the guys want to spend an extra day riding then your proposed route (or most of it) could be Day 2, with the following being Day 1.


https://www.google.com/maps/dir/-38.4966953,145.2369771/Powelltown+VIC,+Australia/Noojee,+Victoria,+Australia/Willow+Grove,+Victoria,+Australia/Erica,+Victoria,+Australia/-37.8504221,146.3746196/Walhalla+VIC,+Australia/Traralgon+VIC,+Australia/@-38.1572,145.6056184,10z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m45!4m44!1m5!3m4!1m2!1d145.5032099!2d-38.0238668!3s0x6b29e01bcf1d1c11:0x13045674ec242081!1m5!1m1!1s0x6b29cc824f3559e9:0x40579a430a07020!2m2!1d145.7526728!2d-37.8631031!1m5!1m1!1s0x6b284cfe15927bc9:0x40579a430a065e0!2m2!1d145.9999093!2d-37.8935715!1m5!1m1!1s0x6b29a870e45050f9:0x40579a430a06b00!2m2!1d146.1784063!2d-38.072265!1m5!1m1!1s0x6b28fd3465b89aa7:0x40579a430a05e10!2m2!1d146.3718082!2d-37.9747936!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x6b28e69f88c453a5:0x40579a430a06a40!2m2!1d146.4516002!2d-37.9416753!1m5!1m1!1s0x6b2917784eec1ba1:0x50579a430a0dc10!2m2!1d146.534618!2d-38.1971087!3e0

We could always make the next day 50km shorther and rock up to 2WA's place for tea on the Monday

(Axle doesn't eat much Chris   )

They probably base their calculations on cage drivers that stick to the speed limits Chook. Take rests every hour. Do not pass other traffic. Stop in the middle of the road and get out to look at a parrot up a tree. Slow down for road works signs ( even on weekends when no one is working ). Stop at every road side stall to purchase some REAL organic fruit n veg.  

Hammy wrote:They probably base their calculations on cage drivers that stick to the speed limits Chook. Take rests every hour. Do not pass other traffic. Stop in the middle of the road and get out to look at a parrot up a tree. Slow down for road works signs ( even on weekends when no one is working ). Stop at every road side stall to purchase some REAL organic fruit n veg.  

And not to forget, do 25kph or less around the 40kph rated bend

Ewok1958 wrote:I was also thinking of an anti-clockwise loop Hammy, so I'm in favour of you proposal (with a slight mod to cross the Strezlecki Range between Yarram and Traralgon).  It would also set the ADL/MLB guys up to then do the Eildon loop on their way home. And you and I could head north/east.

IF the guys want to spend an extra day riding then your proposed route (or most of it) could be Day 2, with the following being Day 1.


https://www.google.com/maps/dir/-38.4966953,145.2369771/Powelltown+VIC,+Australia/Noojee,+Victoria,+Australia/Willow+Grove,+Victoria,+Australia/Erica,+Victoria,+Australia/-37.8504221,146.3746196/Walhalla+VIC,+Australia/Traralgon+VIC,+Australia/@-38.1572,145.6056184,10z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m45!4m44!1m5!3m4!1m2!1d145.5032099!2d-38.0238668!3s0x6b29e01bcf1d1c11:0x13045674ec242081!1m5!1m1!1s0x6b29cc824f3559e9:0x40579a430a07020!2m2!1d145.7526728!2d-37.8631031!1m5!1m1!1s0x6b284cfe15927bc9:0x40579a430a065e0!2m2!1d145.9999093!2d-37.8935715!1m5!1m1!1s0x6b29a870e45050f9:0x40579a430a06b00!2m2!1d146.1784063!2d-38.072265!1m5!1m1!1s0x6b28fd3465b89aa7:0x40579a430a05e10!2m2!1d146.3718082!2d-37.9747936!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x6b28e69f88c453a5:0x40579a430a06a40!2m2!1d146.4516002!2d-37.9416753!1m5!1m1!1s0x6b2917784eec1ba1:0x50579a430a0dc10!2m2!1d146.534618!2d-38.1971087!3e0


Then potential Day 2:

https://goo.gl/maps/fKZhv7NNyKB2

Then Day 3 would be head out of Bright in whatever direction each wants to take.

In other words, there are options - just depends on how quick guys are leaving to head home.

There are lots of options for us, Vic has some great roads. I'm also leaning on the anticlockwise direction, take 2 days or so to get to Bright. then head back down towards Melbourne and set Chook and Barry up for their homeward rides.

I'll work on some other options later

A Victorian on another site has suggested that we must do the "Tawonga Gap"  .  He recons it is better than the Jamieson Rd.   JTIOT