Post by doyle on May 5, 2012 11:29:17 GMT
Thought I might share a few shots that I took on a recent weekend trip to the Aussie High Country.
A few of my work colleagues enjoy an annual weekend fishing for trout in the high country, mostly around the southern edge of Lake Jindabyne, and into the Thredbo River. I don't mind wetting a line occasionally, but MUCH prefer a weekend riding over a weekend freezing in fresh water lakes.
Day 1: Approx 420km's.
Left home around 8am under clear skies and mild temps for this time of year. Took it easy negotiating Macquarie Pass....a few slow moving trucks along with a damp road. Along The Illawarra Highway, Hume Highway to Goulburn for a coffee and fuel.
No sheep jokes please.....we are neither Kiwi or Welsh ;D Down the Hume Highway, onto the Federal Highway staying near the posted 110k's speed limit for a stop at one of the Lake George lookouts on the way to our capital city, Canberra. Apologies for the poor pic quality....time for a new camera, a touch of fog also about. Lake George is mostly dry on the surface for most of the year, but this year has been very wet. If you look very closely you'll see a wind farm in the distance.
A quick word about the TDM at this point. I loved my D9 for the way it effortlessly handled long distance trips. The TDM is a better long distance tourer than the D9. More comfortable, is less tiring to ride due to it's lighter weight (much more evident later in the trip), has more power and uses less fuel. For me the seating/riding position is perfect. A great all rounder.....sensational is a word I like to use. Back on topic.....Called on some clients in Canberra, then onto the Monaro Highway heading for Jindabyne being very careful to stay at 100 kph. This stretch of road to Jindabyne is perhaps the most heavily patrolled road in Oz. Fortunately the patrol cars are usually red or yellow and are easily spotted at distance. Nearing Cooma the weather was turning and it started to rain....the only rain for the whole weekend fortunately. On with the rain pants then on to Jindabyne. We stayed in a cabin on the edge of Lake Jindabyne. Given this part of the world can be quite cool in autumn, it was quite mild.....for the whole weekend. Lovely steak dinner and a few (quite a few) ales then bed.....good days riding, and good company with a few mates.
Day 2: 380 km's
Cool must mostly clear morning. Meat pie and coffee for brekky then hit the road at 8am. Up into the high country stopping to pay national park fees below Thredbo ( but scored a freebie...waved me through) then into the twisties.
Up hill but mostly down dale heading for a stop at Khancoban. Passed this along the way....Murray 2 Hydro Power Stn (I think?)
Light lunch stop at Khancoban then back on the road and across the Victorian border to Corryong in the beautiful Murray Valley.....absolutely georgious....so green and surrounded by mountains. On the way I'm sure I passed that couple riding the Moto Guzzi around the world.....looks like a caravan annexe on wheels....just amazing. Quick look around Corryong then back across the border to civilisation (New South Wales).....
.......then on to Elliot Way just before Tumbarumba. This is where the real fun begins. 15 km's of not much then down, down, down (read twisities) to the headwaters of Talbingo Resevoir. Almost no traffic other than a few bikes. Following the river and criss crossing the river then back up the hill to Cabramurra. Motorcycling nirvana friends......no other way to describe it. It was mid afternoon by now and getting cool. Glad I fitted those heated grips. So out of the tight twisties then out on to The Snowy Mtns Highway heading for a break at Adaminaby. More sensational twisties......almost no traffic, smooth well maintained Alpine road. No pics of this I'm afraid.....got carried away riding.....you know how it is!
From Adaminaby the highway meanders through some typical barren alpine country, turn off for Berridale then on to Jindabyne. Stopped to assist a poor couple who had a collision with a Skippy......reminder to self at this point "slow down and beware of wildlife". Given the cool conditions I saw few kangaroos, but many wombats and dead fox. This wombat was very much deceased, but they can make real mess of anything that collides with it.
Sensational meal with a few drinks at The Brumby Bar then an early night. I was absolutely knackered after a great days riding in the Alps.
Day 3: 490 km's.
Jindabyne to home.....via Brown Mntn and The Princes Hwy. Farewell to the fishermen (and the fishy stories) crossing the Murray River at Dalgety then on to a beautiful piece of recently sealed (relatively) road to Ando. Mild temps, slightly overcast, no other traffic and me on the TDM. Another day of motorcycling nirvana.
Out to the Snowy Mtns Hwy again, down Brown Mtn for breakfast at Bemboka Bakery.....yum. They make an Hawaiian pie
Down to the the Princes Hwy. Again, almost no sunday morning traffic. And what was around was very courteous.....happy to let me slide by with little fuss. Stop at Batemans Bay for fuel, a museli bar, some water, then home. Seven hours point to point today, but it felt like only two hours.
Apart from the ride home when I picked up the TDM (all Hume Hwy), this is my first long distance jaunt on the TDM. To prepare for this trip I fitted heated grips, some hand guards and another Ventura bag that zipped onto the front of my existing Ventura bag. Given more time I would have turned around and done the high country section of the Snowy Mtns Hwy west of Adaminaby, and Elliot Way again. I've never enjoyed my riding that much before, and it just reinforced again the excellent package that Yamaha have put together with the TDM. It's powerful, relatively light (alloy frame), great brakes and is really comfy for long distance stuff.
