 It’s been 2 years since I left the state that I live in. It was actually about the same time 2 years ago, the summer of 2019. For the end of 2021 I decided to go bikepacking up the same mountain range with the same group of friends. This time we were a little wiser and decided to find a better balance of adventure and relaxing. We opted to ride less, eat more and appreciate the surroundings by travelling a bit slower. We even went on a hike (although we may have regretted not riding)! Maybe we were able to relax a bit more as we weren’t panicking about the ravaging bushfires that seemed to follow us like last time. Note to self and a warning to others: bushfires travel fast. Trying to bikepack “around them” isn’t a smart idea. It was surprisingly nostalgic visiting the same mountain. Realising how much has and hasn’t changed in the past 2 years. We bumped into the same group at the top of the mountain who had been celebrating new years on Mount Stirling for 13 years in a row. It made me reflect and wonder how long my friendships would last. Is this how traditions begin, by doing something more than once? I wonder what spaces we will continue to hold and share together? Will we continue to have adventures and traditions? Don’t know. It just makes me cherish the adventures we have had and the memories we have created. This year instead of tormenting us with fires, Mother Nature and her mountains offered refuge from the pandemic that was/is escalating quickly through the country. Unfortunately the mountains aren’t completely out of reach of the telecommunications satellites. A few of us were able to check the daily news to update the rest of us with the increasing tally of COVID cases. Being in the clean crisp mountains was a huge relief. As for the bikepacking we were able “glamp” a bit by having a car and leaving our gear at a base camp to do day rides and visit a cafe at Mt Buller, I highly recommend their hashbrown burger which is served with a side of hashbrowns, and resupply at the tiny, tiny grocer at the top. The Victorian government has done well to invest in a summer economy in the Victorian alps by offering loads of well maintained mountain biking trails to cater for a lot of abilities and ages. It made me so happy to see young children, young families and some teenagers out there on their mountain bikes. Much more properly equipped than I was on my gravel bike. Not sure if starting on the Stonefly trail which is rated a black diamond was a good or bad idea. Most of the trail down was hike-a-bike but it did mean trails after that were “easy”. Highlights of the trip:
Thank you mountains for the memories, reflections and refuge. Day 1 - Telephone Junction to campsite (Bluff spur memorial hut) Sleep: Bluff spur memorial hut Strava link - here  Day 2 - Stonefly MTB Black run - Mt Stirling to Mt Buller loop Sleep: Bluff spur memorial hut Strava link - here   
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Day 1 - Outta Melbourne into Midnight Day 2 - Into state forest territory Day 3 - Ice Ice baby Jamieson Day 4 - To Base camp Mt Buller Day 5 - Mt Stirling Day 6 - New Year's ride outta Mt Stirling Day 7 - To the Seymour train station |
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