Well it has been some time since I have added a post to my blog. The reasons have been varied but it has in the main been because I have not been riding. To busy and saving some cash.

It’s time to start getting out there again. I did not venture to far but it was a good relaxing ride and I even mixed it up a bit with some dirt roads.

I have been getting interested of late in prospecting and fossicking. I guess working in the mining industry for almost 30 years will do that to you. The fact is I used to pan for gold as a teenager, so really its been in my blood all along. While Motorcycles are my main passion, I may start to mix the 2.

So this ride was a reconnaissance ride just to have a look about an old mining area close to home.

I left home after lunch and headed north to Echunga. just before reaching there I turned off and made for Jupiter Creek. this meant a small amount of dirt road. I am no stranger to dirt roads and have ridden several hundreds of kilometres on them, and plan to do some more on them later next year.

One of the best rides I have ever had was riding from Wilcannia to Minindee in NSW. Not a car for 200 KM.

The old diggings area where the gold rush was is further up the road.

The old miners must have had a real nose for gold or just seen the evidence of where it should be. Hard work and persistence paid off for a few, very few. but the lure and the dream kept them active.

It truly must have been hard going. Even to find the location in heavy bush land must have been a task. Mind you I guess this was close to small towns compared to some goldfields.

I will be back and will venture down the track for a first hand look at the area. Maybe the next lot of days off work.

I returned home after a very enjoyable ride. It was good to be back in the saddle… even for a short ride to the hills.

So in future posts along with my rides you may read a little of Australia’s mining history.