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Yes that is 44 degrees or 111F in the old imperial measurements. This was in the shade at Nymboida coaching station on Australia day, the heat was ferocious.
When riding I was blasted with oven hot air if I opened my visor and half suffocated in the stifling heat inside if I did not. It really was beyond uncomfortable and downright dangerous as I could not keep enough fluids up and ended up dehydrated, exhausted and starting to get brain fade and wanting to nod off. I stopped and took stock of matters then checked into the first motel I came to where I jumped under a cold shower then rested in air conditioning with a big jug of iced water.
The next day I felt mostly recovered with the exception of some heat rash from the previous day however the day was soon heating up and I needed to do a reality check. I reluctantly decided that it was not feasible to ride south as planned.
I went to explore the Tyringham road. This is the alternative to the Waterfall way and if you had the chance to ride both then it was fun in it’s own right.
I visited Russell Crowe’s museum of interesting things at Nymboida and had lunch at the Coaching Station which I presume is also his? Heaps of interesting sporting stuff collected by Russell on display inside the pub and friendly folk behind the bar – glad my plans changed so I could relax and take it all in.
Thanks for posting this ride.
I have been wanting to ride this area for a while and have been wondering what the conditions for road bikes would be like
Are you going to post the route on google maps
Thanks
Peter
Great photos IC…It's a shame you weren't able to do the whole trip as planned, but at least you spent some time in a great part of the country!
I'm now living in the Clarence Valley area and there are some great riding roads around here.
This time I did notice the omission of one of your "standard" photos – amazing pub meal, plus glass of beer, and your helmet in the background on the table! š
Always enjoy your blog posts…. Awesome work!
Great post – I have a few mates overseas (northern hemisphere) who find it very hard to believe it could be too hot to ride…
The area you were riding in is great – if you get back there when its cooler there's a beautiful little pocket of country under the Dorrigo escarpment – just to the north of Bellingen – called "The Promised Land".
Great to here about the diversion on the Summerland Way via Laurence – that road really does get boring. Will check it out next time.
Not sure what you meant by "this trip marks the end of my use of compact cameras" but if you are thinking of getting an SLR for better image quality then make sure you look at the Micro Four-Thirds cameras from Panasonic and Olympus. I bought a Panasonic GF1 and the quality is stunning – and its still incredibly compact (and has the capability to leverage an enormous range of lenses). They are a little pricey but starting to get better – Olympus just released a pretty reasonable priced one.
I got the camera for a long bike trip my wife and I are doing in Europe soon – can't wait…
Keep up the great blog!
Cheers, Robert
Brisbane, Australia
Thanks for the feed back guys.
The Panasonic GF1 is going to be my next camera. I had been waiting for the third Olympus 'pen' cameras to come out (debuted this week on net) I think I will go for the GF1 still as there are some deals.
I am definitely going to visit this area some more. Mid north coast to tablelands is really offers so much and is within easy striking distance from Brisbane. Moving south from there IMO you really need to get to the NSW/VIC border before the riding is as good.
IC – Mate can't thank you enough for informing me of the detour off the Summerland Way via Lawrence through to Grafton. I can now -after an Easter long weekend ride from Brisneyland to Dorrigo & back- throughly recommend the Lawrence Tavern for lunch; we had a great Jewfish meal there and it's really nice looking over the water from the front deck. This is a licence saver…it's too tempting on the Summerland Way to speed (especially on a ZX14…), the only other option being going brain dead, or worse, taking the Pacific Highway!! This road is great, with some nice sweepers and country-lane-style road through to Grafton. Made the trip. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for your description of the roads around where I now live (moved to Dorrigo from Qld's Sunshine Coast back in Feb). I came across your blog while posing the question to Google re the condition of the Coramba Rd, as it looked great for a ride on the map. I'm also a road bike rider that's not afraid to tackle some dirt, but your description of the 25k between Ulong and Dorrigo, sounds a little too hardcore for me, although it may be a little different now that it's 2017. š If I was riding an R1100GS, instead of my trusty R1100RS, I'd have no qualms at all.
Still, as you say, there are some fantastic rides in the region, so missing out on that one piece of road, won't bother me too much.
If you're riding through this way again, and feel like a break for a cuppa, if you take the Dome Rd turn, off Waterfall Way (just outside Dorrigo) which heads to the Rainforest Centre, about 300m after the turnoff, you'll see some big sheds on your left (old sawmill) and a small cottage behind a wooden fence. If you see a blue BMW parked in the carport, I'm home, and you're welcome to drop in . . .
I actually rode Dorrigo to Ulong last year October on my Downunder Tour (check story here on blog).
The road is better now – just a regular gravel road and only challenge is it was rather loose surface on road bias tyres but taking it slow I had no problems. From Ulong there has been a fair bit of resurfacing making the rest a fabulous ride.
Many thanks for the offer, I am still living in Japan at present pondering what to do next in life but I miss that past of Australia.
Thanks for this. I’m having to trim short a planned ride starting next week. Instead of going on to Newcastle, I’ll have to turn again at Uralla: thinking Ebor Dorrigo Ulong …. then home toward Caloundra somehow, Anywhere to stay in Ulong? What maps did you have as it all sounds like backroads. (We’ve done the Coffs to Dorrigo waterfall way, and Dorrigo to Grafton on the old highway) GS1100 BMW, so I’ll have a crack at a bit of gravel. Phil.
Hi Phil,
There is not much at Ulong. Motel at Ebor, Dorrigo or ride on to Grafton.
I rode from Dorrigo to Ulong in a later ride than this: https://motorcycleparadise.net/2016/12/down-under-tour-part-two-gunpowder-and.html – the gravel section is not that long.
I use a Garmin Nuvi 760. Just old car unit in a case. But those roads I explored originally in the 90’s by paper map.
I live in Coffs and going to Sydney looking for alternate route not on highway. Anny ideas?
Eric
Waterfall way, Thuderbolts then Putty would be good if never ridden.
Have a look at this map for good routes.
https://motorcycleparadise.net/2014/12/australias-best-motorcycle-roads-eas.html