Outback Adventure Episode 2 - Flinders Ranges, Mt Gill
[Music] hello and welcome back [Music] in the last episode we had arrived at warowena and settled into the Shearer's quarters we woke to a clear Chris sunrise and a delicious breakfast of bacon and eggs we came to warraweena because we wanted to ride their private tracks or Public Access routes as they're known you need to pay a small fee for the privilege but it's totally worth it I spoke to Ian the manager of waroweena about what tracks to take to mount Gill he told me that this is the loop to take but I was curious about the other tracks I could see on the map we had a conversation about our experience and skill level I explained that we all race Hard Enduro and could handle ourselves so he gave me instructions for a bigger Loop I may have exaggerated slightly on some of our skill levels Ian gave us instructions that would see us peel off from the normal Loop and follow the fence line down to the bottom of the property here we would find an old Shepherd's Hut and the start of our real Adventure he told us of a secret track that would take us to another Ridgeline this Ridgeline would lead us down through creeks and eventually back onto the mount Gill Loop the problem with this track is even Ian hadn't ridden or driven on it it had been unused for many years and he was unsure if we could even get through if we could get through it would create a much bigger and more challenging Loop it was an easy decision we'd come here for adventure so we chose the unknown before we set off we had some mechanical adjustments to do Shane wanted to adjust his handlebar position move his bars a little higher and a little further forward I was assuming Shane knew what he was doing I left him alone to work on his bike that was when Matt suggested he may not be the best mechanic I decided to check over his work excited Zion thinks he's finished we're just doing a little bit of a check yep that'll be fine once Shane's bike was back together it was time for the rider's briefing okay we're going to head out to do the mountain fuel Loop I'm going to lead there's no guarantee you'll get it right but I'm going to lead us out this way and onto the first couple of tracks Alex is going to go sweep um spread out if there's dust don't get caught in anyone's dust because there's going to be dry creek beds and rocks and everything like that if you want to see something and take a photo video whatever just do it there's no rush this is our holiday let's enjoy it okay so I'm lead Alex's sweep mix it up in the middle and we're good to go I'll let us off following some station tracks the boys eagerly following we followed these Trails down through some dry creek beds and along through the flat Valley until we came to our first signpost when I say signposts actually mean a bathtub the instructions were turn right at the bathtub and you'll be fine mountains were now starting to come in View and we were getting excited I had taken a wrong turn into a Dry Creek bed and wondered if anyone had followed me that's when the trouble started foreign I tried to quickly lift my bike up before anyone noticed but it was too late yeah oh what's going on here everyone's down Shane what are you doing hey you end up there man NY peep that means my tool kicks back there somewhere so what happened there we took a early turn and followed this dry riverbed and we could see the truck over there and as we went to pull out I dropped it here someone else dropped it here someone else dropped it up there the ground is just so loose and Rocky that your wheel just bites into it chews it away and steps sidewise and goes down so I think we've acclimatized to the conditions now hopefully Scott's just acclimatizing to the weather and uh Matt's lost his tool kit off the back so we're going to send him back find the toolkit but here we are in the middle of the Flinders don't know if you can see that track up there that's where we're going and we're going to a hill a mountain somewhere that way so it's time for a good breather and re-grip while Matt goes and finds this toolkit there were many dry River beds to cross on this Trail nearly all of them had rise ridges and gutters running down them we quickly learned to treat them with respect [Music] [Music] the flat lands and started to disappear we were now riding in the Rolling Hills even here you couldn't help but stop and look around just to take it all in I had sent the boys off first so I could do some filming I didn't think that could get lost but in their excitement to get into the mountains they had missed a turn and were drawn to a track heading up into the Hills the truck led to a dead end but that gave us a chance to regroup and focus on finding the old Shepherd's Hut I set the boys out in front again hoping that they could stick to the track [Music] they had done it they had found the old Shepherd's Hut tell