The Cormanus Chronicles: Remembering Jake and Elwood

[Cormanus]

Day 5 — Cooma to Omeo

[url=https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1Abt-HmtcUT7QB20xDoDdA61uMte9GP0&usp=sharing]Master map #1

It was a chilly but glorious morning as we loaded the bikes and pushed them out of the lock up for a 40 minute, pre-breakfast ride to Jindabyne. We fuelled the bikes, ate and the set off over the glorious Alpine Way that would take us past Thredbo — one of Australia’s few ski resorts — around the country’s highest mountain — Mt Kosciuszko (2,228 metres) — through some glorious alpine country into Victoria.
[url=https://postimg.cc/Fd7rtWtj]
At a stop at Leather Barril Creek we were joined by another group of riders

At Khancoban, suffering a bit from the heat that had built up as we came down the mountains, I decided to remove a layer or two. Pulling rather precipitously into a lay-by, I caused Pterodactyl a moment of grief.

We then proceeded to Tallangata for fuel and lunch before taking on the glorious Omeo Highway — from Mitta Mitta to Omeo 100 plus kilometres of corners climbing up above the snow line before descending. It remains one of my very favourite motorcycle roads.
[url=https://postimg.cc/w7h6dRrb]
Found a shady spot to park at Tallangata while we lunched

[url=https://postimg.cc/bsXzM9mt]
On a new to me road from the Murray Valley Highway to the Omeo Highway

[url=https://postimg.cc/hXcK4PW4]
Pausing for a breather on the Omeo Valley Highway

[url=https://postimg.cc/HrgkJ95g]
[url=https://postimg.cc/w1QTDRcs]


The master at work

Not long after pulling up at the Golden Age Hotel, we were joined by NoRoomtoMove. And one makes a trio.

We spent a convivial evening catching up on a couple of years of stories and talking to a bloke from Tasmania. He told us about a road we’d never heard and promised it was worth a ride.

[Cormanus]

Day 6 — Omeo to Omeo
[url=https://postimages.org/]
[url=https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1ABt-HMtcUT7QB20xDoDdA61uMte9GP0&usp=sharing]Master map #1

It’s a little-known fact that my rides are largely unplanned. I mean, there’s a general idea of where I might go, but weather, an unexpected detour, or even a whim might mean I end up somewhere totally unexpected. As the planning had been left to me, it follows there were no real plans for Day 6. We were to meet AussieFlyer at the close of play on Day 7, but there was almost no reasonable ride we could do that would leave us with another decent day’s riding. What do you do when you’re sitting at the start of one of the best motorcycle roads in the country with excellent roads to ride over not one but two mountains?

Yeah. I know. A loop.

We faffed around waiting for the local petrol station to open, filled up, ate breakfast and drank a cup of coffee before retracing our path up the Omeo Highway. Well … NoRoomtoMove wasn’t, but that’s a mere detail.

Forty six kms up the road a little after Anglers Rest we turned onto the Bogong High Plains Road and climbed to Falls Creek ski resort at 1,780 meters. Approaching the town of Falls Creek from the west, the road is spectacular, winding around a dam. The Tasmanian bloke had described it as having a surface like a racetrack. It was a glorious day, too, just to make the experience better.



NoRoomtoMove leads us up onto the Bongong HighPlains


Rocky Creek Storage at Falls Creek.


A breather at Falls Creek

Then down the mountain, past the town of Mt Beauty before climbing again over the Tawonga Gap and descending to the town of Bright. There we found petrol, but no coffee, so we made do with a cooling ice cream. Well, it was hot, wasn’t it?


The road down to Mount Beauty is a … beauty!

The final leg of the loop — if loops can have — took us over Mount Hotham. It’s a fabulous ride up from the western side as, after winding around a ridge for some time, you pop out onto a razorback ridge for the final few kilometres. A miscalculation would result in a long, long slide down a steep hill. I don’t think you’d make it back.

Mount Hotham’s over there somewhere




The road winds around a ridge to the right of these photographs and then makes its way back to the centre of the shot. You can see the scar of the road on the mountain in the centre.




there are killjoys everywhere.



At the top of the road, the sign above claims the title of the highest coach road in Australia at 1,845 metres. Writing this, I went looking for the picture and, initially, couldn’t find it. That led me to the internet which told me that, the highest point of Australia accessible by road is 1,849 metres at a scenic look out at Falls Creek. That pips the highest point on the Hotham road which is said to be 1,840 metres. How does that align with the 1,845 metres shown here? I don’t know who to believe any more. Suffice it to say, low though Australia’s mountains are compared to their international competitors, this is as high as you can get on a road in Australia.

