I will start this post with we made a hasty retreat from Merimbula, as the country was going up in flames. More so the fact that there was a chance of us being cut off from getting to Canberra. This wikipedia article, shows the bushfires and especially the fires on the South Coast which had the potential to affect us.
Subsequently a number of places we visited just days before were engulfed. None more than Cobargo. Here are the photos from a few days ago, when we were at Cobargo.

We made it up to Canberra, only to face incredible temperatures and more smoke from the bushfires. We ended up leaving the caravan park and moving into Rebekah's parents house, so we did not have to suffer the heat and smoke.

Even though it was still stoopid hot and smokey, I was still determined to go for a ride or three.
Smoke on the Ridge
Smoky, dusty, humid ride around Bruce Ridge.
Map of ride.

Returning tools
Always good when you can ride dirt to visit a friend.
Map of Ride.

Hot, hot, hot
Channeling the Cure for the ride title.
The tunnel was sweet bliss.
Had to ride Bruce Ridge trails again.
Map of Ride.

The aborted group ride. :-(
We were meant to do a 50km meander, but the fire ban has closed nearly every place that I was going to take people.
So we went to the pub, as it is better to be safe than sorry.
Map of ride.

Tathra

This route called enduro felt like it was a cross between downhill and xc. 😉
Evil Tom is!
Some wicked gullies to negotiate.
Would be interesting to see how silly it could be on a dual suspension bike.
Map of ride.

Ben Boyd National Park
We went for a bit of a look around the park and checked out some of the whaling history.

Mandeni Mountain Bike Track (Merimbula)
My hands are rooted and so is my cassette. 
Let me say that I recommend a dualie for this ride. So many roots, ergo why my hands are rooted.
Lots of bridges on the back half and a number of things to keep the shore kiddies interested. Then the rocks appeared and some deep crossings.
At some stage my cassette suffered a catastrophic failure.
Then my GPS died (lost satellites due to low battery).

Map of ride.

I then had to ride 6km's with a busted cassette to get back out.

Photos from a road trip from South Australia to Merimbula. This section is From Deniliquin, via Blighty, Finley and eventually camping overnight at Tumut.

Deni
What a great place. Rode the best pump track that I've ever ridden, even if you mulched it, you could still pump back up to speed.
Found some MTB trails, visited a pub and the Ute on a stick.
Fun was had.
Map of ride.

Willoughby National Park MTB trails
I rode the Crater and Echidna trails this morning and although it is flat floodplain area, it was a bit of fun. Would've liked to have explored some of the other trails, but that will have to be another time maybe.
The Echidna trail was the better of the two as it had berms.
Map of ride.

Tumut MTB sampler
What a great bunch of trails. Unfortunately time was once again, against me.
These trails remind me of Jetta trails. Twisty and a few rocks scattered around to make it interesting.
Would be great to have had suspension.
Map of ride.