One account of the Brevet here .
The Self Sufficient Bike Camping Thread.
- Thread starter Dreggsy
- Start date
LachlanWilhelm
Squid
Wondering if anyone can comment on the current progress/condition of the Alps 2 Ocean ride that takes you across the NZ South Island. http://www.alps2ocean.com/#!trail-construction/czon
The trail completion section of the website isn't very comprehensive...
Cheers!
The trail completion section of the website isn't very comprehensive...
Cheers!
Last edited:
disappearin
Likes Dirt
I'm heading over to NZ for the kiwi brevet next year. The great southern brevet is on in January also. I'm tempted to do both. Let me know if you decide to give it a go.
FatGuts
Likes Dirt
Well thanks to this thread I finally got out there a did a short trip.
Started at Dwellingup and followed the Munda Biddi trail for about 30km to the first hut and stayed the night. Rode back the next morning.
Apart from it getting very cold early in the morning and I had to push my son up some hills it was a great trip. Big trees, hills, almost had dirt not sand, not a lot of pea gravel and lots of green and water.
God it is so nice to get out of the city.
My brother and my son having a break.
And I hope this is embedded correctly.
Awe....some. I ride with a couple of blokes who ride with their sons and they love it.
Kudos.
Do you have any extra info on the great southern brevet? Website is a bit behind.. they line up pretty well in terms of dates. Hopefully enough time in between to give the legs a rest for a day or two.
I'm 90% on the kiwi brevet at this point, putting some money down on a couple of fresh bike bits this week.
disappearin
Likes Dirt
Checkout the blogs of people who have done it. From what I've been told it's a lot more difficult, and more of an adventure than the kiwi brevet. Rumour has it that it brought a certain tour divide winner to tears...
Here is Ollie's blog: http://mountainpedalernz.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/great-southern-brevet-epic-to-power-of.html
bear the bear
Is a real bear
Gsb
Has anyone been in contact with the organiser of the GSB recently?
Trying to confirm this is still proceeding before booking flights etc
Has anyone been in contact with the organiser of the GSB recently?
Trying to confirm this is still proceeding before booking flights etc
Yeah it looks like a good ride, I'll see how I'm placed for time and money. But wouldn't mind doing the two back to back, but leg distances look a little shorter so I guess I assumed it would be easier.
Has anyone got a recommendation for a short (400ish mm a-c) straight 1" 1/8 disc, carbon fork that can take 700x45c tires? Seems everything is either tapered or steel.
climberman
Likes Dirt
Hi folks, just some quick notes that may be of interest for folks looking for an overnighter, especially with kids.
Canberra has just opened a new track, the Canberra Centenary Trail. It's 140k's, 3 days ride, but sections are easy to pick off.
My family and I just did a section form Forde to Hall, camping overnight at a new campground, the Northern Border campground. It's walk/ride in only. About 6+k's from Forde, and around another 16 to Hall. Our kids are 9 and 12, and day one was easy, day two ok but with some bits that were a stretch for the 9 year old, a bit of walking up the hills! The five kays of downhill from One Tree Hill to Hall were a fantastic way to finish though and lunch in a pub is always good! We then rode back via concrete to Forde, for about a 30k ride for the day.
We borrowed a BOB trailer, which was awesome, if tricky with the gates that didn't open.
Search the interwebs for details / maps / descriptions. No pics sorry folks.
Canberra has just opened a new track, the Canberra Centenary Trail. It's 140k's, 3 days ride, but sections are easy to pick off.
My family and I just did a section form Forde to Hall, camping overnight at a new campground, the Northern Border campground. It's walk/ride in only. About 6+k's from Forde, and around another 16 to Hall. Our kids are 9 and 12, and day one was easy, day two ok but with some bits that were a stretch for the 9 year old, a bit of walking up the hills! The five kays of downhill from One Tree Hill to Hall were a fantastic way to finish though and lunch in a pub is always good! We then rode back via concrete to Forde, for about a 30k ride for the day.
We borrowed a BOB trailer, which was awesome, if tricky with the gates that didn't open.
