Tallangatta to Khancoban
Leave: 7.40am
Arrive: 4.00pm
Riding Time: 6hr 45mins
Total so far: 165km
Total today: 110.39km
Max. Speed: 61.6km/h
Av. Speed: 16.3km/h
Rode in the dark to the Bakery in town for breakfast - coffee scroll and good coffee. Left at daylight and quite cool (10 degrees C) and good road verge to Old Tallangatta (8km). Undulating riding until Bullioh when we hit the hills - a 3km steep climb and then some quite big hills through to Shelley. Pretty tough riding with no verge after Old Tallangatta but very little traffic.
The pub at Koetong didn't open until 11am (not even when we asked nicely for coffee!) and so we were glad we were carrying bars and an extra 3l of water. We also carried a 2 cup thermos flask which we had filled with boiled water in our motel room this morning and we used this to make coffee at the 42km mark at a reserve called Tom Mitchell - just past the worst of the hills.
Fantastic downhill after this toward Berringama but then some big undulations and Wabba Gap (465m) near the Cudgewa turnoff had me run out of water about 6km short of Corryong. This was a pretty tough ride of 83km to here but we found and had a great lunch at a local cafe on the left hand side at the far end of town. Bought some more water (2.5l) for the final 27km to Khancoban. It was 1.38pm in Corryong and about 30 degrees C.
6km out of Corryong turn right and go straight up the 2.5km climb of Towong Gap (425m).
Down the other side and cross Swampy Plains River into NSW
and climb up another unnamed gap before turning right for the last 5km into Khancoban. Very hot and tough riding! Staying at the Lakeside Caravan Resort on the entry to town in a luxurious demountable motel unit for $85 including a cereal breakfast and a microwave. Went to the pub for a drink (200m) and checked that the General Store will be open when we go in the morning (most days open 6.00am to 5.30pm).
Dinner at the pub - Fisherman's Basket ($19) and Rainbow Trout with all-you-can-eat vegetables and salad ($14).
Thursday 2nd April
Khancoban to Thredbo
Leave: 7.50am
Arrive: 5.50pm
Riding Time: 7hrs 26mins
Total so far: 253.2km
Total today: 78.21km
Max. speed: 70.6km/h
Av. speed: 10.5km
Wow - what a climbing day that was! From Khancoban at 300m to Geehi at 600m to Dead Horse Gap at 1582m to finish at Thredbo at 1330m.
Had brekky at the General Store and stocked up for morning/afternoon teas and lunch - no shops or civilisation until Thredbo. Couldn't buy 1.5l waters (they seem about the best carrying size) so bought a 1.5l softdrink, emptied it into the garden and filled it with water from a tap near the store. Also filled our bottles and another 1.25l bottle kept from yesterday. We've been starting the day with one of our water bottles filled with Gatorade as well (we are carrying Gatorade powder and so can make them up).
Had a "Switchyard" for breakfast - a bread roll filled with bacon, 2 eggs, uncooked tomato and onion and melted cheese - yum! The burger was named after some guys who used to work at the switchyard in Khancoban and would come in each day asking for these ingredients on a burger. The Switchyard was where NSW cattle were taken on into Victoria by Victorian drovers.
There is no shop for the next 8o km though the Murray Power Station Number 1 has a coffee shop about 10km out of Khancoban. Doesn't sound far but the climbs made it an hour's ride - there are some big hills to get out of Khancoban! We didn't stop as the road into the power station would've added another 2km.
We pushed on until 21.4km out (10.30am) we climbed up to Scammell Spur Lookout - brilliant view of the Alps - clear sky, no haze and warming up from the 10 degrees C start. We were able to fill our water bottles here (don't rely on this BTW) at the toilet tap from the tank. I have already finished 2.5 bottles to here. Had coffee (from our thermos) and morning tea here.
There was a 7km downhill from the lookout - brilliant! Then there were lots of BIG undulations down to the Geehi Rest Area at 33km mark. We pushed on to Tom Groggin Camping area (54.5km) with some big climbs before we got to Tom Groggin on the Murray River - very hot now with about 30 degrees C. Got in at 1.00pm - had a swim in the cool water - poor old Murray River level is quite low here compared to previous years. Had lunch - bread roll, cheese, tomato, vegemite and juice.
Left Tom Groggin about 1.40pm for the 19km climb up to the top of Dead Horse Gap - this was very hot for the first half and very steep - the steepest roads we have hit so far anywhere on any tour we've done. Had to get off and walk for one particularly steep 200m pinch just before the Leatherbarrel Creek Camp Area. Only 8km to here but I had been through 3 bottles already - bloody steep and hot. Spent most of the time in either 1-1 or 1-2 and about 4-6km/h max. We replenished our water supply from the creek here - very cold and sweet tasting water.
The next 11km to the top was again very steep but we were in a rhythm now (albeit a slow one!). The red snow poles started about 3km from the top and I somehow broke a spoke about 1km from the top. It buckled immediately but thankfully held until Thredbo.
We made the top of Dead Horse Gap by 5.30pm in cloud and about 13 degrees and rolled the final 4km down to Candlelight Lodge in Thredbo - at last!
This was the toughest day we have ever ridden by far. Thankfully only 30km to Jindabyne tomorrow for a rest. Will check with the bike shop here to fix the spoke tomorrow - I am carrying spare spokes so shouldn't be a problem fitting it.
Room at the Lodge is great. Went to the T-Bar (near the supermarket) for a very expensive dinner but very nice.
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