Easter drag

Greetings,
Limping around the house, bruised and sore and having bowel problems
as well, after making a classic mistake in the Baw Baw area.
All loaded up for a four day tour on Good Friday, discovered that just
getting up to Erica could be an ordeal, particularly if you take the
(very much)up the Tyers valley to Moondarra.
But the real screw-up was Saturday. Having looked at local maps, I
decided that to get from Thomson Dam (looking as low as reported) to the
Aberfeldy River a four wheel drive track named Low Saddle would be the
best option.
Oh dear. I referred to them as `relays' The bike was too heavy to wheel
or even drag up the vertiginous climb with all four panniers on, so I
unhooked three and physically carried them the next step, followed by
dragging the bike up sideways. How many times did I do that? Twenty? I
lost track. At least on the equally steep downhill I could walk under
brakes. Took six hours to cover 2 km.
Aberfeldy River was spooky. Bushfires had destroyed the river bridge and
camping area and the road out was well and truly blocked off at Barnes
lookout. One of the few places I've been in where there was no radio at
all, not even AM via night-path. I built a camp-fire, pulled out the
booze and had a good session.
Returned home via Walhalla, thank God I'm out of that. I'm afraid I'll
have to revise my estimates of `doable' rides after that ordeal.
Regards,
Ray

"ray" wrote in message
u...
Greetings,
Limping around the house, bruised and sore and having bowel problems as
well, after making a classic mistake in the Baw Baw area.
All loaded up for a four day tour on Good Friday, discovered that just
getting up to Erica could be an ordeal, particularly if you take the (very
much)up the Tyers valley to Moondarra.
But the real screw-up was Saturday. Having looked at local maps, I decided
that to get from Thomson Dam (looking as low as reported) to the Aberfeldy
River a four wheel drive track named Low Saddle would be the best option.
Oh dear. I referred to them as `relays' The bike was too heavy to wheel or
even drag up the vertiginous climb with all four panniers on, so I
unhooked three and physically carried them the next step, followed by
dragging the bike up sideways. How many times did I do that? Twenty? I
lost track. At least on the equally steep downhill I could walk under
brakes. Took six hours to cover 2 km.
Aberfeldy River was spooky. Bushfires had destroyed the river bridge and
camping area and the road out was well and truly blocked off at Barnes
lookout. One of the few places I've been in where there was no radio at
all, not even AM via night-path. I built a camp-fire, pulled out the booze
and had a good session.
Returned home via Walhalla, thank God I'm out of that. I'm afraid I'll
have to revise my estimates of `doable' rides after that ordeal.
Regards,
Ray

Sounds like a real "testing" expreience. At least you had the booze!!!
G