Clearing the Covid Cobwebs...

[ruSTynutz]

Having just recovered from Covid and after 10 days of testing "positive" I finally bought up a negative test this morning, just in time to make the most of a wife free weekend... 

I had been hoping to do a ride to "Dargo", a town I hadn't visited since I was a teenager but with the weather being a little bit "iffy" I wasn't actually sure I'd end up there.
Heading over the ranges near Mirboo Nth I ran into some drizzle but decided to press on anyway and hope for the best. 

Thankfully the weather cleared and while the roads were damp in patches, it stayed mostly clear with just a couple of spits hitting the screen as I made my way up into the high country.
Being a weekend and with Dargo being a very popular destination with the 4WD brigade I was pleasantly surprised with the lack of traffic.
Unfortunately I arrived a whisker late to have a counter lunch so had to make do with a hot chocolate and a packet of potato chips...oh well, maybe next time... 

With nothing else planned I turned around and headed for home...unsure which way I'd end up going but finally settled on heading to Rosedale (via Briagolong and Tinamba) with a half-baked plan to stop at the local bakery. Naturally that didn't eventuate as, by the time I arrived it was closed! 
Oh well, the bike needed fuel so after a brief stop I again headed for home, this time via Gormandale, Yarram, Foster and Leongatha.
By now I definitely had numb bum so was quite happy to arrive home safe and sound after some 540 + kilometres and, most importantly, those covid cobwebs had cleared! 




                                                      Wonnangatta River








           
                                                            Today's Route

[StinkyPete]

Nothing better than a good ride and some solo helmet time to clear the head and get the world back in perspective.      Glad to hear you have bounced back OK.

[ruSTynutz]

Thanks Pete! 
While I know it's not compulsory to isolate these days I did the right thing and stayed home and actually got quite a few jobs done that I had been putting off so it wasn't all bad... 
I think it was more the fact that Sue returned a negative test after just 5 days yet it took up until the 10th day for me that was starting to do my head in a bit.

[Williamson]

Thanks for the sharing words and pics Russ.  Always good to get away, especially on the ST1300.

Some trivia about Dargo - it's NOT to location of the Dargo Rally (actually the Dargo High Plains Rally) and the Dargo High Plains is not the location of the Rally, the Rally is actually at Talbotville which on the Crooked River, a few km upstream from your Wonnangatta River pic.

The Dargo pub is the location where many of the rally goers meet on the Friday night before venturing up the hill another 17km to McMillan Road (a dry weather only gravel track, NOT ST friendly).



If you're up that way again, it's worth the extra km, and then another extra 4km to the end of the seal. 

https://goo.gl/maps/DiS18g1hME4rMef18

If you're in the car (2WD is okay), it's also worth some more km to the Grant Cemetery (many old graves from the gold mining era) and Grant Township (a completely abandoned town), all that's left are some street alignments and plaques at site of old school, pubs, general store, etc..  Some very interesting reads.

Further down the into the track is Talbotville, again completely abandoned.  Talbotville is 2WD accessible, if you're brave and have company.  It's worth the effort.

[Biggles]

Two very engaging stories with escellent photos right there- thank you both of you! 
Yes, it's frustrating when you're beaten by "kitchen closed" etc, but those roads were definitely worth riding.
I do love local history, especially abandoned towns, so thanks for those, Williamson.

[ruSTynutz]

Thanks for the comments, Bill & Michael! 

Michael, I actually visited (and camped in) some of those sites/areas you mentioned way way back in the 70s onboard, would you believe, a little Suzuki Jimny LJ20 (all 360cc 2 stroke engine & a cruising speed of around 70-75kph...what a beast!). 

I also remember us getting sideswiped by an oncoming car somewhere around Grant...Luckily the mighty Jimny survived with nothing more than a slight crease under the canvas driver's door.

