The inspiration for this ride came from a contributor to one of the motorcycle groups I follow on FaceBook. From their post the route was pretty clear and shortly after seeing it I replicated it in BaseCamp. Since the GS Safari and doing the Adventure Shills Course with GS Off Road Training for the second time, I’d been keen to do some more off-road riding. Due to a lack of adventure motorcycling buddies this meant anything I’d undertake would be solo, so I wasn’t keen on tackling anything too technical.
My first attempt at the Helidon Adventure Loop was on 28 April, 2021. All was going well and I made it down Seventeen Mile Road (from Ravensbourne to Helidon) very slowly but staying upright. A few more sealed roads from Helidon to Ma Ma Creek and I stopped for lunch at the General Store.
On the road again, I was looking forward to some more easy dirt roads/tracks that I knew were coming up. My first time on Gatton Clifton Road was most enjoyable. Looking at the scenery and not the GPS I missed a crucial left turn and without realising the GPS automatically recalculated an alternate route that would see me get back on the scheduled route. But it didn’t. Turning left onto a gravel road further along Gatton Clifton Road I was confronted with this …
With no way forward I had no choice but to back track to Ma Ma Creek and find an alternate way to Laidley, which I did. From Laidley I was able to get back on the planned route and completed my adventure ride. But what roads had I missed?
The only way to find out was to embark on the same ride again. I successfully completed my Helidon Adventure Loop on 26 May, 2021. Was glad to do it as planned on the second attempt. Check out my videos (to the right) and the Relive Video (below) to see what this ride has to offer. I’ve since done it in reverse (Ma Ma Creek Loop) which is just as good.
