Barrington Tops

First ride for the New Year on the first day of the year. A great start to 2016. I threw together a route that saw me head to Singleton on the Hunter Expressway, the quickest way to the dirt I’d picked for the initial part of the ride.  At Singleton I fuelled up, turned right just through town into Bridgman Road and was soon into the narrow, winding Goorangoola Road .  I’ve only been on this road once but in the other direction.  A sign warning of dangerous creek crossings for 26kms and flash flooding confirmed I was heading in the right way.

The creeks were low today, no dramas at all.  Turning on to Old Goorangoola Road and into the dirt.  It’s quite a decent loose gravel road which I handled much better than last time rode it.

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I was surprised by the number of kangaroos grazing at the side of the road, I’m not that used to seeing them in the daylight.  There were at least half a dozen groups of them as I rode Bowmans Creek Road and Albano Road.  Lots of cows too…

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And of course the views are spectacular

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Off Stoney Creek Road a left to Rouchel Road and back on the tar with a nice ride past Lake Glenbawn I made my way through Gundy to Moonan Flat at a fun pace keeping in mind the double demerits on offer by the boys in blue.  Moonan Flat ushered in the start of the second dirt leg, over the Barrington Tops National Park towards Gloucester.

New Years Day saw a reasonable amount of 4WD traffic on the road so eating dust was common along the route as I caught and passed them one by one.  There was a closed gate at one point that I arrived at just as a considerate 4WDriver at the head of a small queue of vehicles waved me through, “thanks buddy”. I was really enjoying the riding and didn’t feel like stopping for pics and letting them all pass again so I pressed on. The day was getting warm but was comfortable while moving.

The gravel ended all too soon and I rode past the very familiar turnoff up Thunderbolts Way to Walcha through Barrington, which was busy today, and stopped at Gloucester for fuel.  A muesli bar and water from the tank bag were dispatched while standing in the shade.  There was a chance Mrs Wom might have come up for lunch but no SMS’s from her meant I was out of town and heading down the Bucketts Way (not my favourite road but it gets me home).  The day was getting on so I resisted turning towards Dungog and kept it simple to the Pacific Hwy, Raymond Terrace and home.

All up the loop was a touch over 400kms and took just under 6 hours. The formerly nice black Klim’s looking as expected, I might need to get the hose out.

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And here’s the map.

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