Dirt = 60-70%
​
Today started off on a better note—no headache, thanks to a solid effort at staying hydrated with plenty of water, two Hydralytes, and a Powerade.
Leaving Orange, I was surprised by how long it took to hit dirt roads. Back in the ACT, I can usually find dirt much quicker! Eventually, we got off-road, bypassing Millthorpe and Blayney as we made our way south toward Carcoar.
In Carcoar, we stopped at the Stoke Stable Museum, but unfortunately, like the Rockley Museum, it was closed. One of the challenges of weekday travel! A quick navigation slip had us briefly backtracking from what looked like the highway entrance. Looking back at the map, we could have followed Fell Timber Rd to reconnect with our original route near Mandurama.
We passed through the small towns of Mandurama and Lyndhurst, then hit more stretches of dirt heading south toward Wyangala Dam. Along the way, we checked out Tanisa Pools, the Helm Standing Stones, and Elliots Lookout, which had a fantastic view over Lake Wyangala.
When we reached Wyangala, we stopped for fuel, a drink, and a look at the dam wall. Unfortunately, the maps misled me, as I thought we’d be able to cross over the dam wall—but we had to reroute around the township instead.
Continuing south, we rode through some amazing twists and turns, paved but starting on dirt. Not too many road bikes would likely tackle these curves! Then it was back to dirt again through Reids Flat and Frogmore before reaching Boorowa, where we enjoyed a well-earned stop for some delicious baked goods.
Dave was running low on fuel, but he had just enough to get to Yass, so we pressed on through Rye Park and took the dirt roads to Yass. Here, Dave had a mishap—overdoing it on one corner and running off the road. All we heard on the radio was some colorful language, so we turned back to check on him. I reached him first and found him lying in a ditch under his bike, winded and nursing a sore leg and chest. Fortunately, he was okay overall. We lifted his bike back onto the road, assessing only minor damage—a broken blinker and a scratched Barkbuster.
After a break, we fueled up in Yass and geared up for the final dirt stretch back to the ACT, covering Gums Lane, Long Rail Gully Rd, Dog Trap Rd, and Kaveneys Rd.
Finally, we rolled into Gold Creek McDonald’s to call the ride complete.
This trip was a fantastic loop, and checking the Bridle Track off my bucket list was a real highlight. Next up: an overnight camping trip!

Dirt = ~90%

​Started the day with a headache—not sure I can blame the three beers from last night! I’d hydrated with Hydralyte after the ride and a Powerade in the morning, but the headache stuck around. Packing up, I realized my USB cable and Garmin mount were stolen overnight, meaning the GPS track recording would be out for the rest of the trip.
We kicked off with a lap around the iconic Mount Panorama Race Track. Big thanks to Rick for the suggestion—it’s one of those must-do experiences when you’re in Bathurst.
After that, we set out for the Bridle Track. We expected the landmark sign to be right at the start of the dirt, but it turns out it’s actually four kilometres in, and 25 kilometres from the turnoff! With a quiet Tuesday crowd, we managed to grab some photos before setting off.
The Bridle Track started bumpy but smoothed out further along, with the occasional rough patch—especially the steep new bypass around Monaghans Bluff. We made several stops at sites like campgrounds, Monaghans Bluff, a mine near Root Hog Crossing, and finally, the crossing itself, where we debated whether to continue through to Orange or turn back toward Bathurst. Fuel levels ultimately made the decision for us.
Root Hog Crossing was about 70 metres wide, featuring large, slippery rocks at the bottom. It was hard to gauge the depth, which added a bit of challenge. We pressed on to Turon Crossing, taking a short detour to Mary Flynn’s campground. Turon was only about 150mm deep, with a concrete base, so it was a straightforward crossing as long as you avoided the hidden pothole on the right.
Next, we climbed Hawkins Hill—a steady, steep six-kilometre ascent. At the summit, we reached Hill End, where we first visited the Split Rock and Beaufoy Merlin lookouts. The views were absolutely breathtaking, and they’re must-stops if you’re in the area.
Back in Hill End, we took some time to explore the historic town and had lunch at the local pub. Dave tried to fill up on fuel, but the store owner was nearly out, with no delivery for two more days. Dave managed just 1.5 litres. Over lunch, we made the call to head for Root Hog Crossing , based on Dave's limited fuel, it was the shortest route to Orange.
Back down Hawkins Hill we went, arriving at Root Hog Crossing. We’d already assessed the crossing earlier, so our plan was to walk the bikes over, with one rider managing the throttle and a helper keeping the bike steady. Rick went first, with Dave assisting. Despite some unexpectedly deep spots, Rick managed to make it across, though at times the water reached around 700mm deep.
Then Dave came back to help me over. It was tough, and by the end, we were all pretty worn out. Hindsight says it might’ve been easier if Rick had come back for additional help, but we made it across without submerging any bikes. We took a breather, shook out some water from our boots, and shared some laughs about the adventure.
Finally, we set out on what turned out to be one of the best tracks of the trip, arriving at Ophir Road, where we stopped briefly at Banjo Paterson’s birthplace before riding on into Orange to fuel up and check into our accommodation.
We’d planned a lap around Mount Canobolas, but after the day’s adventure, we were spent. So instead, we took it easy with dinner and a couple of beers before calling it a night.

