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Day four and we arrive at the gates of hell. Didn't spot any three headed dogs and it all looked pretty picture perfect. A short ride slightly up hill through scrub. Interesting point the gate seems to be lacking some of the grills, knocked out by rapidly departing MTB's or downhill gods trying to escape no doubt. |
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And it pretty much turns into a bush walk after the gates. Mega steep 4WD track that has turned into a chunk of single track after being over grown, the odd land slide and is heavily rutted in places. |
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| The trail only get steeper I can't figure out why the trees don't slide off the hill. I was an awfully long way to the top. |
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We did find the remains of a wallaby at the top that no doubt expired due the stress of the climb. Vicious looking teeth for a herbivore are they not? |
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| Yes more navigation, mostly by peaks as the hills had been logged bare and replanted with the mono culture of pine. |
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Best part of the whole trip the slabs through the button grass plains. Looked to be unrideable to roadies initially but Gary lead the way and handed out plenty of advice to those following mostly along the lines of get that bum back off the seat. This is Andrew at the top of one of the more interesting runs. |
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| Chris followed by Richard weaving through the nastier sections. The sand did not help it was very loose in sections and could really grab a slow moving wheel. |
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Me, slow and careful. I was not sure which would give out first the bike or my ribs. Talk about letting you head undo you, I had a lot of difficulty relaxing and picking good lines. I'd love to do this section again one day, great fun. |
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| One of the Tarns formed in the sandstone. The button grass was pretty impenetrable and formed in the flat and saddle sections of the trail. |
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Vegetation tunnels there were a few of these. Some fully closed over and only pedal width wide, mostly down hill and really dark almost as much fun as the sandstone slabs. Gary and I doing a little catching of breath and pondering what's ahead. |
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| The trail flattens out in sections and there is a lot of "double single" track |
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Near Geeveston the track is completely overshadowed by a logging road. The road comes complete with rather large log trucks driven by uncommunicative drivers no doubt they thought we were some type of protest group. The Geeveston camp site has been partially covered over by this road and most of the facilities obliterated. The bridge over the river has also been demolished. So if the river is high the trail will be cut. We pushed on to the town. |
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| Our digs for the night, very comfortable. The town seems to survive by a mix of tourism and logging. The logging is pretty grim as Andrews panorama shows below. They take all the big stuff and then burn the rest. The big stuff is then wood chipped. |
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