Is that Lavender?

The conditions for our ride on Sunday were the best for 6 months. It was a beautiful clear day, there was very little wind and the sun was providing just the right amount of warming. The lucky riders Ewan, Phil, Brett , Rod and Dave decided that it was the perfect day to take on the Eagle's Nest.

After a bit of a warm up on the tracks linking Golden Square to Kangaroo Flat it was onto Crusoe Res for morning tea, unfortunatley no scones so we had to make do with Gel Packs and bananas.

We set off again knowing that the real climbing was ahead of us but that hopefully the view from the top of the Eagle's Nest would make it all worthwhile. Everyone made the climb to the fenceline without any dramas but we were all in for a bit of shock as we headed onto the track along the top of the Big Hill Range towards the trig point. The rolling green hills were vividly contrasted by the brilliant blue sky and an amazing display of purple wildflowers. Well  I think they were considered flowers in Portugal where it come from but over here
Echium plantagineum is better known as Paterson's Curse or Salvation Jane for those of you from SA and its a weed. It was introduced from Portugal in the mid 19th Century but now it has inhabited a lot of farming land throughout Victoria, NSW and SA.

Its recovered very well from the drought and there is an impressive crop growing all over the hills with only our skinny little bike track left with nothing growing on it. The crop was a good metre high in places and it was quite surreal riding through it. But soon enough the mind was back on the job as we hurtled down the hills, momentarily keeping pace with the kangaroos before taking on the steep climb to the trig point.

The quality of the attached video which was meant to be a picture explains why we are looking for a new photographer for the Crew
After a moment to take in the view it was onto the thrilling decent towards Crusoe. This is one of the best bits of track around Bendigo and as long as you remember to brake a little to take off some speed before you hit the small wooded section then you should arrive safely at the bottom. Its a decent that you want to do more than once but unfortunately there is no chair lift so the only way back to the top involves a hard slog on foot or on the bike so once was enough today.

Staff Vacancy

The Sunday Morning Crew have a great job going for a team photographer. No experience is needed and all equipment is supplied (the editors $68 Harvey Norman digital camera). All you need to be able to do is remember to take photos while you are out on the track rather than at the coffee shop and be able to switch between movie mode and still shots.

Send in your resume now, no references needed and the job can be yours.

Beeripmo We Love You

The big day had finally arrived, we were off to Mt Cole and the Beeripmo Track. Except it very nearly wasnt on when Tony discovered late in the week that the Mt Buangor State Park which houses part of the track was closed due to damage caused by last years bushfires. The Park wasnt due to reopen until the end of October but we couldnt wait that long because if it got too warm the snakes would be on the move and mountain biking can be tricky enough without having to dodge sticks that wriggle and bite. We reminded ourselves that it was adventure we were looking for so riding through a park that was closed would only add to the adventure we thought. So the trip was back on with Steve (tour leader), Tony, Phil, Mel and Dave (me) making up the expedition team. The Bradleys had opted out of this trip mentioning something about a guy called Cadel  racing in Geelong for a rainbow jersey, sounds lame to me.

Steve has talked about Mt Cole for quite some time now telling us how good it was to ride (apart from the snakes and the european wasps - ask Roz about the trouble they can cause) so those of us who hadnt been there before we expecting it to be a special place.  We left Bendigo at 8am (7 really because it was the first day of daylight savings) and headed west through Maryborough and Avoca to the Richards campground which was our starting point for the ride. It was a beautiful sunny day, about 20 degrees and not too much wind, perfect riding weather. The only thing that had us worried was the amount of fallen trees on the side of the road as we drove in and the large group of motor bike riders at the campsite up the road.

As we were getting ready for our ride we chatted to a few campers who confirmed that there were in fact quite a few trees down on the track which we wouldnt be able to ride over. Steve had already warned us that there was a bit of walking and bike carrying involved in completing this trek but it sounded like this time around it might be more than a bit.


We left Richards full of excitment about what lay ahead and started climbing. The track is 17kms in length with the first 2/3rds climbing and the last 1/3rd a decent to reward you for all the climbing. We warmed up quickly after the first hill and headed towards Raglan Falls which was about a km ahead. It didnt take long for us to encounter our first fallen tree and this was to be a bit of a pattern for the day. It was only the size of the trees that varied and the tactics that we had to use to get over them. On the way to Raglan Falls we passed some hikers coming down who seemed a bit offended that we were taking our bikes on their walking track.



