BMBEN’s Adventure Rides 24/9/2010 Utes in the Paddock, Ootha, NSW

[BMBEN]

BMBEN’s Adventure Ride
By: Franz G (BMBEN) 0427 830 712

Friday 24th September 2010

Destination:
Utes in the Paddock, Ootha NSW

www.utesinthepaddock.com.au
Latitude: 33° 8'50.45"S – Longitude: 147°25'55.10"E

With perfect weather at the moment, it’s ideal for riding. Morning temperatures above 20°C to 30°C during the day. I left home around 11.00am and this time I went a different way to Parkes. 43km of really good dirt road, through Cookamidgera and into Parkes. Near Parkes the dirt widened out to 3 lanes and stretched for about 3km. In Parkes I went to the information center to get the right instructions of how to get to the Ute in the paddock site and had a bite to eat for lunch. After reading the instruction very carefully, noting that it is 70km to go, I set of in the direction of Condobolin (west) along the Condobolin Road. Seeing how I am in this area, I had seen on the map a place called Blow Clear between Bogan Gate and Trundle and wanted to have a look. A 30km detour with 15km of really good dirt road. I turned onto the Middle Trundle Road only to find that Blow Clear is a (locality), a cross intersection and the Blow Clear State Forest. Heading along Blow Clear Road to Bogan Gate there were huge paddocks are purple Patterson Curse in flower and it look good with the Canola and the Wattles that are also in flower.



Now back on the road to Condobolin and I recalculated my distance to go. The road now is really straight, straight like sections of road across the Nullarbor Plain to Perth. I had come the 70km mark and it is the Ootha turn off, but as usual, could not remember the instruction properly, but only could think that 3km past the Ootha turn off I had to turn left at a green sign to Mul?? something Farm. Around the 3km mark there was no sign of a sign, so I continued on another 7km before I stopped to read the instructions again. So it’s back to the Ootha turn off, and to read the instructions again. (the instruction on the sheet are different, front and back and with the street signs that have change it make it confusing). While here, what did I spot in the long grass, the sign to the Utes in the paddock, so finally it now only 3km of dirt road to go.

What an amazing sight stuck in the middle of nowhere.











After looking and taking photos I consulted the map to find an interesting way home. The map changed to a larger format with fewer roads shown. It showed this dirt road to keep going and turned left and then follow the Lachlan River through to Bedgerebong and into Forbes. So off I go, turn left and follow the road for about 1km where it ended at a farm property gate. Bugger, this means it’s going to be black top all the way back home. So, it’s back to the Ootha turn off and turn right. About 10km back along the Condobolin Road at Yarrabandai there was a sign to Forbes 50km. This is what the perfect roads should be like. Burrawang Road was flat, good surface, nice and twisty road through flat farming country and the Gunning Gap State Forest into another part of Forbes I have not seen before. In Forbes I filled with fuel as I had gone onto reserve after leaving the Ootha turnoff, 50km back. I arrived home about 4.00pm after doing 275km of some excellent roads

At home I jumped onto the internet and look at the map only to find that after the Utes I had to turn right then left to get onto the North Condobolin Road, which went through to Bedgerebong then Forbes.

Regards Franz