Jullietta Jung
  • Me
  • Cycling
  • Blog
  • Map

Mount Stirling, Victorian Alps (Australia)

4/1/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
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:
  • Sunsets on Mount Stirling cracking sparkling wine and howling into the new year 
  • Swims down at the river 
  • Hashbrown burger with a side of hashbrowns
  • Dunny with a view at King Spur hut
  • All dunnies with hand sanitiser and toilet paper

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
Picture
Day 2 - Stonefly MTB Black run - Mt Stirling to Mt Buller loop
​Sleep: Bluff spur memorial hut

Strava link - here
Picture

Day 3 - Hike down to the river
​Sleep: King Spur hut
Strava link - here
Picture
Day 4 - Epic Buller MTB trail
Sleep: Mirimbah Park 
Strava link - here
Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    January 2023
    May 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    September 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    January 2020
    October 2019
    June 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    April 2018
    January 2018
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    December 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    January 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013

    Categories

    All
    Aberdeen
    Adaminaby
    Adelaide
    Albury
    Amsterdam
    Apps
    AttackOfTheBuns
    Australia
    Balmain
    Banff
    Beach
    BigData
    Bike
    Bikecafe
    Bikehire
    Bikelane
    Bikensw
    Bikepacking
    Bikepath
    Bikeriding
    Bondi
    Bowral
    Brighton-le-sands
    Buildings
    Buller
    Bundanoon
    Bungonia
    Cabramatta
    Camping
    Canberra
    Canterbury
    Cargo
    CoastalRide
    Coffee
    Commute
    Cronulla
    Cycle
    Cyclehack
    Cyclelogistics
    Cycletouring
    Cycleway
    Cycling
    Doublebay
    Doverheights
    Dundee
    Economic Development
    Enmore
    Erskineville
    Europe
    Findhorn
    Fire Trails
    Food
    Garden
    Garmin
    Gears And Beers
    Germany
    Glebe
    Gps
    Granville
    Gravel
    Helmetfreedom
    Hills
    Hut
    Infrastructure
    Inverness
    Italy
    Jagungal
    Japan
    Jingelic
    Kangaroo Valley
    Kosciuszko
    Ku Ring Gai
    Ku-ring-gai
    Kyoto
    Lithgow
    London
    Manly
    Mapmyride
    Mapping
    Markets
    Mittagong
    Moss Vale
    MossValeToAlbury
    NationalPark
    Nature Ride
    Navigation
    Netherlands
    Newcastle
    Night Ride
    Nightrides
    Nowra
    NSW
    NYC
    Offroad
    Olympicpark
    Osaka
    Outsideiffree
    Pacific Coast Cycleway
    Parramatta
    PCCAMS18
    Pedestrians
    Railtrail
    Rapha
    Redfern
    RNP
    Royalnationalpark
    Sans Souci
    SBS
    Scotland
    Seaside
    Selwyn Snowfields
    Sento
    Shinto
    Southern Highlands
    Stirling
    Strava
    Surryhills
    Sutherland
    Switzerland
    Sydney
    Sydneynightrides
    Sydneyrides
    Tasmania
    TDF2015
    Tech
    Technology
    TourDeFrance
    Tourist Attraction
    Train
    Tumbarumba
    Urbanist
    Urban Planning
    Utrecht2015
    UvA
    Victoria
    Video
    Wagga Wagga
    Watsonsbay
    Windsor
    Wisemans Ferry
    Wollindilly
    Wollongong
    Wombeyan
    Wombeyan Caves
    Wyong

    RSS Feed

  • Me
  • Cycling
  • Blog
  • Map
Proudly powered by Weebly