We rolled down the hill, stopping at a lookout, where we failed to see Mt Kosciuszko for cloud cover, before returning to the Golden Age Hotel for a quiet night.

Smart people park their bikes in the shade

[GoldOxide_imp]

The journey continues to be a nice read, Cormanus.

So, non-smart people are among us, Cormanus. I remember Ferret sharing the same wise notion at a red light intersection in Virginia last year while waiting under some shade. Fortunately, almost all the CB1100 Rally riders were in the shade.

[pdedse]

Ohhh, I really like this one...

Day 6 — Omeo to Omeo
[url=https://postimages.org/]
[url=https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1ABt-HMtcUT7QB20xDoDdA61uMte9GP0&usp=sharing]Master map #1

It’s a little-known fact that my rides are largely unplanned. I mean, there’s a general idea of where I might go, but weather, an unexpected detour, or even a whim might mean I end up somewhere totally unexpected. As the planning had been left to me, it follows there were no real plans for Day 6. We were to meet AussieFlyer at the close of play on Day 7, but there was almost no reasonable ride we could do that would leave us with another decent day’s riding. What do you do when you’re sitting at the start of one of the best motorcycle roads in the country with excellent roads to ride over not one but two mountains?

Yeah. I know. A loop.

We faffed around waiting for the local petrol station to open, filled up, ate breakfast and drank a cup of coffee before retracing our path up the Omeo Highway. Well … NoRoomtoMove wasn’t, but that’s a mere detail.

Forty six kms up the road a little after Anglers Rest we turned onto the Bogong High Plains Road and climbed to Falls Creek ski resort at 1,780 meters. Approaching the town of Falls Creek from the west, the road is spectacular, winding around a dam. The Tasmanian bloke had described it as having a surface like a racetrack. It was a glorious day, too, just to make the experience better.



NoRoomtoMove leads us up onto the Bongong HighPlains


Rocky Creek Storage at Falls Creek.


A breather at Falls Creek

Then down the mountain, past the town of Mt Beauty before climbing again over the Tawonga Gap and descending to the town of Bright. There we found petrol, but no coffee, so we made do with a cooling ice cream. Well, it was hot, wasn’t it?


The road down to Mount Beauty is a … beauty!

The final leg of the loop — if loops can have — took us over Mount Hotham. It’s a fabulous ride up from the western side as, after winding around a ridge for some time, you pop out onto a razorback ridge for the final few kilometres. A miscalculation would result in a long, long slide down a steep hill. I don’t think you’d make it back.

Mount Hotham’s over there somewhere




The road winds around a ridge to the right of these photographs and then makes its way back to the centre of the shot. You can see the scar of the road on the mountain in the centre.




there are killjoys everywhere.



At the top of the road, the sign above claims the title of the highest coach road in Australia at 1,845 metres. Writing this, I went looking for the picture and, initially, couldn’t find it. That led me to the internet which told me that, the highest point of Australia accessible by road is 1,849 metres at a scenic look out at Falls Creek. That pips the highest point on the Hotham road which is said to be 1,840 metres. How does that align with the 1,845 metres shown here? I don’t know who to believe any more. Suffice it to say, low though Australia’s mountains are compared to their international competitors, this is as high as you can get on a road in Australia.

We rolled down the hill, stopping at a lookout, where we failed to see Mt Kosciuszko for cloud cover, before returning to the Golden Age Hotel for a quiet night.

Smart people park their bikes in the shade

Very enjoyable reading, fun to see the group grow.
"The Outback"...a name that likely brings up images of desolate areas, reddish landscapes and long, lonely roads. Just started watching "The Tourist" on Netflix. Opening scene:


Hmmm...twisty, foresty roads are fun, but I love long, straight, seemingly endless roads with no traffic, no signs, and a lot of nothin'. Allows the mind to wander. I think I would enjoy riding Australia east to west, but if I ever get to visit, I'm sure the days will be spent with my sister and doing local excursions around Adelaide. Still, one can dream...

So have you, Cormanus? Have you ever had the opp to ride "out back"?

[Whoops]

Ohhh, I really like this one...

