Author: Sandy Gorman
It’s amazing just how close this weekend was to being so so different. I was SO CLOSE to throwing in the towel, admitting defeat and cancelling. I was so close to missing out on an AMAZING weekend. I guess I wouldn’t be where I am with my riding life if I was a quitter – and believe me, I have come close to quitting (don’t tell my husband, he was so close to getting excited!)
My week had been hectic. The LAST THING I really felt like doing was planning a meal, shopping, packing and heading up early Saturday morning without a sleep in to ride. I was rostered on to cook. We had a monthly meeting. Attendence was low already. Suck it up Princess, get your shit together and just DO IT. The Universe works in mysterious ways!
I arrived at Hillcrest Homestead just before Michelle, and had time to unload the groceries for dinner before getting my pony organised. Brian & Kaye arrived and after a quick cuppa, we were ready to roll. It was just Michelle Brian and I riding and had planned a “float out, ride back & return to collect floats” ride. With just the three of us, Michelle and I loaded our horses together so there’d be a car left at the clubhouse to return us to our cars. It was a ride neither Michelle or I had done, and years since Brian had, so we were a little unsure of how long it may take. We headed up the mountain through thick fog – at times it was difficult to see Brian’s taillights ahead. We broke through the clouds near the top of the hill and saddled our horses in sunshine. Maps out, we set off for the club house. I must say, whoever names the roads/tracks at the shire is a genius. Who would have thought that Rocky Track would be so rocky? As we headed up and over the hill, the views were amazing and the sun much appreciated on a cool day. Once we started to head down the hill, we were enveloped in the clouds and it was a little moist! The change in weather conditions was very “Melbourne” and having left the sunshine we were now riding through mist and the quiet was other worldly. Map skills mastered, we found our way onto Horan’s track and from there it was simply Top of the World (although we didn’t feel like top of anything in the mist!) and McNally’s road back to the clubhouse. I ate in the saddle on the way down, Michelle saved her lunch until the end, and as Brian didn’t pack one, they shared a sandwich once we got back. We’ve ridden McNally’s road and Horans track many times previously but the reverse trip was different and approaching from the opposite side was not a track I’d taken at all. Just a little mix-up of direction and it was a whole new ride. I think we did about 16 k’s, so a good ride to keep in mind… or we could organise to go both ways and plan a bbq lunch at the camp ground….. a thought to keep in mind for longer summer days! We headed back to get the floats and had returned before any members arrived for our planned meeting at 4.30. Michelle had a party to attend so didn’t get to stay for the night/dinner, Sammie & Jo just made it for the meeting, so dinner was Brian, Kaye and I, with Martin & Kelly calling through on their way home to join us for Massaman Beef Curry. Delish. (Not so bad to prepare for five – no wonder I managed to get here and get it done!)
Sunday was foggy again. Having lost Michelle to her party, it was just Brian and I riding Sunday. We decided to do a little exploring and headed off after breakfast just after 10 to park the floats at the end of Falls Road. We headed out past the steam train…. Yes, a Steam Train and up, up up another rocky hill to the most brilliant sight I’ve seen on a ride. We had reached the peak of where they have been logging (not far from the Three Sisters) and found ourselves above the clouds. We looked out to an ocean of white fluffy clouds, with peaks of mountains popping through in the distance. It was very quiet, the sunshine bright and the sky above us a beautiful blue. Below those clouds – I’m tipping they didn’t see the sun all day! We meandered round to the left, and the track was up and down and up and down and up and… you get the drift! It was a reasonably obvious track, but sections had trees down across or were washed out, but fairly accessible overall. We checked the clock and the maps, and although we appeared just a few hundred metres “as the crow flies” from the track we wanted to try, we didn’t know how long this may take. We discussed turning back, (we were “this” close!) but continued on to find ourselves a road that led us back to Flowerdale Road. Great Decision. The only problem with forging new tracks is not quite knowing how far/how long it may take, and if you can get through without needing to turn back. We were lucky on all counts and the tracks were great! We passed creeks, little waterfalls, valleys of tree ferns and the riding was great. We navigated perfectly to end back just where we expected to be on McMahon’s track. This is another track that we’ve headed up many times, but never down. I now have so many plans for other rides on this side, we will be spoilt for choice of new tracks. Again our ride was just on 16 klms. Stress free, beautiful scenery and back to the floats before 2.00pm. Notice not too much detail on track names? Yeah – you want to know, join us!
If I had missed this weekend it may never have happened as it did. Would Brian have done the Sunday ride just on his own? Maybe. Maybe not. But I’m so glad I it worked out as it did! It was an absolutely perfect day, and I couldn’t wait to write this blog and re-live it again.
