Mountain Madness 2012: Day 4 - Tuesday 3rd January

Pambula to Corryong – for some

Pambula

Elevation: 10m (33’)

Weather: Mean max/min temps – 20.3/10.0; Rainfall 835mm

Population: 1146

Origin: The Thaua indigenous people called the area ‘panboola’, which means ‘twin waters’.

History: The area was visited by George Bass in 1797 and a village was established in the 1830s by a retired navy captain, John Lloyd. It is now a service town to the local dairy and farming community.

Notable people from Pambula: Before becoming Pambula’s first Postmaster, Sym Covington was the fiddler and cabin boy on the Beagle during Darwin’s second expedition and later became Darwin’s assistant and manservant. Perhaps we could do with manservants on MM?

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Pambula morning sojourn . . .

Given my sleeping habits still haven’t changed I was up and wandering about the town at around 5:00am – unfortunately there were no coffee shops or bakeries open at that hour. I eventually met up with Loyd at about 6:30am and we happened to spot a Panther car pulling into the vegetable shop next door to the motel . . . so we had to have a look.

OK, I'll take it - just let me ask Lea if I can have it!

Early morning dip . . .

Roger and Julie 'said' they were swimming at Pambula at 7:00am . . . and we don't disbelieve them - although this looks very similar to a photo taken at Phillip Island some years ago!

Playing in the sandpit . . .

A Team v B Team . . .

Today’s A Team consisted of Phil, Tony and Roger and Julie. They were planning on some extreme off-roading today and they headed off towards Bega at 7:30am. Melissa and Mark and Josie joined them as Mel needed tyres and Mark wanted to sort out a shimmy in the front brakes.

On the other hand, the B Team adopted the French approach . . . before anything could happen a relaxing breakfast was necessary in a lovely spot overlooking the ocean. So after some deliberation, Alf lead the way to The Cliff restaurant at Tathra and we enjoyed a stunning vista and lovely breakfast.

B Team's planned route . . .

[Doulbe click on the image for a larger view]

Farcical departure . . .

The B Team’s departure from the motel was a complete circus.

There we were all kitted up and gathered into a fine tough looking group – and 100m up the road we were in total disarray! It seems that Richard was the only one who knew the way and the rest of us were going in circles practicing sign language that no-one understood. Danny did the sensible thing and filled up with fuel while the rest of us continued gesturing at each other wondering why they could not understand what we were thinking!

We finally became less directionally challenged and followed Alf across to Tathra for breakfast . . . and what a lovely place it was.

Actually - it was about 5 idiots!

Only the best will do . . .

How things have changed . . . years ago we would have a pie at a local servo breakfast and then ride all day without any food or water. Well - maybe someone like Skull might!

MM is getting tougher each year!

Mesmerised by the birds sailing on the wind

Getting Under Way . . .

Once we had finished a delightful breakfast and taken in the gorgeous panoramic view we all rode into Bega to meet up with Mel and Mark E . . . which went without hitch. And Alf needed to wash the Harley – so that was a new one for MM as are normally take pride in how dirty our bikes get once a year!

By this time the B Team had split into B Team 1 and B Team 2 . . . B Team 1 consisted of our leader Richard, the former leader Loyd and (given his navigational skills) never to be leader Mark H and they headed up the hills by a special route that the rest of us didn’t quite understand.

B Team 2 consisted of Danny, Alf and Narelle, Mark and Josie, Mel, Karen and me and Lorraine. We went up Browns Mountain in the traditional way and realised that Richard’s secret way may have been wiser as the traffic was horrendous – that damned truck was not going to pull over for anyone!

Pipers Lookout was worth the stop and gave rise to yet another photo opportunity.

What a lovely spot - thanks Alf & Narelle

Remember - take your holidays!

Mountaineers at Pipers Lookout

Hey - whose camera is this?

Ready to roll . . .

Damned hot in Dalgety . . .

From the top of Browns Mountain we rode south towards Bombala and then west to Dalgety.

Riding in the high plains is just magic . . . long sweeping corners and the road snaking off into the distance across the rolling countryside. The ‘string of pearls’ headlights in the mirror was a lovely sight. While this section of road had recently been sealed (there were still signs warning of gravel roads ahead) and there were some loose stones, overall it is a wonderful stretch of road.

It was getting damned hot by the time we pulled into Dalgety and eventually gathered around the Buckley’s Crossing Hotel – a lovely place owned and operated by Darren Powell who has the world snowboarding speed record of 201kph! There are some neat videos at http://www.worldsfastestsnowboarder.com/ if you are interested.