us about this so this is Dunbar Hut and it was actually the place we were looking for because it's a spot on the map that we know where it is and we have to go back a kilometer look for a track that goes up the hill which I think might be that one you started Scott we have to Bush bash and Link that with another one up on a ridge so fingers crossed we can do it foreign we set off in search of this secret track the one that would lead us up onto the unknown Ridge and into Adventure surprisingly we found it it was a little too easy so I wondered what this unknown Ridge would have in store the track leading up onto the ridge was steep in sections and rough I wondered how the boys on the bigger bikes would go I wondered how Shane would go Shane on his Yamaha t7 was our least experienced rider I knew this would test him and I had some concerns on the Steep and loose sections I shouldn't have been worried as Shane conquered the section and gained valuable experience and confidence on the climb up foreign the next section was steeper rougher and much looser that new confidence and experience that Shane got was soon put to the test [Music] holy [ __ ] hell oh [ __ ] I have to stop halfway anger catch my breath and psych myself up [ __ ] hell this Ridge wasn't done with us yet what we thought was the top was actually just the middle ground and we still had some climbing to do much to Shane's disgust in the end Shane and the others all conquered this hill and we were able to push on to the actual top first Ridge we've just come where is it there's a hut down there we've come through here up this Spur now we're on the ridge line we have to keep going up this way up there Mount gills a few mountaintops away this track is a bit of an unknown so we'll see what happens the track was now leading us through forests into valleys and along creek beds we were really starting to enjoy this lesser used track a shady dry riverbed provided the perfect spot to stop and have our lunch foreign it was then time to push on and I took the lead trying to navigate through Dry River beds at times it was hard we were in the riverbed and we didn't know whether to follow it or look for a way out [Music] [Music] sometimes the creek beds were smooth and you could get up a good pace at other times they were quite rough and winding and it paid to go slow and pick your way through carefully [Music] this was one of those times we had to climb out of the creek bed and back onto the track for some it was easy for others well it was a little bit hard [Music] no I'm right just like being on the uh 250 isn't it [Music] we're in this Dry River bed trying to find the track hopefully it's this way with this beard there it is well I'm gonna try to leave some marks for the others to find it [Music] so hard to navigate when you're in those dry creek beds trucks are made who knows how long ago and after every rain it floods and just fills up fills up the exits it's hard to see oh this must be the main intersection we've made it [Music] all right I'm really happy with that we've just come from Dunbar oh my uh GPS is still on so we've just done the Dunbar spur which uh we had to get permission to do it was really good but navigation was hard the trucks were haven't been used even Ian the station manager here he hasn't done them yet so it was quite an effort to get through but I'm I'm actually pretty proud that we've made it well I've made it hopefully the other guys have made it they've been pretty good at following there's just a couple of bits where you have to keep your eyes open coming out of those dry creek beds so I think I can hear a bike in the distance fingers crossed they're going to make it here we are cockatoo Hut it's a proper Shepherd's Hut from 100 years ago still here look it's the rest of the boys we were now back on the original Mount kill Loop and I was happy to know where we were and heading for Mount kill should be up there [Music] foreign [Music] I think we've done all the hard yards the next bit looks pretty cruisy well I'm not sure if I've got enough fuel but we'll see okay hopefully we'll see you at the top our mobile fuel tanker [Music] oh it's still going up as you can see it's quite Rocky on the climbs foreign [Music] no it just slowly but surely can't just popped out all right so I'm not sure whether I'm out of fuel or [Music] good luck nice and steady it's done good to get going start off in this loose gravel no we're about rocks I go [Music] oh you okay don't know if you can see there's a rider on that Peak way up there must be Mount Gill how cool is that how good is the Flinders Rangers oh my God it's a top ride [Music] from a distance these flowing twin tracks Over The Ridges look nice and smooth but in reality they were covered in rocks Rock shells Boulders bumps and lumps it was actually hard work just making it over Giants doing so good going get going oh sorry how