Grant to Omeo via Blue Rag Range Track

From the onset of the trip I had said to everyone I didn’t expect to leave camp till about 10am but every day we are all packed and ready by 9am so we are always getting an early start. Today we fare welled the Shapcott family along the track just as we turned off to do the Blue Rag Range Track and later as we aired up before the bitumen to Hotham we said bye to Rhys and Effie.

It was a quick easy run on a good dirt road to Blue Rag Range Track.  Rhys aired down and we set off up the track.  From the main road to the summit it is only 3.5km but it is steep and there is not a lot of track and at times there is only track and nothing either side of the car.

The track well what can be said.  It was interesting not easy at all.  We didn’t have any troubles traversing it and all the convoy made it to the top safely.  I was doing fine with it till the very last bit of track.  It was steep and rocky and there was no good line it was a case of point and put down the foot and just hope for the best.  Well anxiety kicked in and by we climbed the last 10mtrs I didn’t feel very well and needed a break out of the car. All the cars made it up behind us and we started enjoying the view. 

It was just then that someone noticed our back left tyre had a bulge in it and we would need to change it.  Now those who have traveled with us will know nothing ever goes to plan and to make a long story short the rear bumper had to be removed to finally get the spare tyre out from under the car.  Once the spare was out and on it was not long before it was all done packed away and we were moving that cars into place for group photos.

We then decided that instead of making camp super early we would make further forward progress and push on into Mt Hotham for lunch.   Not much in Hotham was open as it was a public holiday so we kept going on down to Dinner Plain.  We had a nice cafe lunch and decided that a night in the Omeo Van park was needed to do washing and have showers.  We called and they had room so we drove the next 43kms and pulled into the van park.  I don’t think Mel or I have ever been so happy to be able to do washing.  We both did a load and hung it out.  We had a quick dip in the river then had showers.  It was dinner then the boys filled up the water supplies and took a quick tour through town. We then called it a night and hit the sack ready for stocking up tomorrow and heading bush for the next week.