Sunday 9 September 2007 - Mooney

To quote Brian from a long distant post... "Ah, Mooney, how we love ya!"

So, it was time for a post rain return (that clip was from the last time we were there), as it turns out - it wasn't all that dry this time either...

Doug, Johnbo, Whisperer, Brian and Stephe all met at Mooney at around 7.30am, and we were back at the cars by about 12noon. And we had a stonkeringly good time. Yes, that good.



As always, it was dry when we arrived, so we were able to kit up and set off, happy as can be. The amount of destruction along the edge of the creek (river?) was amazing, and - as is often the case at Mooney - an awful lot about the track had changed, bringing with it a whole new series of challenges. Everyone was feeling chipper, but Mooney was having none of that, and brought everyone down to size very early on.

A sample of the destruction, with a counterpoint of the always awesome beauty:



The good weather continued all the way out to Oranges, allowed us to inspect the quarry and its tailing dams (we think?) and have a bite to eat, and then look carefully at Rock Brian - and walk down it!



We then made back to the water tanks - when the heavens opened up. We put the spray jackets back on, and had an absolute hoooot blasting back down the drop from the water towers in the rain. Those with glasses on were fairly stuffed (it was funny watching Whisperer (with water on his glasses and in his eyes) trying to pick which deep, water filled pothole to avoid at high speed, while a massive Wattle branch overhead was lying in wait, and then cleanly removing him from his bike etc). Even the creek (river?) crossing at the bottom was a hoot...



Much amusement on the way back (as there had been on the way up), and everyone back at the cars, muddy, tired and very, very happy. Glamour shots of Doug, Whisperer, Johnbo and Brian:



Ah, Mooney, how we love ya!

Photos are all here, including video of the little dam, with a heckofa lot more water than we've seen in some time...