Touring - Great Alpine Road, Victoria, Australia

Myself and a couple of colleagues enjoyed a great ride through the Victorian Alps a couple of weeks
ago. Stayed in motels, hotels, unit, ski lodge and carried two Deuter Rack Pack 1 panniers with
clothes, spares, tools and food. The rail trails are excellent, the downhills the biggest I have
ever experienced and some of the hills are very tough. The weather was perfect and the only bike
problems were a couple of punctures. The impact of the bushfires was very evident from Harrietville
to Omeo. Food and water needed to be carefully managed for some parts of the ride.

If you have a few days holiday due I recommend this ride. Give me an email if you want more info.

24/3 7.50 am Train from Melbourne to Wangaratta Wangaratta to Beechworth via rail trail (44Km)

25/3 Beechworth to Harrietville. Road/Rail trail/road. (88Km)

26/3 Harrietville to Dinner Plain via Mt Hotham. Road. (45Km)

27/3 Dinner Plain to Swifts Creek - road (74Km)

28/3 Swifts Creek to Bairnsdale - road, rail trail too rough. (104Km)

29/3 Bairnsdale to Sale - Road. (76Km)
30.05 PM train to Melbourne (Flinders Street)

Total Distance 440Km (includes some extra Km riding at places of interest)

Regards, Maurie Abbott

 

Maurie, Thanks for putting in this type of information. It is interesting, helpful and informative
for us touring types. I for one would like to see more of this sort of information on this
newsgroup. Thanks again, Carl

"Maurie Abbott" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Myself and a couple of colleagues enjoyed a great ride through the Victorian Alps a couple of
> weeks ago. Stayed in motels, hotels, unit, ski lodge and carried two Deuter Rack Pack 1 panniers
> with clothes, spares, tools and food. The rail trails are excellent, the downhills the biggest I
> have ever experienced and some of the hills are very tough. The weather was perfect and the only
> bike problems were a couple of punctures. The impact of the bushfires was very evident from
> Harrietville to Omeo. Food and water needed to be carefully managed for some parts of the ride.
>
> If you have a few days holiday due I recommend this ride. Give me an email if you want more info.
>
>
> 24/3 7.50 am Train from Melbourne to Wangaratta Wangaratta to Beechworth via rail trail (44Km)
>
> 25/3 Beechworth to Harrietville. Road/Rail trail/road. (88Km)
>
> 26/3 Harrietville to Dinner Plain via Mt Hotham. Road. (45Km)
>
> 27/3 Dinner Plain to Swifts Creek - road (74Km)
>
> 28/3 Swifts Creek to Bairnsdale - road, rail trail too rough. (104Km)
>
> 29/3 Bairnsdale to Sale - Road. (76Km)
> 2.05 PM train to Melbourne (Flinders Street)
>
> Total Distance 440Km (includes some extra Km riding at places of interest)
>
> Regards, Maurie Abbott

 

Hi Maurie I'm interested to know the route that you took from Beechworth to Bright. Did you take the
rail trail from Beechworth back to Everton then continue on the trail on to Bright, or did you hit
the 'back' roads (Buckland Gap road?) down to Taylors Gap and join up with the rail trail there?
Judging from your notes it appears that you took the road. We are taking the tribe for a couple of
days riding around Bright and while the 'boss' is window shopping in Beechworth on the trip up, I'm
going to have a quiet amble down to Bright and meet them there. My only concern was the
condition/traffic on the Buckland Gap rd, hence the question. Cheers Hud

