Day 1: Canberra to Bulls Head Shelter 54km
Once we got the hang of the GPS and settled into our rhythm it was beautiful riding out of Canberra on the many cycleways. It was great to see lots of families out and about camping in the camping grounds and enjoying the national parks. Once we left the cycle paths and headed into gravel forestry roads we felt as though the ride had truly begun. It was a great feeling being out in the wilderness so soon after leaving Canberra. The temperature picked up as the day went on and we enjoyed the first of many cool dips in a river.
As we had had a pretty rough night on the bus,we decided to just do a half day riding on our first day. We found a pretty cool little spot with a toilet, shelter, picnic tables and toilet and put our tent up. We had a very relaxing evening sorting food and repacking our bikes ready for the next three days of remote riding and chatting with the local Kangaroos and wildlife. It poured down all night and there was thunder and lightening so we were pretty stoked about our "smamping"(smart camping) experience under cover of the day shelter. What a joy it was to be to be rolling up our DRY tent in the morning!Day 2: Bullshead to Broken Dam Hut 120km
We were on the road by 6:30am and pretty excited about the day ahead. Our day started with a long and misty descent on a smooth orange gravel road through beautiful Eucalyptus forest. The smell was delicious and the views were spectacular. We were in heaven and so happy to be out in the wilderness away from everything. We crossed some private land which had short section of sticky orange mud. We had to stop and clean our bikes a few times as the mud clogged up around the chain and frame making it impossible to ride. It was very hard going but we really felt for those Hunt riders who had been through two weeks before in heavy and persistent rain - we could see their tyre marks deep into the clay and could sense their frustration. Lucky for us the rain stopped and the clay dried up enough for us to ride. It was awesome riding with lots of birds, wild brumbies and places to refill our water. We stopped to refill water at Long Plain hut - an old restored Homestead. We found a note and two muesli bars from someone who had supported Hunt riders! What a nice gesture. Let's just say we had gone a bit light on our food supplies when shopping for the trip. So a couple of bars were cause for a small celebration. After spending most of the day on rough trails and gravel roads we were pretty happy to hit some tarmac and cover a quick 20km before turning up into the Selwyn ski field road and onto grassy cross country ski tracks. It was slow going and energy sapping on the bumpy grass tracks but we had great views and the scenery was stunning. It was a hot day so we took the opportunity to stop at a creek and wash our shorts, ourselves and refill our bottles. Our goal for the night was Broken Dam Hut. It was a little way off the trail, but it had been a long hard day and we were more than ready to stop for the night. It turned out to be one of our favourite huts of the trail. It had recently been restored was perfect. We cooked up some delicious Absolute Wilderness Beef Strogganoff and hit the sack. Part of the experience of bike packing is the hut and camping experience. We love taking the time to enjoy the huts,having good meals and taking the time to boil up water in the morning for a coffee (even when it is instant) and rate these experiences as highly as time on the trails.
Day 3: Broken Dam Hut to Schink Hut 71km
We had a great nights sleep and managed another early start and got on the road by 6:30am. The trails were very challenging due to lots of steep ups and downs as well as very rough and rocky or grassy ground. It was very slow going but it was our favourite day as it was through amazing remote country that very few people would have the pleasure of riding through. We walked a lot pushing our bikes up steep tracks and bumping down the other side. We met a Frenchman who was walking the Bicentennial trail - on day 20 of his journey! He was pretty surprised to see us and a little perplexed as to why we would have our bikes on trails like those. We assured him we were in our happy place and continued on our way. We passed a lot of beautiful huts and stopped at each one to check them out. Much to our delight found a small tin of baked beans, some brown rice, some split peas and some oats in one hut and some left over Parmesan cheese in another. Our favourite hut of them all was the recently restored Valentines hut. Our goal for the night was a hut called Schink hut. We stopped at several rivers along the way and enjoyed cooling ourselves down by lying in the river or duping our shirts in and riding off wet. We’d only covered 71km but it had been a long day. Schink hut was all we had wished for a more. It was next to a beautiful river and had a great fire and a foam mattresses to sleep on. We had an amazing and very filling dinner that night of brown rice, split peas and Parmesan cheese thanks to the food we had found during the day. We were two very happy girls.
