Bridle Track Adventure

Day 1: ACT to Bathurst - Dirt Roads, Great Views, and Lost Comms

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.