Rumble in the Jagungal #2

Over the Easter weekend I joined my friends Chris (from canyoning adventures) and Ollie (from my ride across Wales) on a bikepacking adventure through the Jagungal Wilderness. The ride was organised through Omafiets bikeshop which they happen to run, and is one of their 2018 Shop Rides which is an awesome initiative. As it was the second year the ride has been run it was called the Rumble in the Jagungal #2.

The ride they’d planned out was to me big and intimidating – although nothing like the Hunt1000 or the Monaro Cloudride – it still aimed to tick off 124km with over 3000Vm in four days. Given the number of injuries I have sustained over the past year or two I honestly wasn’t sure how I would go, but with a lot of physio and my new pilates classes plus a little bit of training I set of with the bunch on Friday morning ready for an adventure.

Day one started with a long slog up from Dension campground on a good fireroad – at 15km to the top it was a nice way to warm up the muscles before heading onto the double track out to Mackay’s Hut where we camped the night. Until we got to camp I hadn’t really realised the number of people who were joining the ride (39) or the diversity of fitness, experience and gear of those people. It was amazing to watch the faces of everyone as they arrived to a chorus of “Yewww’s” from those who were already there!

Day two was probably the toughest -the steep ascents and descents meant a whole lot of hike-a-bike when the hills were just too steep and too loose to ride up, and then some brake testing descents. But once we’d made the Mt Jagungal turn off the ride along the ridge line was beautiful and not something I’ll forget – just riding along chatting to other riders and enjoying being on a bike. At Round Mountain Hut we were treated to an absolutely stunning sunset!

Day three proved to be my un-doing. A short section of road, followed by an epic descent and then we were on the climb out of Happy Jack’s pondage. This hill wasn’t so much steep as relentless and the fatigue was enough to bring back the knee pain I’d avoided the past few days. After hanging out with Ollie and a few others for lunch I decided I would bail back to the car and head home.