The other half of the B Team arrived about ten minutes after us and we all enjoyed a cold drink and a few moments in the shade – and Alf and Narelle explored the town on the Harley. Josie started taking her clothes off – or at least she chose to ride in jeans as the heat was getting to her.

Buckley's Crossing Pub - see the 2012 Good Pub Guide

Hey Dan . . . we can't see around your load!

I forgot to tell you Alf - this is a very bad riding combination

You guys seem well matched . . .

Towards the unpronounceable town . . .

I promise to practice it again . . . "adam-in-a-bee"!

Next we all headed north to Berridale for fuel (the right kind) and then to Adaminaby for some shade! Things were getting pretty warm and some people just collapsed on the cool grass . . . we are pretty tough these days!

Years ago we could at least stand up . . .

We have been through here at least every second year . . .

Hey Dan - can't you get a few more bags on there?

The assembled bikes and bikers . . .

Dad's Army chaos . . .

The next half hour was a beautiful MM moment – how nine intelligent and experienced riders can get so irretrievably split up in such a short space of time beggar’s belief! It could not have been scripted better.

In summary the Halsian Navigation Theory (I’ll follow you) didn’t work this time so our leader Richard sensibly went back looking for them. Once found and re-instructed about the proposed turn off Richard came in pursuit of the rest of us. Unfortunately the instructions didn’t work and the Halses continued to the never-never and may well still be going!

In the meantime, it turns out that Josie had a desperate need to find somewhere cool and she insisted that they turn off at the first sign of a water body – which they did. That left four of us at the front waiting at the agreed rendezvous point – even though we lost Danny when we did a little sightseeing side trip in to Cabramurra! Then Loyd took off and got ahead (is anyone surprised!) and just to round off the day Mel turned the wrong way towards Khancoban.

The net result was that the Halses finished some 100 kilometres off course in Tumut (where they stayed the night) and the rest of us arrived in Corryong in ones, twos and threes over about 30 minutes! It must have been like a bad edition of the Dad’s Army to watch!

I wouldn't have a clue where they are!

Hey Mel - it is down here and then turn RIGHT to Corryong!

Cooling in Corryong . . .

Anyway, we quickly found the Motel and most ended up in or by the pool cooling down as the sun set slowly in the west. The natural thing to do seemed be to entertain ourselves with a few beers and war stories about the day.

Prophetic sunset near Corryong . . .

I'll race you all to the other end!

Where's our aged carerer then?

A Team . . . ?

At around 5:45pm we heard that the A Team was still having a ‘wonderful time’ somewhere . . . they had traversed nearly all the forestry roads and tracks in southern NSW and they were still outside Cooma.

We all decided to go the pub to celebrate this fact for them . . . which we did.

Did you hear the one about three guys on chook chasers?

A Team . . . return

The A Team made it to Corryong just in time before the pub’s kitchen closed at 8:30pm – luckily Mel smooth talked them into taking some orders right on the closing bell.

From notes I took when Phil was decribing A Team's Route - I THINK it went something like this.

[Double click on the image for a larger meaningless view]

Did I get it right Phil?

Frolicking in the bush . . .

Have you ever really wondered what the A Team does when they are out of sight . . . I'm thinking they might sit down and have a cup of team and consider the meaning of the universe . . .

Tony playing in the paddlers pool

Look out for the big thunderstorm!

Special thunderstorm avoidance technique - learned in Geneva!

Someone doing a runner from the authorities - or something like that!

Successful escape in Corbargo . . .

If you go out in the woods today . . .

I am guessing they went to Nerrigundah?

They enjoy eating each other's dust!

A ride-over look at the Tooma Reservoir

A very nice red post . . .

Heading past a twisted tree

Riding into the sunset - hope they can see where they are going?

Into Corryong . . . the motel is back the other way!

The B Team at play . . .

Promise you won't tell anyone . . . but here's what the B Team to get up to whenever the A Team picks up their marbles and goes and plays their own game!

Rowdy and Mel getting dirty together!

More drinking around the pool . . .

Just in case anyone reading this thinks all we do is ride, drink and tell tall stories – then you would be about right!

Back at the motel we heard stories from the A Team about dead end forest tracks, being threatened with a fine if they proceeded down a particular road, Roger having a little slow speed ‘whoopsie’ and getting covered in dirt and dust!