Clyde mountain,What a long steep, windy road.

Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 03, 2012 at 16:15
ThreadID: 90985 Views:6852 Replies:6 FollowUps:11
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I forgot the directions to come from Campbelltown to Narooma. So I used the TomTom and it took us down the freeway then turned left and went through Braidwood etc.

It was a quiet trip until we turned left onto the road from Canberra to Batemans Bay.

From then on it was bumper to bumper.

The road down Clyde Mountain is a beauty. On the way down we counted 9 vehicles broken down on the up side. Seven were towing either a van or boat.

We also couldn't believe how many vehicles rode their brakes almost all the time going down.

Anyway we are in Narooma for 2 months and I have to make a few trips back to Sydney so I'll now go and search the archives for those directions.

Oh and one of the locals reckon Browns Mountain is longer and steeper.



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Reply By: sweetwill - Tuesday, Jan 03, 2012 at 16:23

Tuesday, Jan 03, 2012 at 16:23
hello there Boo Boo
Mate the quickest way in my book is straight up the princes hwy till you hit Wollongong then on to Sydney,cheers Bill.
AnswerID: 473953

Reply By: Notso - Tuesday, Jan 03, 2012 at 16:28

Tuesday, Jan 03, 2012 at 16:28
If I was doing it regularly I'd use the Picton Road. Certainly the flattest road and it's in pretty good condition.
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Reply By: JimDi - Tuesday, Jan 03, 2012 at 16:55

Tuesday, Jan 03, 2012 at 16:55
Happy new year BooBoo,
Just towed my van out of Bermagui and up the Brown. We use the Brown a few times a year as we have rels and friends in Bermagui. In my opinion the Clyde is to be avoided particularly when towing. I find it to be much steeper and the descent harder on brakes etc.
I guess the difference can be summed up with the breakdowns on the upside on the Clyde. Tends not to happen on the Brown.
regards
Jim
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Reply By: Member - Terra'Mer - Tuesday, Jan 03, 2012 at 17:09

Tuesday, Jan 03, 2012 at 17:09
Brown Mtn isn't as punishing as the Clyde. Doesn't seem as long either because the distance between Bemboka and Nimmitabel is shorter than Braidwood and Nelligen, time-wise, although there's not much difference in distance. The steep windy bit is much shorter than Clyde and there is a good lookout point to stop at for a picnic at the top of the windy bit.
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Follow Up By: Begaboy - Tuesday, Jan 03, 2012 at 22:03

Tuesday, Jan 03, 2012 at 22:03
The only real issue , apart from what has been said is that Brown mountain does not have many pull over points where as clyde does - 99% of issues going up is over heating issues

On the other side , if you can get a good day with no cars - its a fun ride on ya Motorbike

BB
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Reply By: Member - Boo Boo (NSW) - Tuesday, Jan 03, 2012 at 18:11

Tuesday, Jan 03, 2012 at 18:11
Happy New Year to you all and thank you for the info.

I found the thread I was looking for and Vince also recommended Picton Rd.

So I'll see how I go.

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Follow Up By: Member - Toyocrusa (NSW) - Tuesday, Jan 03, 2012 at 19:59

Tuesday, Jan 03, 2012 at 19:59
Just for the experience Boo Boo. Go to the Robertson Pie shop for morning tea or lunch and then come down Maquarie Pass. Have been up and down a few times with my 22ft and really appreciate some of the roads Truckies have to contend with. Cheers,Bob.

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Follow Up By: Member - Tony S (WA) - Wednesday, Jan 04, 2012 at 02:33

Wednesday, Jan 04, 2012 at 02:33
Hi Bob
When we were over there in Sept. 2010 we used Moss Vale as a base for the van and toured from there. One day we went through Kangaroo Valley, Hampton Bridge [loved that Craft-shop there] up over Browns and came out at Nth. Nowra. Returned to Moss Vale via the Princess H'way and Macquarie Pass. Held up two thirds up Macquarie for about an hour through an accident between a car and a truck.The car was a mess. How anybody survived in that car I don't know. Any way when we left we went via Browns.Dam good road in my books.
Tried to contact you on the mobile one day and ended up with a Veterinary clinic both times. Must have written down the wrong number somewhere.

