Day 7: A ride up Mount Kosciuszko - 97kms
I was up nice and early so that I could start my ride at sunrise (7am). As for the first 45kms I'll be mainly climbing to my destination, Mt. Kosciuszko.
The weather looked nicer than yesterday, but there was a little cloud around still. Generally the climb up the mountain was good, with a couple of short descents before getting the Charlotte Pass. This is where the sealed road ends, but you can cycle for another 7kms and leave your bike parked about 1km short of the summit. The cloud started to part and I was enjoying plenty of blue sky. The scenery around here is alpine and the air is certainly cooler. This time of year there is no snow. But all the ski resorts were renovating ready for the season in a couple of months time. When I joined the dirt path at Charlotte Pass, there were a few walkers but the path is wide enough for everyone to enjoy. I parked my bike just below the summit and enjoyed the final kilometre walking. As I was getting closer to the summit the cloud rolled in and initially obscured the view. But I waited a few minutes at the top and got to enjoy some nice views before heading back down to the bike. On the way back down I got to enjoy the descents, especially after the dirt had finished. The road is really smooth with nice sweeping corners. So you could keep a good speed. It took me just over 3 hours to climb but certainly under 2 hours to come back down. As I made good time I stopped at the Thredbo River, 10km before Jindabyne. It is a nice spot to enjoy lunch. After I rode back into town by 3pm. Today has been a really fantastic ride. Some great climbing, fantastic scenery and best of all great weather. |
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Day 9 Jindabyne to Adaminaby - 88kms
Yesterday I had a rest day in Jindabyne. It was nice to just relax around the lake and look through the town. Today I was on the road just after 7.30am. Sun was shining and it was a little cool.
There were a few small climbs out of Jindabyne, but they went quickly. After about 35kms I took the turn off for Adaminaby. The wind started to pick up a bit, but was generally more of help than a hinderance. That was until I got to the highway. The road is exposed and I was now generally riding into the wind. It was very cool and gusty. I got to Adaminaby just before 1pm. The original plan was to ride another 20kms but with the wind being so strong i decided to stop here. The town is small and was relocated when they flooded the area for the Snowy Hydro Project. I had some lunch and went to the campsite. The owners are friendly and it is tidy (a bit dated). I was pleased to be out of the wind for the rest of the day. Tomorrow I'm riding up to the caves, which are about 60kms away. It isn't meant to be as windy tomorrow. |
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Day 10: Adaminaby to Long Plain Hut - 77kms
It was a very cool night last night. The temperature dropped to about -2c but I was nice and cosy in my tent. This morning it was not windy like yesterday. It was actually a nice blue sky day. I was riding just after 8.30am and was heading for Yarrangobilly Caves. Which is about 65kms away.
The road climbed steadily until I was on the open moor land. Pleased I wasn't doing this bit yesterday, as it is very exposed up here. As I was riding across I noticed some Brumbies in the distance. These horses have gone wild and roam freely through the national park. There is a process to try and reduce their numbers, not sure how successful they have been. To get to the caves you need to take a dirt road for about 5kms. It also drops by about 300 metres in elevation. I got here just before 12.30pm. It is a very nice spot and would be great to camp, but unfortunately they only allow people to say in the lodge. I booked myself on the 1.45pm tour of the Jillabenan Cave. The cave tour was nice and went for about a hour. Saw the usual cave things, stalactites, stalagmites and columns. After the tour I went to the thermal springs and had a soak for a while before I began my climb out. The springs are a constant 27c throughout the year. It was certainly very refreshing. The walk along the river was also very enjoyable. I left the caves at about 4.30pm and began my climb out. Once I was back on the main road I took the Long Plain Road turnoff and followed the road until I saw the turnoff for Plain Road Hut. This is my campsite for the night. There are a small group of families with their kids also staying the night. It was nice seeing the kids get excited about being outside. The families said it got down to -4c last night. Looks like it'll be as cold again tonight. Today has been a lot of fun. It was nice being back in the national park. Over the next 2-3 days I will slowly make my way through the parks to my final destination, Canberra. |
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