After having a few shorter rides out on the Attack of the Buns bikepacking route, both north and south of Nowra, I loaded up for a ride in Wandandian country, through Yalwal to Sassafras. It was a warm day, and I was soon to experience what grades in the order of 23% on loose sandy fire trails are like.

I had eagerly awaited for the shipping container with my Cannondale F400 to arrive, wanting to ride the trail from Corrimal to Bulli along the Illawarra Escarpment. I had packed it up with a few other items (Bob Ibex, camping gear and a few boxes of books) for the boat ride back from Canada. After getting a service and putting on some new dirt tires it was time to explore.

I have tentative plans to do a 7 or so day ride starting at the Six Foot Track in the Blue Mountains (NSW, Australia) and heading South towards Wombeyan Caves. From there I will likely ride south-east towards Mittagong, and possibly head north from there. I have put this trip off a few times, and not sure when I will be able to get to it.

I decided to ride my bike to the 2nd annual climate camp in Australia. It was held in Helensburgh, midway between Sydney and Wollongong (NSW, Australia). I had not been out for any decent ride in a while, nor had I been camping of late. I decided to ride from Campbelltown in Sydney’s south-west, enabling me to ride part way through Dharawal State Conservation Area (SCA). Being my first significant ride in some time, the unseasonable weather and predicted headwinds, I had an idea that it would be a little challenging.