GBW wrote: After a successful ride to Bairnsdale over Christmas I'm hoping to tackle the BNT on bike from Healesville to...as far as I can get!
That is such a hardcore section, well done to you! I look forward to hearing how it went for you. It looks pretty wild and uppy downy, utterly gorgeous country though. Have you done much bike packing? How have you set up your bike for gear? I ride my (hard tail) bike a fair bit -80km+ most weeks- but have only done one bike packing trip so far in late Feb this year, I enjoyed how much ground I could cover. My set up was not optimal though, would definitely invest in a roll bag for my handlebars if I were to do it again.
The BNT and I have a long history of well...nothing happening. I am so keen to do the BNT and laminated the map of the entire trail and hung it up some years ago, it is still staring at me, totally incomplete. I have wanted to do it since I first heard about it as a teenager in the early to mid 90's. Initially thought I would pack saddle, then two years ago I totally set myself up to do GB 10 in my horse and carriage as other than QLD that was the section that lent itself best to travelling by horse and cart. Then the drought happened. Plans has to get shelved as the trail closed at that time due to lack of feed and water for livestock.
I reconsidered the situation and planned to use my goats as pack animals and walk (I was thinking drought friendly animal) but although they are great to walk with, they give me the shizzits as they just want to be IN the tent with you and sook all night if they aren't. So I would rather carry my own supplies
Interestingly enough, NPWS allows goats, anywhere else that they would allow a horse/alternative pack animal like donkeys etc.
I then planned to do a 3 week stint on it in September this year, walking or riding my bike, but my husband and I decided to go 'big' and I planned a solo walk in France instead, meeting him in Spain afterward- clearly canned now. When this COVID situation is under control, I am going to stop
talking about doing the BNT and just flipping well start it. I figure I can just tick off sections as I go, it will get done eventually, who cares how long it takes me to do it all. I will never get it done if I don't ever start though and keep making excuses. This country of ours is amazing and I think there are places to see and interesting people to meet, I need to stop thinking I need to go farther afield and enjoy what is on offer right here.
If you get as far as the northern end of GB 9, shoot me a PM, it is only an hour and a half from me and would be happy to supply you with a cold beverage of your choice and be regaled with your tales from the trail.