I also still remember the trauma I suffered trying to sleep in the Jimny on New Years Eve parked up on the side of the road just out of Albury...Not fun with seats that don't recline!
Ahh, the good ol' days! 


               A Suzuki Jimny similar to the one my brother owned but in much worse condition!


I must try to convince Sue to come up this way sometime even if it's in the car...

I'd love to visit the Den of Nargun (https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-to-see/sites/den-of-nargun) which I haven't been to in many a year!
I saw the turnoff on my way up to Dargo so I actually chucked a u-ey and proceeded down the road but unfortunately the road turned to dirt so after probably half a K I gave it up and headed back towards Dargo.

There's also another place closeby I'd like to visit (Glenaladale Weir) as I haven't been there since I was a little kid, it's a place I remember my grandfather taking me to...
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/mitchell-river-glenaladale-weir

One day...

[Williamson]

Thanks for the comments, Bill & Michael! 

Michael, I actually visited (and camped in) some of those sites/areas you mentioned way way back in the 70s onboard, would you believe, a little Suzuki Jimny LJ20 (all 360cc 2 stroke engine & a cruising speed of around 70-75kph...what a beast!). 

I also remember us getting sideswiped by an oncoming car somewhere around Grant...Luckily the mighty Jimny survived with nothing more than a slight crease under the canvas driver's door.

I also still remember the trauma I suffered trying to sleep in the Jimny on New Years Eve parked up on the side of the road just out of Albury...Not fun with seats that don't recline!
Ahh, the good ol' days! 


               A Suzuki Jimny similar to the one my brother owned but in much worse condition!


I must try to convince Sue to come up this way sometime even if it's in the car...

I'd love to visit the Den of Nargun (https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-to-see/sites/den-of-nargun) which I haven't been to in many a year!
I saw the turnoff on my way up to Dargo so I actually chucked a u-ey and proceeded down the road but unfortunately the road turned to dirt so after probably half a K I gave it up and headed back towards Dargo.

There's also another place closeby I'd like to visit (Glenaladale Weir) as I haven't been there since I was a little kid, it's a place I remember my grandfather taking me to...
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/mitchell-river-glenaladale-weir

One day...

The original Suzuki Jimny were a handy and very capable little 4WD, a mate had one when I was living in Cairns back in '75, got us outta trouble riding to Cooktown on the CREB track - but I wouldn't wanna sleep in it.

Not far past the Den of Nargun turn-off is a turn-off to Angusvale, another very nice little camping spot, there are some words and pics of a couple of our ride here:  http://ozstoc.com/index.php?topic=5363.msg64243#msg64243

And some from the Dargo Rally here: http://ozstoc.com/index.php?topic=9654.msg113861#msg113861

[Dragonstaff]

Those little Suzis went a whole lot better with a Morris Minor 1000 motor in them, but needed a bonnet scoop to cover the top of the rocker cover and the air cleaner.

[Williamson]

Those little Suzis went a whole lot better with a Morris Minor 1000 motor in them, but needed a bonnet scoop to cover the top of the rocker cover and the air cleaner.

If you gunna put the effort in, go for Hayabusa donk and keep the genes pure.

[ruSTynutz]

Those little Suzis went a whole lot better with a Morris Minor 1000 motor in them, but needed a bonnet scoop to cover the top of the rocker cover and the air cleaner.

Wash your mouth out with soap, Dave! 

[Dragonstaff]

Those little Suzis went a whole lot better with a Morris Minor 1000 motor in them, but needed a bonnet scoop to cover the top of the rocker cover and the air cleaner.

If you gunna put the effort in, go for Hayabusa donk and keep the genes pure.

Didn't exist in the late '70s when we were dropping the Moggy in them.

[Dragonstaff]

 

Those little Suzis went a whole lot better with a Morris Minor 1000 motor in them, but needed a bonnet scoop to cover the top of the rocker cover and the air cleaner.

Wash your mouth out with soap, Dave! 

 

I'm going...