We left Brimin Lodge at 10am. It was about an hours drive to Benalla, and more or less that again to Mansfield. We stopped there to ask for chains. The guy in the chain store said, well basically he said the weather was going to be crap. There was going to be wind, rain, etc. So we decided against chains. You only needed them to stay the night on Stirling or Buller. And they cost twenty bucks to rent. So we decided we'd camp lower down, in Sheep Yard Flats.

Stirling was cool. Our original plan was to drive around to Craig's Hut and hike up to it. Unfortunately the winter barrier was at a place called the Telephone Box Junction, and even though it was technically the first day of spring, the gates, we found out, are kept shut until Melbourne Cup day. The first Tuesday of November, in case you didn't know. Quite a long way away really. Because it was already about 2:30pm by the time we'd had our sandwiches and gone to the toilet and everything, we didn't think we'd make it as far as Craig's hut and back again before it got dark. So I settled for just generally walking around.

They had a map, up at the Telephone Box Junction, of the surrounding tracks so it wasn't too bad. And they had a message board where they'd detailed where they'd found snow. So that was lovely, we took a trail that said it had snow. And lo and behold it did. Man was I glad we didn't bring the skis. There was enough snow to make me happy but not at all enough to ski. We could see buller over the trees and there was not a drop of snow. We took a quick look at the machinery shed then turned around.

When we got back it was around 4:30pm. We headed straight for Sheep Yard Flats.

Sheep Yard Flats is nice. As the name suggests, it is flat, but no, no sheep. Its next to a stream, which is always nice. Because its an actual, designated campground (unlike the places Al and I camped at on our trip to Mt Buffalo last year), there wasn't much firewood. We scrounged together enough to cook dinner and breakfast. Not nearly enough to keep warm, but lucky for us it was actually quite a hot night, relatively speaking. It only got really cold right in the middle of the night, and it warmed up quick in the morning. No rain, no wind, I think we were lucky.

We were woken by the sound of two people and a dog trying to saw a log that was the size of a small house. And an old guy walking his dog, and some magpies. The road was actually fairly noisy even at night. Lots of motorbikes - I think they have a lot of bike trails around - and a lot of cars going back and fourth. Doesn't help that the road was really bumpy, so every car was jiggling along.

Anyway, it was a late start, then on to Mt Timbertop.

The trip must have been pretty nostalgic for Ali. Ali used to go to school at Geelong Grammar. Geelong is a fair way from here, but the entire year 9 at their school is spent at Mt Timbertop. Apparently they go hiking on Wednesdays and Thursdays and go to 'school' on the other days of the week. We didn't go into the school, they're meant to be isolated.

But anyway, that meant the hike up to the Timbertop summit must have been quite a familiar one for Al. They have to run it at the end of Timbertop I hear! You know I'm not sure how much bike riding does to your fitness 'cause I ride to uni every day, at least once and so does Al. The track up Timbertop started on the slightest incline, but right at the bottom we were already tired! Pathetic! Anyway, it was well worth the trek, as you approach the summit, suddenly all the trees drop behind you and you're sitting on an open grassy point. It was nice to stop here and eat the apple I had carried the whole way. (I took a bite out of it at the start and didn't want to throw it away or put it in my pocket.) A little bit farther up and there were some rocks and that, then more trees and you reach the ridge that makes the mountain so distinct when you see it from afar.

Al got a phone call at the top, which more than anything else, made me wonder if we'd come far enough away from the city. Al always says I'm weird because I can never get far enough away. Well if there's phone reception you can't be that far away can you! Al's house doesn't even get mobile reception! You have to stand on a log. I love it! Anyway, I digress...

Coming downhill was uneventful but pleasant nonetheless (less puffing). Funnily enough we saw a guy coming up as we were heading down, and he was doing it barefoot. Barefoot. Don't know about that one too much! He did have two girls with him that we thought maybe he was trying to impress, haha. He would have had to dodge a lot of poo on the way up.

So I saw Timbertop, I saw the school (from the top), now we were off to we don't know where. We headed in the correct general direction - back towards Wangaratta/Rutherglen - and decided to stop in Mansfield for lunch. We had lunch at what Al called a 'crap place'. It had hot fries and stuff like that but it was way over priced, I guess, as you'd expect, and they charged you extra if you wanted sauce. (Who doesn't want sauce with hot fries and a pie?)

We stopped at the bakery to get a vanilla slice (the reason we came into Mansfield in the first place), then headed for Tolmie.

I blinked, so I missed Tolmie, but the drive was stunning. It was the first day of spring, so there were wattles everywhere (the yellow flowers, if you don't know them). As you pass Tolmie the roadside starts to drop beside you to uncover the most beautiful valleys. Apparently there are really nice waterfalls in this area but none unfortunately on our way home.

We did stop at Powers Lookout. You have to stop there if you do this drive. This is, if I'm correct, Kelly country. You know Ned Kelly, right? You must, they made a movie! It had whats-his-name in it. Heath Ledger. Anyway! Power apparently was the guy who 'trained' Kelly. And this was where he used to hide from the police. He had a good view I'll tell you what. It's a really rocky outcrop that looks over a green valley. From it, you can see all the mountains whose names I have forgotten. But ones that would be familiar if you lived here.

If you do get a chance to get out here, you should definately go down the little trail to where the real lookout is. There's one at the carpark where all the sign boards and stuff are. But definately head down the trail, it's awesome and the view is spectular. I took photos, but really, you just can't get it in a photo. And the plant life here is just so pretty. You're the heart of Victoria, it can't get much better.

The rest of the drive was no less spectacular. King Valley, man, if I had money that would be the first place I'd buy land. The roadsides are just so green, the paddocks are green, the road is lined with snowgums that are just gorgeous, and the wattles are a splash of yellow that just finishes it off. All this and a brilliant mountain backdrop. Who wouldn't like it? :)