Mountain Madness in Context . . .

What is it . . .

 

Have a close look at who is in front!

 

At its essence Mountain Madness (MM) is an annual motor cycle ride where about 20 people and roughly a dozen motor cycles leave their normally comfortable lives, homes and families and go riding in the south east Australian highlands for roughly a week sometime over the Christmas/New Year period.

 

It also represents a time where this bunch of madmen and madettes share their mutual love of motor cycling and reaffirm their friendships with other people of a similar mind.  There is no formal structure and sometimes minimal organisation – although more of the latter might not be a bad idea!

 

Where did it come from . . .

 



Loyd and Garry leading the discussion in 2005

MM was conceived when three madmen went for a ride to the west of Melbourne in 1999 because one of them had to quote on the demolition of a bridge near Warrnambool.  Loyd, Andy and Garry concluded this was a good idea so they decided to make it into an annual event and Loyd coined the name. 
The initial ride under the Mountain Madness ‘banner’ was in 2000 – and this scribe was on that ride.  For some years it occurred between Christmas and New Year and it always involved heading into the ‘mountains’ in one way or other.  Initially we never left Victoria . . . but we have slowly strayed further and further in NSW as the years have gone on.

It has also been held early in the New Year when it departed on or about January 2^nd or 3^rd but in recent times the ride has included New Year’s Eve.

 

Which way . . .

 

Confusion reigns - could be any year!

Originally we all covered the same route and the only variations were that some did it very fast, others fast and still more at customary speeds.  Over the years more madmen and madettes have chosen to include some extreme and ‘normal’ off-road riding and we normally agree to meet at various points somewhere along the way – which has been known to happen! 
There are no maps or published itineraries and the ‘navigationally challenged’ use the ‘I’ll follow you’ method of direction finding.  They too have been known to arrive at an agreed destination – sometimes!

 

Who comes . . .

 

Some current and past particpants

 

Mountain Madness is by invitation only.  While annual participants vary from time to time and some have come and gone over the years, there is a bunch of regular Mountaineers who seem to pop up each year. 

And what an eclectic bunch we are in our day jobs . . . electrical engineer, yoga teacher, meteorologist, lawyer, managing director, company chairman, photographer, legal secretary, business process expert, concrete expert and retirees. 

We were very thankful that Richard had the foresight to include a travelling aged care nurse in this year’s episode – a very wise idea!

And each year someone new pops up.  This year we welcomed Alf and Narelle who both fitted in very well on and off the road and we hope to see more of both of you.

 

The big picture . . . 2012

[Double click for a large image]

This year Richard took on the somewhat onerous task of getting everyone to decide on the route and making the accommodation bookings where required. 

Selecting the route should not be as hard a job as we make it out to be because we mostly end up going over the same roads each time!  I am sure that if we just decided to leave on a certain day without a plan we would probably bump into each other – sometimes more often than with a plan!

The agreed MM 2012 plan was:

• Saturday 31^st Dec (2011) – depart Melbourne for Omeo via Mansfield, Bright, Falls Creek and Anglers Rest
• Sunday 1^st Jan – Omeo to Orbost via Bruthen and Buchan (and others via Seldom Seen)
• Monday 2^nd Jan – Orbost to Pambula (NSW) via Cann River and Bombala (and others via Delegate)
• Tuesday 3^rd Jan – Pambula to Corryong via Browns Mountain, Dalgety, Berridale, Adaminaby, Cabramurra and Khancoban (and others via everywhere else) 
• Wednesday 4^th Jan – Corryong to Melbourne (for this writer and two others) via Tallangatta, Bright, Myrtleford, Mansfield and Yea (and loads of places around Corryong for the others)
• Thursday 5^th Jan – Corryong to Mansfield via Tallangatta, Omeo and Bright
• Friday 6^th Jan - Mansfield to home

 

Welcome to our world!

 

 

So may the motor cycle gods bless Mountain Madness 2012 and all who participate in it . . . !