Pretropus, one of the joys of living in Canberra is, all things are easy to get to. Thank you for the heads-up.
A few weeks ago I spent a week on the Bicentennial National Trail to the west of Canberra, hoping to start a painting of Franklin and Aggie in the Northern Alps. I've been meaning to do this for a long time. Franklin and Aggie (Namadgi National Park) and the Bullen Range (Nature Reserve) all dominate Canberra's western skyline. Here are some of the shots from the ride that I did, shots particularly of Mounts Franklin, Aggie and the Bullen Range beside the Murrumbidgee River Corridor. The BNT is a multi-use trail for long-distance pack horsing, mountain bike touring and of course for those on shank's pony.
This ride started from my home in the NW of the ACT, scooting around Canberra's western and southwestern suburbs, off-and-on the BNT at times, linking the BNT with Nature Reserve and Forestry management trails. One night was an intolerable -9.6°C and my -10°C bag didn't cope at all well. My down bag needs a serious re-pack. There was some snow seen through the trees in thay're'th'm hills. Lots of it.
I followed the BNT from the Dunlop Grasslands until the Pinnacle, then (headed down hill) jumping fences when the management trails ran out. Then through Karma Nature Reserve to the Molonglo River Corridor (wow, a gravity assisted ride for once), then east to Urriara Crossing. Over Mount Stromlo, entering through the back door (at the bottom of the Western Wedgetail Track near Uriarra Travelling Stock Reserve), then I hiked-the-biked on the fire trails over Stromlo's western slopes, past O'Malley's Dam. Rugged but very enjoyable after O'Malley's, absolutely. I re-joined the BNT at Duffy Ridge, to the southern edge of Coolamon Ridge and across the paddocks to Mount Tennent. The days were warm but the night were very cold. A real touring cyclist could do this ride in a long day. I took a week and enjoyed chatting to the farmers and horse people. I wasn't looking for biblical light, just good modelling on the mountains and to find a good location or two, to do some drawings, take a few pics and to start a painting.
Some shots from the ride.
... and the painting's progress, so far. A sketch from the field and the reworking at home, so far.
Warren.