This route is rideable Spring through Fall.
This ride starts about 30 min outside of Launceston. You get a relaxed warm up with peak-a-boo views of Ben Lomond and Ragged Jack along along a gravel road that is undulating with an upward trend. After a short, but really fun downhill, you cross the North Esk river and back onto C401 and then within a few miles / kilometers you reach the Ben Lomond road. After climbing a short bit, you split off right onto Ragged Jack road.
You climb through a working forest and logging operations and then settle back into a lovely forest with more peak-a-boo views of Jack. When you bump into the north buttress of Jack, the view is big and the climbing is done for now.
Rolling along for a bit, then hit a steep gravel downhill that brings you into farm country. Turn right and begin the last demanding climb of the day. At the top is a great reward – a fast, paved descent with sweeping turns, and big views of Ben Lomond, Ragged Jack and the valley below.
From here it’s small rollers with a slight downtrend back to the start / finish.
At the intersection of C401 (Blessington road) and C415 (Musselboro road). Park on the shoulder of Musselboro road.
Lat / Long: -41.492909, 147.432092
There could be active logging operations in the area (as of December 2018). Give way to logging trucks and heavy equipment. Stop riding, let them pass. And if you come up on a piece of working machinery, make sure the operator sees you before proceeding.
We recommend a red blinky light with rear looking radar detector (i.e. Garmin Varia)
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