After some mates pulled out of a double Googong Lap this weekend (which was part of planned training for my virgin 24hr solo effort at this years Scott 24), I decided to hatch an ambitious plan...
150kms and 3.4 vertical kilometers of Brindabella madness, but who to enlist to join me? At the most remote point we would be deep in snow country and and a 70km walk from help, so going alone was not an option... many were asked, but only one anted up the readies to join me, Neil of course! He didn't even ask where we were going, which may have been for the best :D LOL I just said "bring a lot of food" :)
As the sun rose in the east we set off from home in Gordon and headed west for the Brindies, via Peirces Creek Pine Forrest, as we hit the forrest, 30km/h Southerly winds started to blow, but we didn't mind, we were heading North, and climbing, so the tail wind gave us an easy climb to the top of Pipeline Road. I'd seen this road on Google Earth and been fascinated how it winds it way around the mountains, so I had to go check it out. I expected it to be pure downhill to the river crossing, but it wasn't at all, more like 50/50 climb/decent. The climbs were easy and we were sheltered from the wind so this was a really pleasant ride, the river was below us and the Brindabellas off to our right. Looking up, we knew we were going to be climbing up there real soon...
At the crossing it was time to grab some water and a quick snack, then get into the business end of this ride, the climb up Pipeline and Bendora Roads to Bulls Head. The entire climb was rideable, none of it too steep. We chose to walk the steepest section at the bottom of Pipeline, saving some energy for a big day ahead, but in hindsight, we could have ridden up there for sure.
Unlike the run up Flat Rock Spur from our last Ginini Trip, or the famous Bendora Break, Bendora Road was a gentle and easy climb to Bulls Head, we rode the whole way and chatted and before we knew it, we were at the top for stretch and lunch break at Bulls Head. Sandwiches and Pasta scoffed, we headed off up Mt Franklin Road for Mt Ginini...
I love Mt Franklin Road, it's such a gentle climb and with the sun out, it was a perfect day to soak up the fanastic view from up here, a truely unique and beatiful place. We tacked on a detour to the Bendora Aboretum, as I has spotted it in Google Earth and as it looks so different from it's surroundings, I had to go and check it out for myself, dozens of plantings of different tree varieties were planted here in the 1940's, I guess they were trialing what would grow well up here in the Brindies for possible timber industry? It was well worth the look as the detour was infact no longer and involved no climbing, so really, all we did was go around Bendoura Hill on the other side to Mt Franklin Road.
From here it's the cruisy run up the Mt Ginini, where we passed my Mt Franklin, choosing not to climb it, and we skipped climbing to the Ginini summit also, instead we pushed straight on for Pryors Hut, where we would grab some eats, I was getting hungry :)
Mt Franklin Road is closed to public cars from here on and as a result, it's not in quite as good nick. A little soft and muddy in places, but rideable. We averaged 20km/h along here as it decends, then we ride up to the saddle at Little Ginini, before decending to Pryors Hut at the base of the ACT's 2nd tallest peak, Mount Gingera. The weather changed from blue skies here and we could see rain falling in the ranges around us, and then suddenly out of nowhere, snow began to fall. So we walked into the hut for a rest and then snow really began to fall, it was thick enough visibility dropped to about 10m, it was beautiful, pure and white and thick. And then fear set in, if the snow kept falling, we were going to freeze for the ride home, we still had 70kms to go!
Luckily though, after about 2 minutes the snow stopped and the blue sky came back, so we left the hut and continued on our way toward Cottor Hut at the base of Bimberi Peak, the ACT's highest peak. On the way you can see clearly to the East, into Namadgi, I could make out Coronet Peak, Booroomba Rocks and Mount McKenahnie, simply stunning!
Almost at Cottor Hut we crossed the Cottor River and decided to stop along the river edge for another couple of sandwiches and cookies. I had started to bonk pretty badly here, we were 9 hours into the trip and this was my longest ride ever, so I wondered if I had hit "the wall"... it turns out though, that I just hadn't eaten, as after this meal stop I would be full of beans again for the trip home (or did I break through the barrier? I guess I'll never know, but I suspect it was all food related).
The climb from here up to the ridge along side the Orroral Valley was cruel, I was still bonked and struggled a bit here, we rode the whole climb, but it was hard and long, I had stupidly assumed it would be flat here, so I wasn't expecting to be climbing here at all! It was a tough and long slog.
At the top we broke on the Orroral Ridge and the food kicked in, like petrol to an engine, and we were off, I love this run, sweet down hill and awesome views to the North of the Orroral Valley and Honey Suckle, and the end of this ridge run, bitchumen, sweet sweet bitchumen :)
We hit the bitchumen and I knew we were going to make it home clean, a quick 30km run up and over Fitz Hill and into Tharwa. The Southerly was still blowing, and so we copped a sweet tail wind all the way home!
The clock was against us though and it was starting to get dark, nervous, my lovely wife drove out to make sure we were OK, it was heaven to see her and kids after such a big day, she offered us a lift home, but we declined, we'd made it this far, I wasn't quitting now!!
So we pushed on into sunset, through Tharwa and by the time we got home night had fallen on an amazing day. We couldn't have fitted anymore riding in, we'd travelled from dawn to dusk, there just isn't any more hours in a day :)
The biggest ride of my life so far and the most rewarding, I still have an ear to ear grin at home thinking about what we achieved and I look forward to the 24 in a months time, I know I can make it now!
Thanx Neil for coming out with me mate, we kicked some serious arse and that was a PB effort for us both, simply huge. Couldn't have done it without you mate!
The crew:
| Neil | Cdale Scapel |
| Jason | Giant Trance |
The Stats:
| Distance | 150km |
| Time | 12:29 |
| Climb | 3.4vkm |
| Speed | 13.5km/h avg, 55km/h max |