Day 4: Schink Hut to Thredbo (50km)
We were pretty excited to be riding up to Mt Kosciuszko, the highest point in Australia, so started early and enjoyed a quiet REAL road. It was an amazing feeling being able to cover the kilometres so quickly after three days of slow trails. We passed several ski fields including Mt Perisher, as well as the Man from Snowy river hotel. The ski towns were like full of lodges and hotels but they were like ghosts towns and were totally empty. It would be amazing to go back in winter and see them in their glory. It was an absolutely stunning ride up towards the summit of Mt Koziouzko, we were lucky to have the perfect weather with views as far as the eye could see. We had to walk the final couple of kms up to the summit of Mt Kosciuszko. It is Australia’s highest peak and yet we hiked up our bike shoes just minutes from our bikes. Once again we were glad we had chosen to ride the Hunt when we did as just two weeks earlier the people doing the actual event had pushed their bikes through deep snow to get up to the summit. From the summit we returned to our bikes and then had to walk them down a metal path to the top of the chairlift and Thredbo. We were a bit blown away by the number of people walking up to the summit as had not really seen many people for the last 4 days. It was all a bit much for us. We arrived at the top of the chairlift happy to be allowed back on our bikes and happy that we had a massive descent into the town of Thredbo. Although there were mountain bike tracks all the way down into the town there were signs saying that riders without full head helmets were not permitted and they looked too technical for us even without fully loaded bikes. We opted to continue to follow our pink line on the gps which took us down the road. What a road it turned out to be. It has to be one of the steepest gravel roads we have ever been on. By the time we hit the bottom our arms and hands were protesting from holding on to the brakes. We rolled into town and headed straight for the bakery for a pie and a chocolate milk. As with all the other towns most of the shops were closed and it was a bit of a ghost town. Although it was still pretty early we decided to call it a day and checked into the Thredbo hotel for a hot shower and a comfy bed. We felt as though we deserved it after the last few days of wilderness and hard out riding. We spent the afternoon relaxing and eating and did some shopping to prepare for the next few days riding between towns. We definitely hadn't bought enough food for the section of riding we had just done so were determined not to go without on the next section. That night a huge storm passed through and the forecast was for more of the same. We went to sleep unsure of what we would do the next day.
Day 5 Thredbo to Murphy's Hut (115km)
We woke up to drizzle but not rain and after a quick discussion decided to hit the road and ignore the forecast. The first 5 kms were on a walking track and the riding was less than ideal. We were a bit frustrated to see a road running parallel to us as we huffed and puffed and pushed and pulled our bikes up stairs. As we rode the weather started to roll in. At the end of the walking track we stopped to put on our over pants and jackets as it was starting to bucket down and had another discussion about whether or not to carry on. The forecast was terrible and we were fully aware how bad Aussie storms can be when you are stuck in the middle of nowhere with thunder and lightning and trees and branches blowing down around you. As predicted we decided to push on and reassess at the next huts. There were several huts along the trail so we knew that if it got too bad we had options to bail. We ended up riding all day in some pretty solid rain but the wind didn't really pick up and it was an awesome day of riding. At about 3pm we made the call to push passed a hut that was off the trail a bit and try to get to the next hut that was 50km away. It was a bit of a risk but we had been making good progress so felt it was achievable before dark. We rode with purpose but our hearts sank when we turned a corner and saw the trail ahead covered in large trees that had fallen all over the track. Our only option was to put our heads down and make our way through the maze of trees as quickly as we could. Luckily for us the section of trees was only a couple of kilometers long and the roads after that were smooth gravel and mostly flat or downhill allowing us to make up for lost time. We arrived at Murphy's hut around 6pm with expectations of the hut being like all the other huts we had stayed in. Unfortunately this hut was a basic tin shed with a part wood part mud floor and the fire place was open to the elements and the rain was pouring in. We were so disappointed as it was no where near our expectations. However, after lighting the fire, pitching the tent inside and finding some full cans of Pepsi max our spirits rose and we had an lovely if not smokey night safe and happy to be out of the wind and rain.
