A Couple of Roads Less Travelled.

[rendang]

   Over the Christmas/New Year break I decided to take my chances with the double [leo]demerits and run up a few K's. First I did Oxley Hwy via Bylong Valley,Bucket,s and Thunderbolts Way then back by The Lakes Way (Taree to Bulladelah) then cut back across to Dungog, Bylong Valley Way then home.
   Plenty has already been said about these roads already but I just wanted to comment on how good The Lakes Way is. Its got some great sweepers thru great scenery and the road has been resurfaced for a lot of the way, just the the occasional rough patch too look out for. I would choose this route over the Pacific Hwy any day, car or bike.
   Also just wanted to mention The Bank Hotel in Dungog. Clean rooms and facilities, high ceiling, huge verandahs only $45 and they lock your bikes up in the bottle shop, what a bargain.

   Then I decided to spend New Years Eve in Hill End, an easy ride from Sydney. Up the Bells Line again to Lithgow, then out to Illford where I turned left onto Peel rd to Sofala. I was amazed by how good this road is,its in better condition than the Bells Line rd or Castlereagh Hwy,no real twisties but lovely sweepers, very little traffic,good surface. At Sofala I headed out to Hill End, another great rd, much twistier and apart from a few K'ays of dirt a good surface.

hill end rd
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/46927829@N06/6611478583/]
hill end rd


  No I did not venture down the Bridle Track.

Untitled

   Next day I went to Rylstone, to ride out along the Glen Alice rd to Glen Davis, then on to Capertee and back home. Its a narrow country track in poor condition but I thought I would just take it easy and enjoy the spectacular scenery.


Glen Alice rd by steveca51, on Flickr

   Unfortunately, it soon turned to dirt and with 30kms still to go I decided to turn around.

Glen Alice rd by steveca51, on Flickr

Glen Alice rd by steveca51, on Flickr

    Anyway, Hill end is an easy ride from Sydney and I reckon there would be a few more roads between Bathurst and Mudgee well worth exploring.

[mattyvas]

Looks like you had a great time away.
How many k's did you rack up on the journey?

[rendang]

   Hill End was 700 k's, but that included going out to Rylstone and some way out the Glen Davis rd and back. Up to the Oxley I didn't keep track of the k's. Yes I had a great time, I was just amazed at how little traffic there was in the middle of the school holidays.

 

[FIFO]

Hey Steve looks like you had a good trip.
The Bridle track is the Gold road they used to cart the gold from Hill end to Bathurst.
And defiantly some pretty country around that area.
And as you can see by the pictures of the rock fall closing the road
And still closed to cars/4wd, but looks like bikes can get through.
I wouldn't Ride road bike along the Bridle track more suitable for the dual sport bikes as there are some cause ways on the the river, and after all the rain out that way can be deep
plus the road is ,as it is called a track. though the sign say's 4wd only i have driven cars along it many a time many moons ago.



This is the original land slide.
Since then, part of the road has also collapsed and there are apparently no plans to repair the road



This is what its like currently at Monaghans Bluff.
Just enough for a bike to get through.
The other side of the ruble mound is gone, dropped into the river below



Looking down from the land slide

[rendang]

   I'd like to have a bike suitable for that track, when did you take those pics Rob ?

 

[mattyvas]

A-hmmmmmm