Dave and Tony celebrating the first checkpoint at Raglan Falls



It was on the next section to Cave Hill that Mt Cole bared its teeth for the first time. Apart from the large fallen trees we had to make our way around, under or over,  the track was littered with sticks, bark and leaves that was attracted to our wheels on a regular basis. So it was important to keep your wits about you and your fingers crossed that you were able to stop quickly enough as soon as you heard or felt a stick in your wheel. Unfortunatley for Mel one stick that got in her wheel broke one of the most important pieces of equipement on a bike, the rear derailleur hanger. Now I remember this one time at MTB camp when Brett reminded us all that we should carry a spare hanger with us. Tony and I heeded this advice but that was when I had the GT and I havent got one for the Felt yet. Alas Mel and Phil werent around when Brett gave us those words of wisdom so the only hanger we had was Tony's which although Mel and Tony both ride Giants wouldnt fit Mels bike. So with heavy hearts we left Mel to follow the breadcrumbs that had fallen out of Tony's picnic lunch back to Richards campground. That left four of us to compelte the journey. It was almost three as Phil was attacked by a blood sucking leech the size of his finger, well it was at least a cm long anyway. He gave us a great impression of some break dancing as he tried to remove it and only succeeded in flicking it from one leg to the other. He eventually got it off but not before he was left with a bloody scar to show for it.



Tony making his way under one of the fallen trees on the way to Cave Hill



It was on the way to Cave Hill that we crossed over from the Mt Cole State Forest to the Mt Buangor State Park which as I mentioned was still closed but due to reopen soon. The damage from the fires was clear to see so we made sure to stay on the track so we didnt damage any of the regrowth which was well underway. Luckily DSE had replaced all the directional sign posts along the track so we had no problems navigating our way.

The views from Cave Hill were spectacular and even more so because the canopy of trees had been reduced by the fire. We stopped here to admire a number of Eagles majestically flying below us before enjoying a short but very enjoyable decent before the climbing started again as we headed for The Sugarloaf. 



The view from Cave Hill looking towards Mt Langi Ghiran and the Grampians



There was a fair bit of climbing to reach the top of The Sugarloaf and we stopped along the way to have some food and to answer the call of nature. We continued to fight our way past fallen trees and then  entered a tough walking/carrying bike section near Dawson Rock. Steve had recollections of some stone steps that led up a hill and he was right. This section provided a full body work out carrying our bikes for a few hundred metres up a steep track. But we were driven on by the knowledge that each step brought us closer to the flowing decent near the end of our ride.

On the way between The Sugarloaf and Dawson Rock we passed through the official Beeripmo Camping ground which is used by walkers as the overnight stay when the tackle the complete walk in 2 days. Shortly after we came upon the Mugwamp camping ground and this is where we had our first puncture of the day. We were enjoying a sweet decent when Phil went pop or at least his back tyre did. We fixed this and shortly after officially commenced the decent along Long Gully.

Although the fallen timber made the decent a little stop and start it was impossible not to enjoy this part of the ride. At one stage we had sheer drops on our left hand side as we wound our way down the hill. As much as it was tempting to take in the view it wasnt advisable whilst your bike was moving as full concentration was needed on the track ahead. At another point we were in a lush green valley that reminded me of riding through the fernery at Rosalind Park. It was here that Steve and Phil shared a special bonding moment as they fixed their flat tyres together.


Fixing flats in Long Gully. Doesnt look like the Long Gully we know


We could almost smell the barbie that we hoped Mel had cooking for us as we closed in on the finish. Steve who had a done a ton of work at the head of the peleton hadnt put a foot wrong all day but one final tree changed all that. As he attempted to cross the fallen branch the tree refused to let him go without the password. There was a moment of elasticity as Steve pulled against the force of the branch but then it became too much and he was shot backwards and off his bike as nature showed that man is no match for the power of the forest. The good news is that Steve completed the last 700 metres on his bike and we all made a triumphant entry back into the Richards campground to the surpise of the family group enjoying their picnic.

We woke Mel from her slumber in the car and packed our gear and headed for the Avoca bakery to feed our hungry bodies.

As Bill and Ted once said this was an excellent adventure.  Along the way we had some mechanicals, we had some spills but no one died and we enjoyed a great time outdoors even if there was no gold!

All in all it was a great day and Steve was right it is a magical place and we didnt see one snake all day.


Distance 17 kms
Time 4 hours 29 minutes