It was last Tuesday on our "Evan's Track bog revisited" ride, that Mike, Kerri and Jon came across a fenced off area that appeared to be a tempting track into the Yellingbo State forest. Several things deterred us from trying it straight away.
One, we had no idea where it lead two.
Two, we were still trying to find a way around the muddy bog in the middle of Evan's Track.
And three, a big warning sign announcing that deer culling could be in progress. Than means guns going off.
Nonetheless, the site of unexplored territory triggered an idea in Kerri's head. She remembered a similar entrance into another part of the forest somewhere along the Woori Yallock Road. Well, the next thing we knew, Kerri had planned our next Thursday ride to this unknown gate, that leads to an unknown destination, by a route that was equally unknown..
Thursday arrived and 7 of the Alt.Thurs. group dutifully followed her lead along Woori road until it felt we'd gone to the world's end and perhaps adjourning for coffee at Yellingbo was a good idea. But NO, just short of the coffee shop, Kerri spotted her gateway to the track, duly marked with signs such as "Do not enter Do not pass Go. Enter at own risk". As if that wasn't sufficient, the barbed wire fencing surround the gate, shouted " Forbidden Territory".
So in we all piled. Graceful climbing over barbed wire fencing was achieved by all. Bikes were mounted and down the grassy knoll we rode, across rocky river beds, up precipitous hills, past wonderful forest scenery and verdant pastures, experiencing the difference between rutted and non rutted tracks.
We have the world to ourselves was the feeling. Peace. Soltitude. Relaxation. No chainsaw noise, only bleet(d)ing sheep. So pleasantly isolated did we feel that it was rather sad to emerge from our place of escapism and rejoin the teeming throng on some of the minor dirt roads around the Silvan area. We even saw two cars.
Then back to the bitumen and into Monbulk for coffee followed by the relentless climb back to Emerald from Monbulk.
48k traversed and 810m climbing.
A good day's work.
Thanks Kerri.
Alt Thurs Gp
