Cold Flame Rally - 5 & 6 March 2021

[Williamson]

All the info you probably need is here: https://advrider.com/f/threads/cold-...-club.1487740/

I'm planning to head off early Thu 4, overnight at Omeo, then easy ride to Benambra, and not so easy ride to rally site. Let me know if you want to provide some company.

Still looking at logistics and options for the return ride - home via Omeo then off to Mudgee, or to Omeo and then direct to Mudgee.  Oh, one of the problems of being retired.

All arrangements and plans subject to trouble free COVID.

[Williamson]

A few words and pics of the ride to, at and from the rally.

Thursday 4 March

First stop was at Yea (as usual).  Like many rural towns and villages, there's generally a good coffee and pie or sausage roll on offer; Yea is no exception.  There are two bakeries in Yea, both are good, but I suppose the fact the four motorcycle coppers were have a feast at the western bakery, it must be the one to go to (just out of sight on the far left of this pic).


The other bakery.


I headed off before the coppers.  A coupla km toward Mansfield a Camry sedan towing a trailer, bicycles loosely strapped on top of the trailer load, overtook me.  Bicycle were loose, it was obvious (to me) as one had the whole of the front wheel sticking out the right hand side.  Coppers passed me, I thought. "They'll pull him up."   Nope they passed the Camry and turned off to Eildon - 'effing lazy pricks.  Time for another blood pressure pill.

Nice ride via Bonnie Doon, Mansfield and Tolmie (pub is now closed, store closed 5 / 10 years back) to Whitfield.   Despite the 80km/h speed limit for most of the section between Mansfield and Whitfield that is one really sweet length of motorcycle road. 

Whitfield has a new store.


And the new owners (I've heard on another Forum) have tided-up the old store.




A stop at Myrtleford to top-up fuel.


I took the pic to show the ULP price, this was $0.50 less than what I paid in Melbourne.  The lady didn't like me taking her pic and demanded that I delete it, and could have easily, but as she was very rude about it ......

Then up Mount Hotham.






The sign said it was the highest sealed through road in OZ.


And on the the Hill Top Hotel and Omeo for the night.







 

[ruSTynutz]

And the new owners (I've heard on another Forum) have tided-up the old store.

That's good to hear as Sue & I went through Whitfield around 6 months ago and the place was closed up... 

[Williamson]

Friday 5 to Sun 7 March

Up early, pick-up ice and fresh bread at servo and bakery (in yesterday's ST's in front if big things thread), head off to Benambra, stop for some pics.

Benambra pub.




A neat old church.


School


Public Hall and War Memorial




Not so sure about the petrol station, workshop and barber shop.




I left the ST parked there for 15 to 20 minutes, no one seemed to mind, no one else came.  Benambra is pretty quiet.

Then headed east: https://goo.gl/maps/bq2pDZEqLVfm5rd88, around 16 km of good sealed road, then gravel.  Gravel was good (up to 80km/h) to poor (25mk/h).  It was stressful, demanding, tiring, so after about 18km I stopped for a break, at Misery Track.







Temp had dropped to 7C at this point, elevation was around 1,270m, time for some warmer gloves, but the show must go on, and after up hill, down dale, left and right corners, another 14km of gravel, kangaroos & brumbies and this -https://goo.gl/maps/u5SvcHMSdWFEZyFd6 .

Eventually, after 4 hours from Omeo, this:


I was second to arrive, one guy arrived Thursday afternoon.  By the time I set-up my camp, a few others arrived.







Over 30km of gravel, with gravel often comes dust, Limestone Road is no exception.  WARNING the next pic may offend, JD look away.



Couldn't clean the bike, what else to do?  There was beer and ice in the esky, a bonfire and many stories to be told.

By Friday evening, we had around 50 campers, riders arrived all through Saturday, we had over 100 campers / 95 registrations by the time it was dark.

Some random pics from around the camp area.







Saturday morning was could, Sunday colder, with a bit of ice in the Mighty ST1300.



By the time I packed and was ready to go, the temp had almost reached double figures, Benambra it was 10C.

Re. the native dogs, I didn't see any, and that was surprising because they must be monstrous, probably the size of horses - there were barkers' eggs everywhere and they were the size of horse shyte.