Remarkable Melrose
Posted by Melissa on | July 10, 2008
The rain lets up, so we set out, in thermals and beanies, for Alligator Gorge in the northern section of the Mt Remarkable National Park. It is doubtful that an alligator has ever been seen this far south, and helpful signs tell us that it is more likely that a stockman called ‘Ali’, who shepherded his sheep through the area, inspired the name.
The 30-foot walls of the rocky gorge are burnt orange in colour and dotted with optimistic sugar gums that grow out of cracks at awkward angles. We are probably walking along an ancient river bed - our path the once-submerged river rocks and boulders - that is little more than my arm-span wide at one point called The Narrows. Progress is slow, as we take the time to test out our fabulous new camera gear.
As well as unfamiliar scenery, we are introduced to a new animal - the strangely named Euro, who is a cousin of Skippy but has black paws, woollier fur and comic larger ears. We startle a small group of them on the drive out of the park, perhaps with our choice of music - the new Ween album (thanks Scott!).
Time to get my new mountain bike (purchased to replace my much-loved commuter hybrid bike that someone stole from outside of the NGV - curse ‘em) off the car roof and into the mud. I haven’t been this scared in a while - the trails are more tracks for mountain goats and I can’t get visions of me sliding down the muddy hillside out of my head. Ben, on the other hand, is a natural - he has that ability to turn off his brain and trust and so jumps logs and hurtles down gullies safely. Like skiing, mountain bike trails are graded and I am looking for green (easy) and just managing blue (intermediate) but giving a wide berth to black diamond (really really hard and scarey). Mountain biking trails also have curious names like Dodging Bullets, On a Bender, Textbook 10 per cent etc.
In search of a good coffee we head to the bike shop and get chatting to the owners - two young couples who have moved to the country in the last couple of years. They are enthusiastic riders, passionate about the town and the area and dreaming up new ideas for attracting funding, and preserving what few services are in town (having recently lost their kindergarten). They share tips about tracks and invite us to join them at the pub, where we hear travel stories about the places that we are going to see - nothing like some local knowledge!
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2 Responses to “Remarkable Melrose”
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July 11th, 2008 @ 12:40 am
a) get out of the motels and into the tent!
b) where are the pics!
c) i’m ever so close to buying a MTB… what should i get? meliss, what’d u buy?
July 14th, 2008 @ 9:37 pm
Hi kids,
Seems like you are having a dandy time, sorry to hear ’bout Phil, but glad everything is sorted - bet that gave you a bit of a scare.
Hope the weather warms up for you, we just got back from Halls Gap today at it was bloody freezing the whole time.
Take care my travelling buddies.
Love D, M & O
oxoxox