Easy Way or the Hard Way | Batlow to Tumbarumba 4WD Bikepacking Adventure with Chris and Pat

Up in Batlow, I got myself a new bike  so can't help myself I'm going to go for a ride. We're going to camp out in Bago  State Forest, Pat's going to drive the car through because he tells me he doesn't  ride bikes, just fishes. I'm not riding a bike no thanks said Pat, so I'm driving. We'll  get him going a bike. Not today, not today! Don't tell Chris. Sweet ride These hoods are great, look at that. See ya mate. So what I'm riding on today is a Surly Krampus set up as a 29 plus. Ian from Bike R

evive in Tumut built this up for me. It's nice to  be able to buy this sort of bike locally. Three inch tires on the front nice and wide, rigid front  forks. Been used to riding dual suspensions and front suspensions for a lot of years, so be  really interested to see how this goes on the gravel. Batlow copped it pretty hard in the bush  fires 2019, 2020. All this area that I'm riding through today was all burnt. Great to see new  houses, new orchards and just the bush really recovering. So just

got on the dirt, just left Chris down at Batlow. Heading up to Paddys River, start fishing hopefully we can get onto a couple but maybe karma might have got me from throwing, throwing a bit to  Chris. What happened to 60km/h Chris? Uh yeah not. We'll see how we get on. Come on  Chris! You should be running along beside me. So this is the road that  Chris is riding, and it is, it just keep going, and he's on a bike. So all I've got to do is bit of right boot! Paddys River Dam! Going to stop and

have a break at the pilot  Hill Arboretum. Believe it's something like 100 years ago they planted a whole bunch of different pine trees  up here to see what worked. Pretty lucky to have most of the big old pine survive and yeah it's a  pretty, pretty little spot. I was thinking about as I rode along before when my grandfather  was sort of 16, he was growing up in Melbourne and I know he used to ride his push bike out from  Melbourne out into the, into the Dandenong Ranges and go camping and hun

ting and things,  and the bikes weren't particularly fancy then you know, skinny tyres, tubes, no gears. You know we  ride along on big fat tyres with disc brakes and you know this has got 12 gears even with the lack  of a front fork downhill is pretty comfortable. We tend to think of bikepacking as a pretty modern  invention, I suppose that pure leisure activity of bikepacking maybe that is, it's us trying  to keep in touch with our rawer selves, but you know the act of it, you know jumping on

your push  bike with a bit of gear has been around for almost as long as the push bike, you know for a 100 years people have been putting a little bit of gear on the back of a bike and riding out into the wilderness. It's a nice way to travel. So I've ridden a bit over 30kms today, what I'm really hoping is that Pat's caught over 30  fish, we'll have to see how we go. I just had my first little bit of downhill, so nice. Now I'm going up  a hill again, not so nice. Wouldn't have a clue how this t

hing goes together to  be honest. Think I got an extra pole... Well hello there! I did make it. How'd you  go? Well I'm hoping that you caught 30 fish. I definitely did not. You weren't wrong about the  mud down here, straight to the, straight to the chassis, I was up to my waist. You bring a change  of clothes? Nah! You've got a whole vehicle and not a change of clothes? No, it's fine though. Thank you Pat. Well earned, good work Chris. You know I think everybody should ride in somewhere to app

reciate  how much up and downhill there actually is. Well, I drove in and I also appreciated how up and down  it was. Truly appreciate it. Thank you Cheers. Yes, woohoo! Nice, after  falling in the water, getting stuck in quick sand, refusing a  streamer, the royal wullf got it done. Beautiful little brownie up here  at Paddys River Dam, oh look at that. That was so insane man, Woo! Two wheels versus four, thankfully Pat  drove in and, we'll get him on two wheels at some stage. It feels like it'

s going  to cool off tonight so it'll be quite nice to have the fire. I do have my freeze dried  food, so we'll have to see how committed to the cause that I remain. When you see  these steak sandwiches Chris, you're not going to know yourself. Yeah I think a couple  hundred grams of steak could be quite nice It's a lovely spot Paddys River Dam it's starting to look nice in the afternoon light. We brought along the flame proof inner for  this tarp, it's chilled off a little bit since the sun's p

opped behind the tree line, bit  of a breeze too just keep things nice and chilly. Bikepacking, carpacking. Is it looking  good at this point Chris or is this looking good? I think that, that um... Exactly right.  Steak is looking way, way better. Now owning an outdoor store Chris are you going to  say that freeze dried meals are not that tasty? On the spot! I actually  think, so here's my, oh here we go, my learned opinion is these taste amazing if  you've earned it. I would agree with that. Do

n't want any greens or mushies Chris? I've got plenty I've, I've earned just eating steak and bread. Righto. Go caveman. Look at that  fat steak sandwich right there. Pretty good? Mmm. Nice, hard earned after a long day riding right there. I can say that a steak sandwich at the end of a bikepack, well halfway through  a bikepack is actually a very enjoyable thing, so, Pat's nearly got me convinced to stick to  the car. Nearly. It was such an enjoyable ride like I, Yeah it would have been, yeah.

There was  times where it was a little bit tough coming up the hill but it was also just like back to  basics. No it's been a cracker of a day with the, with the surprise little brownie, nice  ride into the, to Paddys River from Chris and, and a cracking campsite to finish. So we'll hook  into a bit of dinner and we'll catch you in the morning. That's what we need. It was about 4° overnight, I was a bit  surprised at how cold it was. Got a bit of a ride this morning down to Tumba, about 20km. Th

ere's a reasonable amount of downhill which I'm looking forward to, but I think Pat will win the race to town well and truly. Tumba Bakery's  calling my name, I got to get there. Your breakfast, I've had my porridge, so. Let the  race begin. See ya mate, see ya at the bakery. The legs are warming up. Ah, made it. Manage to find your way here? Quite easily with sat nav and AC, how'd you go? Ride in nicely. Well, I got you a little something. Oh did you get me a pie!? Finished up here at the park,

Chris on the bike  me in the car. Been absolutely cracking couple of days, Paddys River Dam now here  in Tumba. I still take the car over the bike though.