Can't wait for the next trip.......
A few of my work colleagues enjoy an annual weekend fishing for trout in the high country, mostly around the southern edge of Lake Jindabyne, and into the Thredbo River. I don't mind wetting a line occasionally, but MUCH prefer a weekend riding over a weekend freezing in fresh water lakes.
Day 1: Approx 420km's.
Left home around 8am under clear skies and mild temps for this time of year. Took it easy negotiating Macquarie Pass....a few slow moving trucks along with a damp road. Along The Illawarra Highway, Hume Highway to Goulburn for a coffee and fuel.
No sheep jokes please.....we are neither Kiwi or Welsh ;D Down the Hume Highway, onto the Federal Highway staying near the posted 110k's speed limit for a stop at one of the Lake George lookouts on the way to our capital city, Canberra. Apologies for the poor pic quality....time for a new camera, a touch of fog also about. Lake George is mostly dry on the surface for most of the year, but this year has been very wet. If you look very closely you'll see a wind farm in the distance.
A quick word about the TDM at this point. I loved my D9 for the way it effortlessly handled long distance trips. The TDM is a better long distance tourer than the D9. More comfortable, is less tiring to ride due to it's lighter weight (much more evident later in the trip), has more power and uses less fuel. For me the seating/riding position is perfect. A great all rounder.....sensational is a word I like to use. Back on topic.....Called on some clients in Canberra, then onto the Monaro Highway heading for Jindabyne being very careful to stay at 100 kph. This stretch of road to Jindabyne is perhaps the most heavily patrolled road in Oz. Fortunately the patrol cars are usually red or yellow and are easily spotted at distance. Nearing Cooma the weather was turning and it started to rain....the only rain for the whole weekend fortunately. On with the rain pants then on to Jindabyne. We stayed in a cabin on the edge of Lake Jindabyne. Given this part of the world can be quite cool in autumn, it was quite mild.....for the whole weekend. Lovely steak dinner and a few (quite a few) ales then bed.....good days riding, and good company with a few mates.
Day 2: 380 km's
Cool must mostly clear morning. Meat pie and coffee for brekky then hit the road at 8am. Up into the high country stopping to pay national park fees below Thredbo ( but scored a freebie...waved me through) then into the twisties.
Up hill but mostly down dale heading for a stop at Khancoban. Passed this along the way....Murray 2 Hydro Power Stn (I think?)
Light lunch stop at Khancoban then back on the road and across the Victorian border to Corryong in the beautiful Murray Valley.....absolutely georgious....so green and surrounded by mountains. On the way I'm sure I passed that couple riding the Moto Guzzi around the world.....looks like a caravan annexe on wheels....just amazing. Quick look around Corryong then back across the border to civilisation (New South Wales).....
.......then on to Elliot Way just before Tumbarumba. This is where the real fun begins. 15 km's of not much then down, down, down (read twisities) to the headwaters of Talbingo Resevoir. Almost no traffic other than a few bikes. Following the river and criss crossing the river then back up the hill to Cabramurra. Motorcycling nirvana friends......no other way to describe it. It was mid afternoon by now and getting cool. Glad I fitted those heated grips. So out of the tight twisties then out on to The Snowy Mtns Highway heading for a break at Adaminaby. More sensational twisties......almost no traffic, smooth well maintained Alpine road. No pics of this I'm afraid.....got carried away riding.....you know how it is!
From Adaminaby the highway meanders through some typical barren alpine country, turn off for Berridale then on to Jindabyne. Stopped to assist a poor couple who had a collision with a Skippy......reminder to self at this point "slow down and beware of wildlife". Given the cool conditions I saw few kangaroos, but many wombats and dead fox. This wombat was very much deceased, but they can make real mess of anything that collides with it.
Sensational meal with a few drinks at The Brumby Bar then an early night. I was absolutely knackered after a great days riding in the Alps.
Day 3: 490 km's.
Jindabyne to home.....via Brown Mntn and The Princes Hwy. Farewell to the fishermen (and the fishy stories) crossing the Murray River at Dalgety then on to a beautiful piece of recently sealed (relatively) road to Ando. Mild temps, slightly overcast, no other traffic and me on the TDM. Another day of motorcycling nirvana.
Out to the Snowy Mtns Hwy again, down Brown Mtn for breakfast at Bemboka Bakery.....yum. They make an Hawaiian pie
Down to the the Princes Hwy. Again, almost no sunday morning traffic. And what was around was very courteous.....happy to let me slide by with little fuss. Stop at Batemans Bay for fuel, a museli bar, some water, then home. Seven hours point to point today, but it felt like only two hours.Apart from the ride home when I picked up the TDM (all Hume Hwy), this is my first long distance jaunt on the TDM. To prepare for this trip I fitted heated grips, some hand guards and another Ventura bag that zipped onto the front of my existing Ventura bag. Given more time I would have turned around and done the high country section of the Snowy Mtns Hwy west of Adaminaby, and Elliot Way again. I've never enjoyed my riding that much before, and it just reinforced again the excellent package that Yamaha have put together with the TDM. It's powerful, relatively light (alloy frame), great brakes and is really comfy for long distance stuff.
Can't wait for the next trip.......