good is it [Music] all right see if we can make the next Hill I think that's mount gilway in the distance hopefully Shane can make it it's getting low on fuel might have to rely on Dave the super tanker we didn't know it at the time but Shane's throttle grip was actually slipping on the throttle so as he wounded on it slid back he was struggling in these conditions but like a trooper he pushed on see the boys over there heading to mount Gile Shane and I are just cruising along oh you just gotta stop and take it in how good is it oh in the distance there you can see where we're staying we're a wiener that's what I said this morning when I pointed this way this is the mountain we're going up and here we are that's so cool all right oh let's try and get a little bit further ahead I can see the boys just in the distance about to make the final climb I can see someone up top don't know if you can see it on the camera two little specks heading up that last trail Circle what a Magic day what a Magic Place Flinders Rangers if you get the opportunity come and check it out get onto one of these private access roads routes spend the money it costs money to come and ride them but truly magic you can't get this anywhere else it's on private property fought the station owners stay at their station enjoy the whole Flinders experience that's a [ __ ] [Music] how good is this guy has a long run huh this is it we've made it boys Mount Gill congratulations to everyone has really give or take a couple of meters we'll call it a thousand meters up this is awesome how good are those climbs and no one's run out of fuel yet and it's downhill the whole way back you'll be fine Matt yeah normally when I if I do a panoramic shot I'll start at the worst and have the best shot in the middle yeah where's the best shot it's the one with me in it the view from the top of Mount Gill just amazing [Music] that's Mount Gill There homestead's just down here just down here way over there the boys have headed off this way we're going to continue this way head a little bit further and take another track round that way and loop back into the station such an amazing place so we start our descent boys are going down that Ridge line say goodbye to mount Gill nice trails to take us home this afternoon [Music] rough patches I'm waiting here wanted to get a shot of the boys going up the ridge but when I looked down there's some commotion there in the creek bed a few people were low on fuel might have to head down see what it is next stage of our adventure may be upon us I decided to shortcut from where I was to where they are and now they're gone but the terrain on closer inspection is a lot rougher then it looks at a distance there goes Scott up the ridge now I think there's still a few people left down here I'll go and see what's happening see if I can make it down holy moly not one of my smarter moves not at all okay it's a little bit smoother now here's a tip for new players stick to the tracks oh good Alex sorry I've been a miscommunication okay everyone just started going that's all right [Music] this place is awesome but it's hard work on big bikes I'm on the smallest bike here and I'm really enjoying it but still there's some sections that are hard especially if we come down that Hill that's hard do not do that but um yeah if you come to the Flinders and you're uh confident Rider come to warraweena get up these Hills go and see Mount Gill nearly [ __ ] hell [Music] once David stopped and helped Shane pick his bike up he continued on and pushed to the front of the pack that guy's a machine on that big 990. [Music] we were soon off the mountains and back down to the dry River beds by this time everyone was well used to riding on the rocky loose riverbeds we were on the final run home we all knew where we were Dave could smell the lamb shanks cooking and he wasted no time on that Mighty Beast to hightail it through the plains over the riverbeds along the tracks and back to the Shearer's quarters we had done it we had conquered Mount Gill we had taken the harder unknown Adventure out had some difficulties struggled in places but all pulled through Matt's concerns about fuel were realized when he ran out less than a kilometer from the Shearer's Hut due to his small deposit into my bank account there is no footage of this incident maybe next time he'll pay the full amount and have no mention of it either with all Riders finally back in camp at the end of an amazing day we were welcomed home with Will's Gourmet lamb shanks for dinner it was finally time for a few beers as we sat around the campfire and shared stories of our adventures conquering Mount Gill and join us next episode as we push on further into the Outback follow us as we encounter lost Riders and mechanical issues on our 400 kilometer Journey to the next Pub thanks for watching and we'll see you next time foreign
2023-05-25 15:16
