Today I decided to redo the river crossings run I did way back when. Actually, I know where I was and it was around 2006, so 20 years ago. Wow. But I have been a few other places since that time, things may have changed. We also have had a lot of rain recently out west in our catchment area, our local river is still brown with silt, but the barrage gates are closed, so maybe things are dry enough for a run. It was going to be another loop ride if it all worked out, but I had mentally prepared myself for a few different detours if it was closed.
It was an early start(hey it is easter Sunday morning!), I left home around 8.30, fuelled up and then headed out west towards Ridgelands, what more do I need but a full tank and tunes. Did I mention the Spyder sound system is awesome! And loud 🙂 On the way west, I passed the southern connector construction to our new bypass. More big piles being smacked into the ground.
The road out here is two way, but quite rough, then it drops to single lane. Now, I hate single lane paved, because normally you drop your left wheel into the dirt when passing oncoming traffic. But, for me in the 3 wheeler, if I drop the left wheel into the dirt, that means my drive centre wheel is now running on the rough drop off edge. Yuck! I think I would prefer 2 way or dirt, not the in between.
Ahhh, bliss 🙂
The road was quite reasonable, a few ruts, a bit of loose stuff, but all in all, ok. I arrived at Glenroy Crossing around 10am.
So, a bit of standing water on the deck, but otherwise clear. This deck under a flood(that affects Rocky) is usually many many meters underwater. Yet, it still survives, so far 🙂
It was great to find the crossing low enough to cross, it meant no back tracking, which I hate with a vengance! The next goal is to find the turn off that will take me to Duaringa over the next river crossing at the McKenzie River. Onwards north, through similar dirt country tracks before finding a T junction. Luckily it was an easy choice, I needed to head towards Marlborough.
The track started off all ok from here but soon developed a distinct centre ridge.
This is caused by the cars, mostly 4wd that use these roads regularly. One of the biggest bug bears I have with the Spyder is the ground clearance, which is only 100mm. My original intention was to buy the Canyon model, which has 150mm ground clearance. But, that model was not coming to Australia any time soon, so I had to suck it up. Anyway, it made for interesting riding. I had to make sure the right hand wheel was on the ridge and make sure the left hand wheel was not going to disappear into any type of washout. Interesting 🙂 Oh and let us not forget about the middle rear drive wheel, I didn’t.
A few k’s down the track I found my place on earth!
Actually, I would have to look back at my blog in North America, but I am sure I found this over there as well 🙂 Two homes, who knew eh!
Onwards, through some actual crops and of course the normal food we produce out here, steak.
I had not seen to much wild life actually, a few roos and that’s it. Heaps of cows of course. Trip wise, I had sort of forgotten most of the roads as you can imagine after 20 years of flushing my memories, so I was glad to find the occasional signpost just to remind me I was on track 🙂
This was taking longer than I actually thought it would and I was feeling a tad peckish. So, no worries, pull over for a chook snack, I like em better when they are coldish anyway .
I sort of felt that I was going too slow, I seemed to be behind a sort of schedule I had in my mind. I had figured on about an hour from Rocky to the Marlborough/Sarina rd. But, it has taken me around 2 hours to get where I am. It is not a big problem, I had a full tank at the start, but this motor is twice the size of the Vstrom, so it is going to use fuel at a faster rate. Also, I seem to be riding slower overall(no biggee, it is enjoyable), but I need to factor all this info. I have tunes 🙂 And creek crossings.
I realised my slowness was due to the bloody cattle grids, and floodway’s. There were shitloads and they all had the unfortunate issue of being washed out(or bumped out by cars) on the approach and departure side of them. So, there were dips, just prior to the concrete(floodway’s) or steel bars(cattle grids). After the first 2 wacks, I had to anchor down to nearly zero to cross these bastard things.
So, comfortably running between 80-100kmh then anchor up for these then off again, probably every 1km or so, maybe less in some areas. Anyway, it was annoying. But the sun was out and I had tunes 🙂
Later than I imagined a I arrived at the turn off back west towards Duaringa, amazing how memories are different than real life. It was now just before midday. I had eaten my snack earlier and was currently on water rations!
And the sign was pointing down that dirt road towards food, hopefully at Duaringa. 104km to go. Assuming the Mckenzie River crossing was open.
Now I was quite hopeful because this sign is a council sign that is folded up or down depending on conditions. This one is closed up. Last time I rode through here it was left open and it says “Road Closed ahead” and indicates the river crossing is no good. I was real happy to see it closed up today, because it indicated the crossing was open. Mind you, keeping an eye on my fuel gauge, I was now in go/no go territory. I could proceed and get to Duaringa, if the river crossing was open, or I could backtrack(which I hate) to Marlborough(about 35km), fuel up and back track back to here. My fuel gauge said I had 225km range. I have learned to not trust this prediction as once the tank gets below a certain level, it goes and hides in a corner and gives a zero output.
Anyway. I was encouraged that the sign was folded closed and decided to take the chance. Onwards towards the south with the Clark ck wind farm blades spinning on the hills
It was some pretty fast country through here. I just had to remember to slow down for dips and floodways. I came across some weird things up in the trees.
On my return home I found out via internet(so, not sure if actually true or not), that these are the nests of processionary catarpillers. You learn something new everyday! Onwards and eventually around 1pm I arrived at the next major crossing.
It was weird, but it did not match my memory, maybe I was thinking of a different road, but I was sure this crossing was totally different. Mind you, it was 20 years ago, so flood waters could have changed the flow, who knows?
You can see the old road bed in the last picture.. Not that much lower than what I am sitting on! The road from here to Duaringa was shite, very rough, not corrugated, just shite. It was very hard to miss dips and bumps without hitting others. It is going to be very challenging once I get the camper/trailer hanging out the back. It was good to be back on some type of pavement after 4 hours of dirt though!
And so way later than I thought I arrived at Duaringa
I fuelled up(20c/l dearer than Rocky), grabbed a crumbed sausage and had a short rest before the hour long slog on the Cap highway home.
I arrived back home just on 3pm. Tired and hungry, but cracked a tinny first up. I reckon I could do with a wash, that is dirt, not tan and my ride could do with some washing as well.
It was a good day overall, especially to get some dirt time with the Spyder, it is totally different to the Vstrom.
Todays ride was about 200km dirt, 120km paved.
Cheers from TravellingStrom, correction SpyderRyder