The YouTube videos below have been shot by Rick.

Our journey began at Mitchell, setting out on a mostly dirt route with 90% off-road. Our first stop was in Gunning for a quick break, and then we were off to Crookwell to sample some fresh baked goods from the local bakery—a perfect treat to fuel the day’s ride.
Rested and refueled, we continued northward past Binda, through Tuena, and finally arrived at Grove Creek Falls. The falls were stunning, though not for the faint-hearted. With a steep drop and a fence perched close to the edge, it’s a spot that would give anyone with vertigo a run for their money!
Leaving the falls, we rode up Bald Ridge Road, intending to connect with Grove Creek Road via Matchetts. However, we quickly learned that Matchetts Road, despite appearing on maps, was actually a dead end at its southern end, due to a locked gate. This meant retracing our path back to Goulburn Road to find another way forward toward Trunkey and realign with our mapped route.
On Goulburn Road, we faced a bit of a hiccup—Dave fell back and lost radio contact. Without a map, he’d assumed our last instructions involved a turn-off and spent some time searching up and down the road for it. Once we regrouped, we continued on to Rockley to check out the historic village, a scenic stop that added a nice touch to the journey.
From Rockley, we headed toward Chifley Dam. I actually missed the turnoff and had to circle back, but once we were there, we took in the views, snapped a few photos, and geared up to complete the final leg of the ride to Bathurst.
Arriving in Bathurst, we stopped by Renshaw’s bike shop, where I hoped to surprise Gary Theiss—only to find he wasn’t working that day. The staff had a bit of fun and called him in, so we managed to catch up for a quick chat.
We wrapped up the day with check-in at the Family Hotel, where Gary joined us for dinner. We enjoyed a relaxed evening, but by 9:00 PM, I was ready to call it a night.
Looking forward to what Day 2 will bring!
Day 1 Ride Map.

Due to an upcoming 3 day ride, I finally got around the buying and installing a larger tank. This was to remove the whole range anxiety issue.
The tank is a Safari 17-litre tank, but holds 20-litres. It replaces the factory tank which has a 10-litre capacity.
My range has gone from approximately 180kms to ​approximately 360kms.

Rick Kidston had a cunning plan for us to explore the southern reaches of Tallaganda. I rode my DRZ400E, while Rick rode his CRF450, and together we tackled a loop that took us past some fascinating sites: Lowden Waterwheel, Sawpit Gully, the BoM weather radar, an unnamed trig point, and Cronin Summit Firetower.

​Along the way, my front wheel washed out on me no less than three times! Somehow, I managed to save it each time, though one was particularly close to a nasty spill. Adrenaline was definitely pumping as we continued our adventure.

Lowden Forest Park is well worth the ride from Braidwood or Canberra, with historical relics dating back over 170 years. The park contains remnants from its days as a logging camp in the 1830s, including a remarkable waterwheel originally used to generate electricity. The sights here take you back in time, providing a unique glimpse into the area’s past.

Visiting the BoM weather radar had been on my bucket list for a while, and I convinced Rick to add a 4km detour to check it out. Located at the lowest point of our route, the radar was well worth the extra kilometres. We took a break here, enjoying a snack before heading back north towards our starting point.

As we turned north, we made an unexpected stop at an unnamed trig point. A quick rock scramble gave us some excellent views to the south and west, looking towards Captains Flat, partly hidden by a small mountain range.
Shortly after, Rick had an off on the rutted Middle Road track, where his wheels decided to follow separate ruts. Not long after, I ended up on the wrong side of the track and got stuck in a rut trying to cross back. Both mishaps had us helping each other back on track, laughing off the challenges as part of the day’s fun.

After navigating the tricky section, we made it to Cronin Summit Firetower. Two enduro riders were already at the summit, but they left shortly after we arrived, leaving the place to ourselves.
The final leg of our journey involved navigating two tracks out of the area. The first ended at a gate to some farming properties, and the second we were unsure as to whether it was impassable, so we backtracked, as the day was drawing to a close and we weren’t keen on more bike recovery. We left the single track to the enduro riders.
In the end, it was a brilliant day, finishing with two very muddy bikes and a few stories to tell.

Ride map.