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For Aussie riders, the Oxley is now Re-Opened

Started by BlueDragon, Friday, 10 January 2020, 02:50 PM

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VladTepes

Thanks BlueDragon - great write up and photos.


I'd really like to see more such trip report things on the ORG.... hint hint to the rest of you (and me) ! :D
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Quote from: VladTepes on Wednesday, 22 January  2020, 10:19 AM
Thanks BlueDragon - great write up and photos.


I'd really like to see more such trip report things on the ORG.... hint hint to the rest of you (and me) ! :D

Problem is, I don't like to stop to take photos. Unless you like pictures of service stations.
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BlueDragon

Agreed.

I don't mind taking photos..  I used to do landscape photography when I was living in Nowra and the National Parks and Wildlife had access to my photos as I had to be registered with them as my photos sold in several galleries. 

My wife and I usually ride the Oxley each weekend (weather permitting) and whilst I don't mind taking photos, there have been several times we have gotten held up behind slow traffic like caravans and once we got around them, I didn't want to stop - as I would have been passed by the slow traffic again while taking photos.  No fun doing 20kph behind a caravan through the Oxley, all those bends going to waste at such a low speed..   :)

But when we start touring around.  I'll try to do lots of write-ups of the trips we do. 

Hopefully the storms won't hit on saturday and and we take the 1400 out to Gingers Ck.  Depending on how the weather looks we might go through to Ellenborough reserve and let you all know what the Wauchope side of the Oxley is like.  Will see what happens and how much traffic there is.  Being the long weekend, I tend to be more cautious with so many drivers out there in a rush to get to their destination, I don't need to be another road statistic because of someone else's stupidity.

But a friend of mine went right through the Oxley not long after I did this write-up.  he said the road was in a pretty bad state with a lot of damage to the road surface, melted and buckled road signs and melted guard rails. Along with a lot of rubbish still on the road and repairs being done by the road crews. Hence the escort vehicle to take you through in single file.




BlueDragon

Quick Update..

Went for another ride out to Gingers Ck Cafe today.

Haven't gone out the past few weekends due to predicted high winds and thunderstorms.

But with the rain we have had, Apsley Falls outside of Walcha is now flowing again..


BlueDragon

Went on the ride by myself today, as unfortunately my wife had to go to the chiropractor this morning with a twisted C1 vertebrae and was not allowed to ride after being adjusted.

The rain has also made a difference to the area with everything starting to turn green again with the undergrowth starting to grow back and the trees along the road to Gingers Ck, all looking "fuzzy" with new branches and leaves sprouting out of the blackened stumps.

Unfortunately my camera on the iPhone doesn't show just how "green" everything is starting to become again. But hopefully you get the idea.

BlueDragon

Arriving at the cafe at lunch time, there was no one there, which was surprising.

But - also, no more line-up for the escort vehicle to take you through. The Cafe owner confirmed that they are all finished and the road is now open with no escort vehicle.

After lunch, I rode for a few kays on the road towards Wauchope to see what it was like.

Lots of new armco. Still lots of fire damage and masses of trees removed. There is a hairpin bend after Gingers Ck (Wauchope side) and before, there was a small area (half a car width) where you could pull over. But now - its like a large packing lot. I took a panoramic photo of the corner. Looks a little distorted naturally, but this is a 40/45kph hairpin bend.

BlueDragon

The speed zone for the whole road is still at 60kph.

Make of that what you will. Some areas before Gingers Ck (Walcha side) are no different to what they were before, so don't quite understand why its been left at 60, instead of the usual 80kph.

But after Gingers Ck - travelling towards Wauchope, still be careful as there are large patches of clay/dirt/stones strewn across the road and in the worst spots on corners. So don't go cranking it right over on some of those bends, you might get caught out and throw yourself the the bike down the road.

There were also some large pot holes in the road that still need to be repaired as well.

BlueDragon

I'll be glad when they get the road fixed properly and get the line marking vehicle through there to mark the centre line.

Don't know if it was just "be an idiot day" but for a little while I had to follow 2 large 4wd's - driven by someone who obviously got their licence out of a Twisties chip packet. Driving on the wrong side of the road around corners and even along some straights. I got around them when I could and left them behind.

At least the trip back home to Tamworth was uneventful. Though very hot once I was down the Tamworth side of the Moonbi ranges.  Around Walcha it was around 25 degrees.  But once down the Moonbi Ranges and through Moonbi it was up around 37 degrees.

Days like this, I have to admit I like the fairing of the VFR as it guides the engine heat around the legs.  Unlike when I'm on the 1400, I get the hot blast from the engine and oil cooler right on the legs.  Though, I found that wearing long woolen riding socks (ones I bought from the Aldi sale) seem to alleviate some of the heat issue and makes it more bearable on hot summer day rides with the 1400.

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