Sticks and Stones Ride

The sticks and stones MAY break my bones, but staying in the City will SURELY drive me crazy…

The idea for this ride is driven selfishly by my need to escape from the hustle and bustle of City life to maintain my sanity, and it’d be great to do the ride with a few others as the support and commradery would be awesome and needed especially on Day 2.

There was a ride I was considering about a year ago http://www.fixed.org.au/forums/t7321/ which looked to have a pretty tough day from Maffra to Jamieson via Licola which has proven to be unsealed and not suited to skinny tires so I put the idea of the ride aside… but now I have my cross bike and it’s sounding a little more attractive on bigger tires.

what I’m thinking…

Day 1 - Early train to Bairnsdale, ride to Maffra - Stay at a family friends house
Day 2 - Early rise, Maffra to Jamieson (stay at Caravan Park?)
Day 3 - Jamieson to Reefton Which will pass through the ‘infamous’ Woods Point (stay at Pub?)
OR we could go across the top of lake Eildon and stay at Yea or Alexandra…
Day 4 - Haul ass home to Melbourne

The only uncertainty so far is day two, as I’m yet to find anyone that has done the pass on a bike or speak to locals regarding the road from Lake Glenmaggie to Jamieson via Licola… it’ll be a hard slog, but hopefully a doable one.
map of Day 2

MapMyRide.com | View Maffra To Jamieson in Maffra, Australia

I finish Uni on October 25th and would like to do the ride in the fortnight after that… still yet to lock in a date.

Who’s interested and/or has thoughts/input on this ride?

Cheers,

Sime

I recently sat in a car from Lake Glenmaggie to Licola - the most boring town ever. I think we saw about one car and 25 cows on the road on the whole return trip. As for the condition of the road, I was concentrating too hard on not having a vom due to the driver thinking she was a rally car racer. But it was narrow and windy and hilly and I’m pretty sure the shoulder was non-existent. But like I said, there aren’t many cars.

cool, thanks Laura!

yeah, I’m sure cars wont be a problem as we’ll hear them coming and make room… it’ll be pretty hard to sneak up on each other out there.

From my limited research I’m now aware that Licola is supposed to be the mostest boringest town ever, and privately owned and run… kinda scary really, I guess we just have to be super nice to the locals and we’ll get out in one piece.
At least it’s a good midpoint to stock back up on water.

Can you fill us in anyfurther on the road/surroundings of Glenmaggie to Licola?

I could well be in for this, depending on timing, buy me a burrito and let’s discuss.

sure thing, I already owe you two! :wink:

Ah, sorry, not really, I wasn’t really paying attention to the road or surroundings. I wish I had have gone on that trip with the idea of planning a bike ride in my head, it would have made it heaps more interesting because I can confirm that Licola is the mostest boringest town ever. And I just wanted to get the fuck out of there as fast as possible after walking into their general store with muddy feet.

The whole way from Maffra to Licola is sealed and seemed like it was in decent condition. And I recall a few really steep bits. The lake was cold and not appropriate for swimming in during July. That’s all I’ve got. Good luck! It will be an amazing trip.

Sime give me a call re Glenmaggie to Licola as I frequented the place a bit in my youth. Did the trip up to Licola in the back of a ute on said dirt roads scared shitless also.

Markee

thanks heaps for the feedback already guys, I mapped the ride and there IS some steep sections… gonna feel the burrrn!

Markee, PM your number and i’ll get in touch… or I could even just meet you at the Museum and talk it out one trick session.

No sweat Sime. I’ll be at Museum tonite from 7pm and Wed from 7pm.

i am as always interested in your newsletter and may wish to subscribe…

whats the bet dan has ridden most of those roads/areas and has wisdom to provide…

yeah good call Nik, I’ll head over and talk to the man this week sometime…