Day 6 Murphy's Hut to Dinner Plain (98km)
After an awesome sleep warm and dry in our tent inside the tin hut we hit the road relatively early. Our first port of call for the day was the town of Omeo and we were pretty excited about having a coffee and eggs on toast for brunch. The day started with the most incredible descent through stunning eucalyptus forests and ferns on a smooth and fast gravel road. Although it was cold and wet it was exhilarating and we were happy to be making good time. We then found ourselves back on a bitumen road with traffic for 10 or so kms into Omeo. For some reason the thought of getting to a town is always exciting when you are cold and wet in a remote area, but as soon as you get into the town you wish you were back in the bush. Our first port of call was the supermaket, we then found a cafe for eggs (they were terrible) and finally we found a laundromat to wash our filthy smokey clothing. We spent a few hours hanging out at the laundromat washing and drying our clothes. Luckily the sun had come out and they dried pretty quickly. Neither of us wanted to stay in Omeo so we were pretty pleased to get back on the road and make our way up to Mount Hotham and the next remote stage of the ride. About 30kms out of Omeo Debbie found that when she pedaled she couldn't get traction. We immediately knew we were gong nowhere fast so flagged down the next vehicle and got a lift from the local postman and he took us to the next town which was another ghost town ski resort. We knew there was a bike shop in Bright which was 80km or so away so our goal was to get there but as it was now freezing cold and raining we decided to stay the night in the accommodation at Dinner Plain and get to the bike shop the next day. Lucky for us the lady who booked us in to the accommodation was heading to Bright that evening and agreed to take Debbie's back wheel to the bike shop that afternoon she also said she would bring it back the next day once it was fixed. Phew.
Day 7 Harrietville
After a night of indecision we decided we were better off heading to Bright to the bike shop ourselves as they were not sure how long it was going to take to fix it and said that if it needed a new part it would take 4 days for it to arrive from Sydney. Debbie hitched and Emma rode and hitched down to Bright. The bike shop was amazing and had the wheel fixed by mid morning. We did some shopping for supplies and then after a pie and coffee headed back up the road towards Mout Hotham to join back onto the GPS pink line. We made it to a lovely town just out of Bright - Harrietville and decided to book into the local hotel for the night and enjoyed a beer and a nice meal. Once again storms were forecast so once again we were sure what the following day would hold for us but were happy to be safe and undercover that night. The sound of the thunder and heavy rain outside did not give us much confidence that we would be riding the next day.
Day 8 Harrietville to Camp at base of Cobblers track (80km)
Once again we debated whether to stay another day or hit the trails. Once again we chose to go. As we ascended back up the hill towards Mt Hotham in the freezing cold mist with the wind howling through the trees, we both went silent questioning our decision, when a tree fell down in the bush next to us making a huge crashing sound we both cleared our throats but said nothing an pushed on. Both in our own heads wondering if we were doing the right thing or not. Lucky for us the weather improved the the tension slowly seeped out of our shoulders as we relaxed into the ride. It was challenging riding with the occasional push and at one point our GPS lead us on a wild goose chase but all in all it was not too bad. We knew that the day after this day was going to be one of the hardest of the rides so decided to camp around 2pm at the base of the massive climb where there was flat ground and water. We spent the afternoon changing our brake pads and giving our bikes a bit of attention and relaxing.