Day 6 — Omeo to Omeo
[url=https://postimages.org/]
[url=https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1ABt-HMtcUT7QB20xDoDdA61uMte9GP0&usp=sharing]Master map #1

It’s a little-known fact that my rides are largely unplanned. I mean, there’s a general idea of where I might go, but weather, an unexpected detour, or even a whim might mean I end up somewhere totally unexpected. As the planning had been left to me, it follows there were no real plans for Day 6. We were to meet AussieFlyer at the close of play on Day 7, but there was almost no reasonable ride we could do that would leave us with another decent day’s riding. What do you do when you’re sitting at the start of one of the best motorcycle roads in the country with excellent roads to ride over not one but two mountains?

Yeah. I know. A loop.

We faffed around waiting for the local petrol station to open, filled up, ate breakfast and drank a cup of coffee before retracing our path up the Omeo Highway. Well … NoRoomtoMove wasn’t, but that’s a mere detail.

Forty six kms up the road a little after Anglers Rest we turned onto the Bogong High Plains Road and climbed to Falls Creek ski resort at 1,780 meters. Approaching the town of Falls Creek from the west, the road is spectacular, winding around a dam. The Tasmanian bloke had described it as having a surface like a racetrack. It was a glorious day, too, just to make the experience better.



NoRoomtoMove leads us up onto the Bongong HighPlains


Rocky Creek Storage at Falls Creek.


A breather at Falls Creek

Then down the mountain, past the town of Mt Beauty before climbing again over the Tawonga Gap and descending to the town of Bright. There we found petrol, but no coffee, so we made do with a cooling ice cream. Well, it was hot, wasn’t it?


The road down to Mount Beauty is a … beauty!

The final leg of the loop — if loops can have — took us over Mount Hotham. It’s a fabulous ride up from the western side as, after winding around a ridge for some time, you pop out onto a razorback ridge for the final few kilometres. A miscalculation would result in a long, long slide down a steep hill. I don’t think you’d make it back.

Mount Hotham’s over there somewhere




The road winds around a ridge to the right of these photographs and then makes its way back to the centre of the shot. You can see the scar of the road on the mountain in the centre.




there are killjoys everywhere.



At the top of the road, the sign above claims the title of the highest coach road in Australia at 1,845 metres. Writing this, I went looking for the picture and, initially, couldn’t find it. That led me to the internet which told me that, the highest point of Australia accessible by road is 1,849 metres at a scenic look out at Falls Creek. That pips the highest point on the Hotham road which is said to be 1,840 metres. How does that align with the 1,845 metres shown here? I don’t know who to believe any more. Suffice it to say, low though Australia’s mountains are compared to their international competitors, this is as high as you can get on a road in Australia.

We rolled down the hill, stopping at a lookout, where we failed to see Mt Kosciuszko for cloud cover, before returning to the Golden Age Hotel for a quiet night.

Smart people park their bikes in the shade

Very enjoyable reading, fun to see the group grow.
"The Outback"...a name that likely brings up images of desolate areas, reddish landscapes and long, lonely roads. Just started watching "The Tourist" on Netflix. Opening scene:


Hmmm...twisty, foresty roads are fun, but I love long, straight, seemingly endless roads with no traffic, no signs, and a lot of nothin'. Allows the mind to wander. I think I would enjoy riding Australia east to west, but if I ever get to visit, I'm sure the days will be spent with my sister and doing local excursions around Adelaide. Still, one can dream...

So have you, Cormanus? Have you ever had the opp to ride "out back"?

Come to Utah. We have far more of the long, straight, endless roads than we do the twisty type. Such is life in the desert.

[Gone in 60]

Wow, Cormanus, what a cool trip! Beautiful country. Always love seeing the landscapes where everyone rides.
Long, straight roads? Meh. Had many years and many miles dragging a trailer across barren, brown, straight roads. I'll take elevation, color change, and a curve here and there.

I really need to get out somewhere past work. Every day I take a walk at lunch, and the guys next door at Nelson Rigg have bikes out front outfitted with their latest luggage. I imagine strapping some to one of my bikes and heading out. Soon, perhaps...

[Rocky_imp]

I always love reading these adventures. Great stuff!!

[pdedse]

Ohhh, I really like this one...

Day 6 — Omeo to Omeo
[url=https://postimages.org/]
[url=https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1ABt-HMtcUT7QB20xDoDdA61uMte9GP0&usp=sharing]Master map #1

It’s a little-known fact that my rides are largely unplanned. I mean, there’s a general idea of where I might go, but weather, an unexpected detour, or even a whim might mean I end up somewhere totally unexpected. As the planning had been left to me, it follows there were no real plans for Day 6. We were to meet AussieFlyer at the close of play on Day 7, but there was almost no reasonable ride we could do that would leave us with another decent day’s riding. What do you do when you’re sitting at the start of one of the best motorcycle roads in the country with excellent roads to ride over not one but two mountains?

