Snowys Trip inc. Route
Stuff
Riding
- Bluetooth audio + charging cable
- Bike phone mount
- Wet weather pants
- Dry liner / Rainjacket (also good for cutting wind in colder climate)
- Earplugs. Makes a massive difference to how far you can ride, as wind noise is extremely exhausting. https://www.earmold.com.au/ these guys do some molded plugs you can re-use, and are much easier to insert.
- USB battery bank + charger. Long cable allows charging phone while in mount.
- Camelbak. A knockoff bladder in a regular backpack can work. Water as you're going is amazing.
- First Aid kit - Isaac bringing
- Miscellaneous crap bag (electrical tape, cable ties, extra rope etc.) - Isaac bringing
- Sunscreen - Isaac bringing
- Tyre repair kit
- Chain lube
Camping
- Tent
- Sleeping bag / Liner
- Pillow - I have two spare hiking pillows
- Mattress
- Towel
- USB battery bank / USB Car adapter
- Headlamp - Isaac has a spare headlamp
- Book / Kindle
- Mug + Cutlery - Isaac has spare titanium mug and spork
- Cooking gear / knife / detergent / brush / lighter - Isaac bringing
- Toiletries
- Insect repellent - Isaac bringing
- Games (cards etc.) - Isaac bringing cards
Clothes
- Shorts
- Shirts
- Boardshorts
- Runners
- Thongs
- Clothes to sleep in (long clothes preferred for mosquitos at campsites)
There's a pretty good article here with some info:
http://motorcyclemeanders.com/camping_8.html
Route
Day 1 (Tuesday 1st)
Absolute worst case distance for day one - head to Stroud and stay at the campground in town. Run through Beaudesert and Rathdowney along Mt Lindesay Highway to avoid the Gold Coast traffic and get a few twisties. Right turn and down to Bonalbo, or left turn and straight to Kyogle. Follow the middle highway till it dumps us back on the Pacific. Shoot along the motorway till be we get tired.
https://goo.gl/maps/3Bia.pj2xixJ2
Campground Options. I'm struggling to find anything reasonably close to the highway that won't be packed on night of the 1st. Given the length of Day 1 and 2, maybe a motel?
Day 2 (Wednesday 2nd)
Gloucester to Cooma (or Jindabyne). Up through Singleton and along Putty Road (one of the top motorcycle routes in Australia). Down through Oberon and along the central plateau of the Darling Downs along the Tablelands Way. Then shooting along some boring 110 highway (good after a long day) from Goulburn to Cooma or Jindabyne.
https://goo.gl/maps/X5TuqDMUKVz
Day 3 (Thursday 3rd)
Muck around in the mountains. Around to Khancoban and Cabramurra. There are about six different roads through the Snowies worth exploring (although some dirt on a couple), as well as a couple of short hikes. The Alpine Way snakes from Cooma to Khancoban, a right turn takes you to Cabramurra then down to either Kiandra or Up to Tumbarumba.
Campsite Options:
- Tumut River, Cabramurra, or Mount Selwyn.
Day 4 (Friday 4th)
Head off from Tumut, some boring, hot highway, than across to Boorowa across to Woodstock via Frogmore. Across to Bathurst then start heading up the inland route towards somewhere between Rylstone and Sandy Hollow.
https://goo.gl/maps/ocrjqwgdsum
Campsite TBD?
Day 5 (Saturday 5th)
Somewhere between and back across to Gloucester then up the spectacular Thunderbolts Way. We have the option of a detour via Scone and over the Barrington Tops along a mostly gravel road to Barrington.
https://goo.gl/maps/JzCeBadMUCB2
Campsite options:
- Heaps of choices around Armidale or later down Waterfall way.
- Oxley Wild Rivers National Park, Walcha
- Dangar Falls
Day 6 (Sunday 6th)
Head off from Armidale, grab some breaky and shoot down Waterfall Way. Couple of optional stops at some amazing waterfalls, shoot left from Ebor (or longer route via Dorriga) up to Grafton. Inland road to Kyogle again, and then hit up Lions road to finish it up if we're not too tired or back via Murwillumbah.