Saturday 16 Mar 2019

Another beautiful night in a historic hut. I’m so glad I decided to do this short out and back to Oldfield’s and Horse Gully Hut. In these past four months I hadn’t stayed in any huts because either they had burned down or I detoured and missed them. They are so special and I owed it to myself to experience at least a couple of them. Success!

Just as I was getting ready to leave this morning there was a group of three young people jogging in. They started at Mt Clear and were planning to continue on the Border Track back to their starting point, a total of 40 kms. That is as much as I was planning to ride today! Soon after heading out I saw another lyrebird, possibly the same one as I saw coming up here a couple of days ago. This time it let out an accusatory cry and flew off into the trees. Again no time to get a picture.

Even though I was going down the Naas Valley Fire Trail, there were still a lot of very steep sections requiring serious pushing. Fire Trails, of course, were never primarily meant to be recreational trails. They were cleared to be able to get in quickly to get to and fight bushfires and they go up and down steeply. But it wasn’t as much pushing as when I rode up.

A few kms before Caloola Farm the trail leveled out and became a gentle, gradual descent.

I got to Tharwa Sandwash at 12:00, nobody there and my previous spot and picnic table were there waiting for me, very tempting, and it had been my plan to stay there one more night. But when I got the updated weather forecast for the next few days (rain, rain, heavy rain) I decided to continue home (Malcolm’s). It was overcast, not overly inspiring to spend a whole afternoon and evening, and I had been enjoying a (very rare!) tailwind up to this point that I figured I should take advantage of. Only another 50k……. My last day on the BNT might as well be my longest, or farthest day in the saddle.

Just as I started out again a ping from my rear wheel and ………. another spoke had bit the dust. No more spares, I’ve used them all. But one missing spoke isn’t the end of the world and the wheel didn’t wobble so we continued on. A long anticipated coffee and toastie break in Tuggers, but a second break didn’t materialize. A gelato shop along the way, listed on Google Maps, wasn’t there and a second coffee shop a bit later had already closed by the time I got there. Oh well. I got to Charnwood at 17:00 and drank three cups of tea right away. Mal had already started preparations for another delicious pizza dinner, yum! Alfred and little Liam joined in as well.

It’s a little surreal, starting the day in such a remote setting and a few hours later I’m in the middle of a busy city.

Today’s total 88k 6:30h 1,000m+ 1,350m-