Yeah. I know. A loop.

We faffed around waiting for the local petrol station to open, filled up, ate breakfast and drank a cup of coffee before retracing our path up the Omeo Highway. Well … NoRoomtoMove wasn’t, but that’s a mere detail.

Forty six kms up the road a little after Anglers Rest we turned onto the Bogong High Plains Road and climbed to Falls Creek ski resort at 1,780 meters. Approaching the town of Falls Creek from the west, the road is spectacular, winding around a dam. The Tasmanian bloke had described it as having a surface like a racetrack. It was a glorious day, too, just to make the experience better.



NoRoomtoMove leads us up onto the Bongong HighPlains


Rocky Creek Storage at Falls Creek.


A breather at Falls Creek

Then down the mountain, past the town of Mt Beauty before climbing again over the Tawonga Gap and descending to the town of Bright. There we found petrol, but no coffee, so we made do with a cooling ice cream. Well, it was hot, wasn’t it?


The road down to Mount Beauty is a … beauty!

The final leg of the loop — if loops can have — took us over Mount Hotham. It’s a fabulous ride up from the western side as, after winding around a ridge for some time, you pop out onto a razorback ridge for the final few kilometres. A miscalculation would result in a long, long slide down a steep hill. I don’t think you’d make it back.

Mount Hotham’s over there somewhere




The road winds around a ridge to the right of these photographs and then makes its way back to the centre of the shot. You can see the scar of the road on the mountain in the centre.




there are killjoys everywhere.



At the top of the road, the sign above claims the title of the highest coach road in Australia at 1,845 metres. Writing this, I went looking for the picture and, initially, couldn’t find it. That led me to the internet which told me that, the highest point of Australia accessible by road is 1,849 metres at a scenic look out at Falls Creek. That pips the highest point on the Hotham road which is said to be 1,840 metres. How does that align with the 1,845 metres shown here? I don’t know who to believe any more. Suffice it to say, low though Australia’s mountains are compared to their international competitors, this is as high as you can get on a road in Australia.

We rolled down the hill, stopping at a lookout, where we failed to see Mt Kosciuszko for cloud cover, before returning to the Golden Age Hotel for a quiet night.

Smart people park their bikes in the shade

Very enjoyable reading, fun to see the group grow.
"The Outback"...a name that likely brings up images of desolate areas, reddish landscapes and long, lonely roads. Just started watching "The Tourist" on Netflix. Opening scene:


Hmmm...twisty, foresty roads are fun, but I love long, straight, seemingly endless roads with no traffic, no signs, and a lot of nothin'. Allows the mind to wander. I think I would enjoy riding Australia east to west, but if I ever get to visit, I'm sure the days will be spent with my sister and doing local excursions around Adelaide. Still, one can dream...

So have you, Cormanus? Have you ever had the opp to ride "out back"?

Come to Utah. We have far more of the long, straight, endless roads than we do the twisty type. Such is life in the desert.

I love Utah! Playing with the idea of retirement days in St. George or Tucson. We get lots of the lonely roads in eastern OR as well. But The Outback...to me that seems on another level.

Australia overlay


Contour of The Outback


If my guestimates are close at all, The Outback would be like stretching Utah from Ohio to coastal California, from Minnesota to the Rio Grande.

Apologies, Cormanus, if I took your trip off course...I'm just admiring the wonderful expanse of Australia.

[Cormanus]

No apology necessary pdedse. I like that overlay of Australia and the USA. I vaguely recall using it. I've not seen the contour of the outback before. It makes the answer to your question different to the answer you'd have got before I saw it.

Assuming it to be correct, the tale of my one brief drift into the south east corner of the Outback on a motorcycle can be found [url=http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=12961]here. While I take your point about plenty of time for reflection, I'm with Gone, "I'll take elevation, color change, and a curve here and there."

Other rides I've done have felt like they touched on the outback — for example, the [url=http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=8661]Rumblers Ride (although the photos are gone) and [url=http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=14307]riding to Cairns away from the coast. It's hard to be clear from the contour map, but a [url=http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=16236]ride to Carnarvon Gorge may also just qualify.

[peterbaron]

Forum miles update needed = chasing season starts soon and it's easier for me to chase two moderators at once than each one separately >CAN>>>AUUS