The brief for Day 2 was a stage starting at 1550m and ending at about the same elevation - so, virtually flat... The profile certainly suggested otherwise.
As with Day One, we started in Falls Creek at Windy Corner, except this time we headed directly for the Rocky Valley Dam and on to the Alpine National Park retracing 3km of the previous days tracks, then breaking right to descend to the Langford East Aqueduct. Overnight rain had made the rough trail muddy in places, leaving the more hesitant to cautiously negotiate the least wet vehicle rutt, which left us the wetter rutt open as a fast brake-free approach to the aqueduct trail. We had gone from a bunch of about 6 or 8 teams as we crested the climb to having the aqueduct to ourselves while they continued to pick their way down the track. We continued along the aqueduct trail until confusion reigned. A couple of teams were coming back towards us insisting the direction was wrong. Neither Peter or myself had seen any signs suggesting we were going the wrong way, and neither of us had seen any other direction arrows at a previous intersection. We continued on our planned route rather then get involved in any arguments or discussions about the whether or not we were on the wrong trail. Reaching the Bogong High Plains Road the medic at the intersection told us the main lead group had been through the same way so we pushed on over the road climb then downwards for the next 10km or so.
Rain was on the forecast for the day, with 10 to 12 degrees and 90% chance of rain predicted for Falls Creek and Dinner Plain, and 22 degrees with 85% humidity predicted for the valleys of the Bundara and Cobungra Rivers. The humidity became obvious as we dropped down the Bogong High Plains Road. We left the Road straight into an 800m climb that gained 100m in elevation.
It was another Alpine Parks track littered with foliage that soon dropped away again with some pretty deep water gullies riddling the tracks. One key thing I had noticed the previous day was how well the 29er Epic Peter was riding could soak any bumps or dubious lines without detriment. My 26" Epic was not quite as forgiving and I found it necessary to search for my own lines down these rough descents rather than faithfully sticking to Peter's wheel. To have some video from that descent would have been superb, there wasn't much pedaling but the heart rate was running high from the adrenalin spikes of making sure not to drop the front wheel into any deep rutts or to make any other monumental errors as we rapidly dropped down to the Bundara River where we waded across to the first feed station of the day.
The next 5km involved some steep ascents that had every gear in use at some time or another. The trudging climbs were rewarded by a fast descent via an access track that threw a series of water bars into the mix. It was then through the farm gates as some paddock descents and climbs lay ahead. Here we caught up to another couple of teams, lifting the spirits after a couple of hours driving each other's motivation. Traversing several paddocks of private property we were soon on the downward push to the second feed station. Some lube for the drying chains and refills of the hydration sources and it was time to start the gradual grinding climb over the next 30km to Dinner Plain. And it just went on, and on, and on... Just as we picked up a couple of teams we were also caught by a couple of other teams. The four wheel drive trail was in good condition with several patches of water covering the tracks every now and then. It was interesting watching the terrain change as the climb continued, and to notice how the trees became shorter and began to thin out as we got closer to our destination elevation. With the last gate behind us we made our way around the trail that took us behind the Dinner Plain village and on through the stage finish flags!! 97km covered over 6hrs 24min - a long day that got us home before the rain started!
No comments:
Post a Comment