Day 9 Camp to Mt Buller (64km)
We knew this was going to be a massive day so got on the road by 6am. We were straight into the climb and straight onto 4 wheel drive tracks. The first part of the day to Lake Cobbler was all that they had promised with lots of steep climbs and descents. We were on and off the bikes all morning and on some pretty challenging trails. At one stage Emma called out car up and we sat there with mouths agape as a vehicle drove up the steep trail towards us. It was the local ranger driving the trails in his Landrover to check the condition of them after the storms. I am not sure who was more surprised to see who. His mouth certainly dropped open when we told him where we had come from and where we were hoping to get to that night. After stopping for lunch at Lake Cobbler we were joined by a guy on a bike carrying a small back pack. His name was Luke and he was out for a day ride and keen to join us for the day if we didn't mind him tagging along. We thought he was only going to join us for a short time but he ended up coming all the way to Mount Buller with us. It was great to have someone to talk to to take our minds off the climb and rocky trail. We passed some cool things on the way to Mount Buller including Craig's hut which was used in the filming of The man from Snowy river. We pulled into Mount Buller at 5.45pm after a long hard day. Lucky for us the shop was open until 6pm !!. We raced in and bought some dinner and some food for the next section of the trip. Luke headed back to his car and we headed to the nearest accommodation for a shower and a good meal.
Day10 Mt Buller to Jamieson (127km)
Once again we got an early start . We were feeling pretty happy with the previous day's efforts and thought the worst of the ride was over - how wrong we were. After an amazing descent into the valley we found ourselves climbing and descending and climbing and descending and climbing and descending all day. It was our hottest day yet and probably one of the toughest. Emma got attacked by three leaches and Debbie had a reasonably solid crash and it seemed to take forever to get anywhere. We reached our planned campsite for the night at 5pm but there were other people there so once again we decided to push on to the town of Jamieson which was another 30km away. Mmmmm it was then that we hit the clay rollercoaster with steep ups and downs, followed by a horse track with trees lying across the trail, followed by an overgrown walking track. At 9pm we limped our way into Jamieson thankful to be there just after dark. Lucky for us the local airbnb opened its doors to us and provided us with milk, bread, cornflakes and butter and the cosiest cutest cottage we had ever seen. Our best night ever even if we did have to share it with a small fruit bat!!!
Day 11 Jamieson to Marysville (107km)
After the previous day's experience we were pretty apprehensive about what lay ahead for us. The day started off with another hike a bike and we were sure we were in for another day of hills, heat and hardship. Lucky for us things improved and although it was still tough going it was nothing like the day before. Every side track we saw we were sure we were going to have to go up it but noooo not today. Today we took the nice routes and the nice roads. What a relief and what a beautiful day of riding. We rolled into Marysville mid afternoon, checked into a lovely room with a bath and tv. Went out for a meal and a beer and had the most amazing evening spoiling ourselves.
Day 12 Marysville to Eltham (95km)
We were a bit undecided about what to do as Marysville was a cool town and spending a day exploring was quite appealing but after hearing from a friend who Debbie hadn't seen in fifteen years we decided to hit the road and head to Eltham after a nice breakfast and a coffee. Unfortunately, all the cafes were closed so we were forced to ride without caffeine in our veins. The ride out of Marysville was beautiful and the descent into Healsville was sensational. We stopped off in Healsville for a coffee before attacking the last section through to Eltham. It was hilly and challenging but stunning. Luckily, the place we were staying was only a couple of ks off the Hunt route. We cooked a meal and settled in to watch a movie.
Day 13 Eltham to Melbourne (30km)
Our final day on the Hunt was spectacular. It was hard to believe that we could ride into a city as large as Melbourne completely on bike trails. What a pleasure it was spinning through the parks and trails of Melbourne and seeing lots of people out enjoying their riding. Before we knew it our GPS was telling us we had finished ! We asked a guy to take our photo and it was done. What a feeling, what an achievement, what an experience.
Bikes
Niner AIR RDO - 29 inch carbon hardtail
Packing list:
1 collapsible pot (sea to summit)
2 collapsible cups
2 collapsible bowls
1 cooker
1 gas cannister
1 flint
1 GPS plus three sets of batteries
2 lightweight sleeping bags
2 silk sleeping sheets
1 inflatable pillow
1 sleeping mat each
1 lightweight tent
1 bike short / 1 tri short
2 pairs of socks
2 long sleeved shirts
1 pair jandals
1 buff
1 good quality waterproof jacket
1 pair of waterproof overpants
Bike tools
3 spare tubes
1 multi tool with chain break
spare chainlinks
2 sets of spare brake pads
2 pumps
patches