"Maurie Abbott" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Myself and a couple of colleagues enjoyed a great ride through the Victorian Alps a couple of
> weeks ago. Stayed in motels, hotels, unit, ski lodge and carried two Deuter Rack Pack 1 panniers
> with clothes, spares, tools and food. The rail trails are excellent, the downhills the biggest I
> have ever experienced and some of the hills are very tough. The weather was perfect and the only
> bike problems were a couple of punctures. The impact of the bushfires was very evident from
> Harrietville to Omeo. Food and water needed to be carefully managed for some parts of the ride.
>
> If you have a few days holiday due I recommend this ride. Give me an email if you want more info.
>
>
> 24/3 7.50 am Train from Melbourne to Wangaratta Wangaratta to Beechworth via rail trail (44Km)
>
> 25/3 Beechworth to Harrietville. Road/Rail trail/road. (88Km)
>
> 26/3 Harrietville to Dinner Plain via Mt Hotham. Road. (45Km)
>
> 27/3 Dinner Plain to Swifts Creek - road (74Km)
>
> 28/3 Swifts Creek to Bairnsdale - road, rail trail too rough. (104Km)
>
> 29/3 Bairnsdale to Sale - Road. (76Km)
> 2.05 PM train to Melbourne (Flinders Street)
>
> Total Distance 440Km (includes some extra Km riding at places of interest)
>
> Regards, Maurie Abbott

 

Hud,

Went via Buckland Gap then picked up the rail trail.

The Buckland Gap downhill is a beauty, long, fast, some tight corners and great views. The ride from
Beechworth to myrtleford is very easy and fast.

I had a mirror on my bike so I usually was tail end charlie keeping an eye on approaching traffic
- would call out to my two mates in front of me, car, truck, bike, big truck. The was little
traffic and we had no problems on this part of the ride. We did take a little buffeting on a
couple of the big downhills near Omeo from big trucks, scary when you are flying at 60+ kmph and a
bow wave hits you.

There is about 45 min of uphill (not steep)coming into Beechworth.

Maurie

Hud wrote:
>
> Hi Maurie I'm interested to know the route that you took from Beechworth to Bright. Did you take
> the rail trail from Beechworth back to Everton then continue on the trail on to Bright, or did you
> hit the 'back' roads (Buckland Gap road?) down to Taylors Gap and join up with the rail trail
> there? Judging from your notes it appears that you took the road. We are taking the tribe for a
> couple of days riding around Bright and while the 'boss' is window shopping in Beechworth on the
> trip up, I'm going to have a quiet amble down to Bright and meet them there. My only concern was
> the condition/traffic on the Buckland Gap rd, hence the question. Cheers Hud
>
> "Maurie Abbott" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > Myself and a couple of colleagues enjoyed a great ride through the Victorian Alps a couple of
> > weeks ago. Stayed in motels, hotels, unit, ski lodge and carried two Deuter Rack Pack 1 panniers
> > with clothes, spares, tools and food. The rail trails are excellent, the downhills the biggest I
> > have ever experienced and some of the hills are very tough. The weather was perfect and the only
> > bike problems were a couple of punctures. The impact of the bushfires was very evident from
> > Harrietville to Omeo. Food and water needed to be carefully managed for some parts of the ride.
> >
> > If you have a few days holiday due I recommend this ride. Give me an email if you want
> > more info.
> >
> >
> > 24/3 7.50 am Train from Melbourne to Wangaratta Wangaratta to Beechworth via rail trail (44Km)
> >
> > 25/3 Beechworth to Harrietville. Road/Rail trail/road. (88Km)
> >
> > 26/3 Harrietville to Dinner Plain via Mt Hotham. Road. (45Km)
> >
> > 27/3 Dinner Plain to Swifts Creek - road (74Km)
> >
> > 28/3 Swifts Creek to Bairnsdale - road, rail trail too rough. (104Km)
> >
> > 29/3 Bairnsdale to Sale - Road. (76Km)
> > 2.05 PM train to Melbourne (Flinders Street)
> >
> > Total Distance 440Km (includes some extra Km riding at places of interest)
> >
> > Regards, Maurie Abbott

 

All of the North East of Victoria is awesome cycling country. The rail trails and new ones coming on
line are just magic. Just shout if you want any information about NE Vic as I am around the traps
every week.

If you have not been cycling in NE Vic and the rail trails, you would not believe how popular
cycling and family cycling has become in the area.
--

"Carl Milne" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Maurie, Thanks for putting in this type of information. It is interesting,
helpful
> and informative for us touring types. I for one would like to see more of this sort of information
> on this newsgroup. Thanks again, Carl