Search the interwebs for details / maps / descriptions. No pics sorry folks.
plasticmann
Squid
on one 29er
Built up an On One 29er for bikepacking. Took it out for its first overnighter last weekend. Worked great. It's got an Alfine 8 internal gear hub which worked well. The On One stuffis cheap and easy to land in AUS so a good option if anyone is considering a new 29er hardtail:
A few more pics here is anyones interested:
http://forums.mtbr.com/one/scandal-29er-build-alfine-8-a-866480-post10841536.html#post10841536
Richard
Built up an On One 29er for bikepacking. Took it out for its first overnighter last weekend. Worked great. It's got an Alfine 8 internal gear hub which worked well. The On One stuffis cheap and easy to land in AUS so a good option if anyone is considering a new 29er hardtail:
A few more pics here is anyones interested:
http://forums.mtbr.com/one/scandal-29er-build-alfine-8-a-866480-post10841536.html#post10841536
Richard
Cool, where are you riding?
plasticmann
Squid
Just rode into Grey Mare hut in the Northern section of Kosi Nat Park. Skirts past the base of Jagungal Mountain.
climberman
Likes Dirt
nice area plasticman - the missus and I did a spin there a few years ago, Eucumbene - Grey Mare -Valentine - Munyang - Jindy. Great area. Which route? I'd be interested in looking at something that went west.
Knp
I've just done a couple of days up there myself ... did 3 hours up and back on the Island Bend FT on Monday and yesterday rode up through Snowy Plain as far as Grey Mare FT, just glorious weather and great to be alive!
I'm routing a backpacking ride/race through here Easter 2014 [1000k] for the hard core so watch this space.
A great build plasticmann! What a joy to get out on your very own pony into some of our great high country trails.
I've just done a couple of days up there myself ... did 3 hours up and back on the Island Bend FT on Monday and yesterday rode up through Snowy Plain as far as Grey Mare FT, just glorious weather and great to be alive!
I'm routing a backpacking ride/race through here Easter 2014 [1000k] for the hard core so watch this space.
Now THAT sounds like fun!!
plasticmann
Squid
Climberman - we just rode in from Round Mountain car park so pretty simple in and out. Last year we rode in to the area from Tooma Reservoir for a change. In via the Dargal Fire Trail, then Hell Hole Creek fire trail. Dumped the bikes at the Tooma River ford (before fire trail climbs up to Round Mountain fire trial) and walked into Pretty Plain Hut for a night. Must be the best hut in the park !!. Next morning walked back to bikes and rode, (walked !!), up the bloody big hill to where Hell Hole FT meets Round Mountain FT and overnighted in Derschkos Hut, then rode back out to Round Mountain car park next day. The ride down the bitumen from Round Mountain car park to Tooma Reservoir is a great way to finish off a weekend.
I think if you keep following the Dargal FT you head up Broadway Tops and can then ride a few ways west towards Khancoban. From memory there is some info earlier in this thread. Sounds fairly overgrown though and the climb up Broadway Tops looks horrendous on the map.
We use the Rooftop maps for what its worth. They have a bit more character than the standard topos.
We've got the ride you did penciled in for a future outing. probably a loop from Eucumbene, Grey Mare, Valentine, Munyang, Island Bend, across Snowy then back up to Eucumbene.
Great part of the world !!
SummitFever
Eats Squid
This sounds interesting. Make sure you keep us posted.
SummitFever
Eats Squid
It's a big steep climb with no easily discernible track. Shame really, as the run from the Dargals down to Khancoban via Everhards was one of the all-time great descents (somewhere around 1000m down in the one pinch), just the water bars would give you vertigo. They may have to re-doze these firetrails if they want to have any chance of stopping fires in Kosci, so its possible they will be rideable again.
climberman
Likes Dirt
Thanks for the tips plasticman and others.
A loop back to Eucumbene is entirely do-able via the Island Bend FT, heading up via Snowy Adit. A lot of up though! I think Huw Kingston wrote this up in one of the Aussie mags.
A loop back to Eucumbene is entirely do-able via the Island Bend FT, heading up via Snowy Adit. A lot of up though! I think Huw Kingston wrote this up in one of the Aussie mags.