My plan was to get up early on Wednesday morning as I knew that I had at least seventy-five km's to travel. Not knowing how hilly the terrain was I wanted to be prepared time wise.
Little did I know on Tuesday night that I went to bed that I would have a dog across the road from the caravan park bark continually ALL NIGHT. Along with the barking dog, there is also a fabrication plant up behind the park that works nights.Tents being far from sound proof sleep eluded me that night, and when the alarm happen to go off in the morning all I wanted to do wanted to do was through my phone to kingdom come.
So with a stiff neck from tossing and turning and a head that was pounding like it had a built in jack hammer I opted for a layover day in Kingaroy. I did allow an extra day as a precaution if a 'just in case' scenario might arise. It was also below 0*C and I wasn't going to tackle the cold as well as the presumed hills the way I felt.
I opted for a lazy day lounging around the park and after a good sleep in I got up and attempted to get a little motivated for the day. After some scrambled eggs and several strong coffees I felt a little life return to an otherwise lifeless and lethargic body. After the breakfast clean up I grabbed my tablet and charged it up as a prelude to a supposed blog attempt. But hey what could I say, I needed much more coffee...lol.
It was probably late morning when I decided to get out and about. I headed up town once again and looked around the main central business district. A pretty lazy day indeed and it really didn't amount to much in the excitement stakes. It was never going to.
After lunch it was time for a nanna nap. It was still cool in the tent as it was well shaded...ahhhhh the serenity. Quietness welled over me and the relaxation that can come from something so simple...priceless.
After the nap I knew that I had to get going on the Thursday morning early so I began the pack up in the afternoon. I checked over the bike and gave the chain a clean and lube, repaired some bar tape that had worked it's way loose and began packing what I wouldn't need throughout that afternoon and night.
Dinner time was around, the curried chicken and vegetables along with the rice weren't far off being ready. I knew I couldn't take the left over Shiraz with me so I polished that off. After all, it had been opened. I didn't want it to oxidise too much and go off.
It was an early night that night, although a little apprehensive. But it was relatively quiet. Either that or I was too tired and I didn't hear a thing.
Thursday morning, Day Four, had come. The alarm went off at 5:30 a.m. and the temperature was down to - 1.9*C and feeling like - 4.9*C, and yes, it felt every bit of it. I am so glad that I decided to go to bed dressed for the next day.
I dragged my self out around 6:00 a.m. and eventually hit the road just after 7:00 a.m. With the temp still below zero, steamed pouring from breath, frost on the ground and with the sun was shining with no heat in it, it was time to head off.
I was particularly excited about this day. Mainly because I was getting a chance to travel the newly mapped connection route between the South Burnett Rail Trail in Kingaroy, to the beginning of the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail in Yarraman. When I was originally planning this trip in November/December of 2016 I was planning my route to take me up through the back of the Bunya Mountains. I would ride up and across to Maidenwell and then down via Coomba Falls onto the New England Hwy. I still wouldn't mind doing this one day. But this new route offered a chance to be off main roads more and that is an offer I can't refuse.
The trip started out via Kingaroy's airport and observatory and out via a myriad of back roads across the back of Toorong State Forest. It was the perfect day. The weather remained cool, the roads deserted, many a forestry road, fantastic scenery with plenty of daylight to do it in.
I did have a few issues in the morning. The new route was linked via Garmin Connect which I downloaded and saved as a course. It took me a couple of attempts of going in the opposite direction as I tapped in "Navigate To Start". It took me a little while to realise that the start was at Yarraman, not Kingaroy. A simple mistake and I got use to my Garmin telling me I was "off course". I just followed the yellow brick road, or in this case, the thin red line.
Even though the terrain was hilly it was quite negotiable on a laden touring bike. Although there was one hill I didn't think was ever going to end. I walk ninety percent of it and needed a good rest. Fortunately after that one it was all down hill into Yarraman.
The scenery was magnificent. It ranged from dry rain forest to open pastures, hilly lush grazing land and it was ever changing. With every turn in the road came a new and breathtaking view.
The back roads brought me out approximately a kilometer north of Yarraman, almost at the 80 km sign on the outskirts of town. I rolled down into town and headed left off the D'Aguilar Hwy into Millar St. Just up from the corner, on the right hand side is the Heritage Center. I stopped primarily for a map of the trail, and the booklet that the BVRT User Group has had published. The ladies here are friendly, it wasn't long before I was sitting down to a cuppa and a few bickies before heading off to the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail for the very first time.
Only five-hundred meters up the road and there it was, the start of one of, if not, the main reason for this ride...The BVRT.
It had been a very long time that I had wanted to do this trail. But never owning a bike that was capable of doing it was something that had stopped me. Ever since I started touring the urge and desire only grew stronger.
The BVRT caught my attention when I was looking into the Bicentennial National Trail (BNT). The BNT is a trail that is used by horse riders, hikers and cyclists that run s from the northside of Melbourne in Victoria, to Cooktown in Qld's north. All five thousand five hundred kilometers of it.
When I was looking into this I found out about the BVRT, and when I started asking questions I found that a few of my friends had ridden it, or sections of it.
The BVRT is a trail that is approximately one hundred and sixty five kilometers long. It runs south from Yarraman through Blackbutt, Linville Moore, Esk, Fernvale and finishes at Wulkuraka on the western side of Ipswich near Brisbane.
It is an old branch line that started progressively opening from 1884 to 1913. Passenger transport ceased in 1964 with the whole line closing in the early 1990's. In 2007 the State Government announced funding for what would be 'The Longest Rail Trail In Australia'. The rest is history. A big hats off to the Lobby Group that got it all started, the BVRT User Group, and to the local councils that have joined in. They have all done a marvelous job.
Unlike the SBRT section that runs from Murgon to Kingaroy, the BVRT is not sealed. The only sealed sections on the BVRT are on the detour route that runs from Moore to Toogoolawah. But this will not be used once this section of trail is completed. It is dirt all the way.
The trail itself isn't hard, but there are challenging sections on it. More the creek crossings than anything. The sections north of Benarkin, which was my first night's camp, are riddled with gates. There are plans in place to put better infrastructure in.
Once I hit the trail at Yarramn I was just over the moon. Again, I was surprised at the surface, the Kona loves this kind of terrain. It was getting late in the afternoon by now, my continual stops for photo and video opps, and my long winded chat at the Heritage Center had put me behind. My original aim was to make Linville but I knew by mid afternoon that this wouldn't happen, with Blackbutt being my next option.
I was so surprised when I reached Benarkin. I knew there was a free camp there, but hot showers as well...wow. I found a flat spot on the basket ball court and set up my tent. It was right next to a picnic table so I set up my kitchen there, and stored the bike and my gear under cover. Showers were two dollars for what seemed an eternity, I only wished the shower would have taken a twenty dollar note.
It wasn't long before the evening air began to cool off rapidly, another chilly night by the looks of it. At least my new down sleeping bag was getting a good work out. I rugged up well after my shower and settled into a hot coffee whist I was preparing dinner. An old friend that I hadn't heard from for a long time massaged me so we chatted for a while. It was good to hear from him, and I'm glad he is doing well.
I sat up for a while after that just listening to the quietness. Even though there were a few caravaners parked up there they were all very quiet and headed off to the sack long before I did. So in the end it was about 10:00 p.m. when I retired.
Even though Benarkin is off the highway a little bit a light hum could be heard, but nothing too annoying. Then,,,lol...it started. It was either the gentleman, or the lady, in the caravan just down from me started snoring. It was like an old out of tune McCholloch chainsaw ripping through the forest. I kind of laughed myself to sleep, it was just like being at home...lol.
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