Tony
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Follow Up By: Member - Vince M (NSW) - Wednesday, Jan 04, 2012 at 07:25

Wednesday, Jan 04, 2012 at 07:25
Hay Boo Boo
Well most gave there options months ago, & your on here regularly so you should have hit the search button, not the tom tom anyway it was a change & lesson learnt. Hope the fishing is good & make sure your not fishing in a sanctuary zone as they are not marked with buoys like else where
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Follow Up By: Member - Boo Boo (NSW) - Wednesday, Jan 04, 2012 at 17:16

Wednesday, Jan 04, 2012 at 17:16
Vince
I have been as crook as a dog since Christmas and thought I did well to pack the car, hook up the van and drive to Narooma.

By the time we hit the road I thought bugger, oh well use the tomtom.

I did hit the search button when we got to Narooma. LOL

Feeling much better now but I have one unhappy daughter at C'belltown who now has my lurgy. LOL

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Reply By: stoney123 - Tuesday, Jan 03, 2012 at 20:54

Tuesday, Jan 03, 2012 at 20:54
i drvie the clyde and brown all the time, in an old car. The cars that break down are the ones who use their air conditioner for an hour before the climb.
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Follow Up By: Member - Vince M (NSW) - Wednesday, Jan 04, 2012 at 07:51

Wednesday, Jan 04, 2012 at 07:51
If having the Air con on is a problem the cars not up to the job & should not be on the road as it is going to be a hazard to others

Lost family members due to a overheated vehicle stopped on the kangaroo valley rd & vehicles trying to pass caused head on, all because the bleep tried to tow with a unsuitable vehicle & i hope the time he spent in jail stuffed he's life, Its simple if its not capable don't use it
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Follow Up By: vk1dx - Wednesday, Jan 04, 2012 at 08:11

Wednesday, Jan 04, 2012 at 08:11
We run our air conditioner all the time. And have done so in all our cars. Never an overheating problem so I cannot see the air conditioner at fault. There would have to be other issues.

Towing my son's rally car, tools and spare tyres back up the Clyde from a rally in Bega with the old XD falcon. It went up the Clyde like it wasn't there. When we got home the car had a funny smell. It seems the boys emptied the left over avgas fuel into the falcon when they "filled it up for Dad". Buggers. It held together for another 5 years.

When further south than Batemans Bay (great fish and chips on the wharf) we turn west at Cobargo and go through Conways Gap, Numeralla and Cooma to Canberra. Very rarely meet anyone and a picturesque drive.

Phil
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Follow Up By: stoney123 - Wednesday, Jan 04, 2012 at 08:19

Wednesday, Jan 04, 2012 at 08:19
Sorry to hear that vince and totally concur about his jail time. I hope it was hell.

On the clyde many vehicles overheating are not even towing, they are brand new little tin cans, and the drivers are oblivious to the overheating. Anyone going up a mtn on hot hot day should stop and let car cool till you can touch radiator, check levels and then go. years ago in my old torana i used to even put the heater and fans on full bore to draw off engine heat.
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Follow Up By: vk1dx - Wednesday, Jan 04, 2012 at 09:09

Wednesday, Jan 04, 2012 at 09:09
Stoney

I think that to "stop and let car cool till you can touch radiator" is a bit of an overkill. If the car cannot handle the climb then there is something wrong with it or it is towing beyond it's capabilities. Either way, if that is the case then either get the car fixed, don't tow with it or take it off the road.

Besides if you are new to an area or cannot read a map then you may not know a long or steep climb is coming or then again it may be impossible to pull over.

Preferably fix the problem before setting off.

We always get our mechanic to do a pre-trek inspection before each trip and I give it a once over every morning on the drive. Not down the road when you do not have resources to get it looked at.

We are both very conscious of the "feel" of the car. A bit like "seat of the pants" stuff. We have always "known" something was amiss long before it presented a real problem. Helps to have driven some real clunkers as well I suppose.

Phil
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Follow Up By: Member - Vince M (NSW) - Wednesday, Jan 04, 2012 at 16:50

Wednesday, Jan 04, 2012 at 16:50
Phil
when i think back to the 4wds that i have owned it was real seat of the pants stuff even new ones, that 72 3speed landcrusier ute with NO power brakes, No power steering & my Viscount 29' high top caravan with vacuum breakaways & I towed it all the way around (fuel must have been cheap then) & it was expected of you as the driver to be able to stand on the brakes with 150kgs of weight even if you only weighed 75kgs & the automatic noise reducer was the 8 track player (you could only carry 3 tapes or someone had to get out)
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Follow Up By: vk1dx - Wednesday, Jan 04, 2012 at 19:09

Wednesday, Jan 04, 2012 at 19:09
With an airconditioner which consisted of the front windscreen which could be laid flat.

Bin there.

Phil
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