Day 2 - Sydney- Melbourne ride/ Campbelltown to Mittagong
A nice view of the Camden valley
Another view of the Valley…. Note the bike paths are well organised
On one of our climbs…recent road erosion from the rain!
Home for the night…. Melrose Motel. My dads middle name was Melrose!
Day 1 - Sydney Melbourne Ride- Sydney to Campbelltown
The Olympic stadium….not a soul in sight!
A wet start!!
Shakedown After Arriving in Sydney
Sydney Melbourne Ride
Bass Coast Ride
Day 4- Yarrum to Home via Traralgon
It was raining all night at Yarrum and we agreed at dinner that we would probably not ride in the wet!
Waking at about 7.00am it was still drizzling so all but Anthony decided that we would not ride but “ferry” riders to Traralgon to catch the train. In the meantime Anthony would make his way through the Strzelecki ranges to Traralgon.
I set off with Gary, Frank, Stephen and Mike in the drizzle in the ute to the Traralgon railway station and after crossing the mountain range in the drizzle it cleared. We arrived about an hour early for the train courtesy of not adjusting the clocks for the ending of daylight saving!
The boys were left at the station and I returned to Yarrum….I managed to catch Anthony on the final hill on the climb out of the Strzelecki ranges and he was soaked through with the drizzle but determined to finish the ride….
Returning to Yarrum I met Rob and Phil for a coffee and “toastie” and after packing the ute we made our way through to Traralgon again….still through the drizzle!
We met Anthony just outside the Loy Yang power stations and after getting changed he joined us for the trip back to Melbourne….fortunately Rob drove most of the way home.
The trip was uneventful other than traffic getting to Phil’s flat in Richmond….
Arriving home, Rob and I unpacked the ute and the boys picked up bags etc
Ending these rides is always a bit sad but it gives us a real opportunity to see parts of our wonderful country with a group of similar minded cyclists
Special thanks to Gary for sorting out the ride and to all who were part of a special time together
Here is photo of us all at the Yarrum Country Club having our final dinner
Bass Coast Ride
Bass Coast Ride-Day 3 Toora to Yarrum 50 km
The day started a bit late with us all sleeping in until about 8.00am!
The weather was cool with drizzling rain with a fair bit of gloom!
Little did we realise the day ahead would have plenty of adventure!!!
After breakfast we left at about 9.30 am with the ride along the Great Southern Rail Trail to Welshpool and Port Welshpool for morning tea….well the only place for morning tea was the general store…. To say the coffee was ordinary would be an understatement but at least we were out of the rain and wind!
After this we made our way to Telegraph Road once again in the drizzle. The road was sealed for the first few kms then gravel for the next few kms….then sand!
Well this meant we needed to walk the bikes potentially for about 10pm!!!After walking for a few kms we agreed we needed an alternate plan and resorted to putting the bikes on the ute 4 at a time to travel by car to the end of the road!
I was on the second group so we had a longer walk whilst waiting for the ute to return.
The guys in the first group ride on to Yarrum and we in the second group agreed to “cheat “ a bit by traveling all the way to Yarrum by car… a great option given the weather and the tribulations of Telegraph Road
This experience takes over from experiences we have had previously with Ellio on the famous Allendale Rd hill!!
Big call to beat a 20% plus series of climbs!!!
Arriving at Yarrum it was off to the bakery for a lovely lunch and recap of our adventures
After lunch we made our way to the caravan park and spent some time cleaning our bikes
All in all these are the days of some challenges but in responding to them it makes the day more meaningful and rewarding
So thanks to all the group in working together as a team in the circumstances
These are out of order…
Bass Coast Ride-Day 2 April 1 2022
Today being April fools day was pleasantly surprising with an early morning wake up at 7.00am with cloudy weather and temperatures in the mid teens… the only April fool trick was the head wind!!!
We were off riding by about 8.30 am for the days ride to Toora about 70 kms away
The first stop was Tarwin Lower for coffee which was after about 20kms into the wind. Once again it was single file and rotated riders after about a km… seemed to work well and the group is finally organising itself for this sort of riding after about 20 years of training!
The morning coffee was welcome and made the next 20 km ride to Fish Creek somewhat more enjoyable as we found the rail trail to get us off the main roads. It was quite a bit more sheltered than the roads and the gradients were more gentle!
Lunch at Long John Pickles was great… several of us had the chicken pie with chips…. All good for the afternoon push in to Toora.
Once again we were on the rail trail which made for pleasant riding and some great scenery. The weather was ok with some drizzle at times
We made good time to get in to Toora and about 3.45pm
We are staying the night at the Toora Lodge Motel which is quite comfortable and we are looking forward to a pub meal tonight
A good day of riding particularly on the rail trail.. all the better with a great bunch of blokes
At Tarwin Lower
Bass Coast Ride Day 2
Bass Coast Ride
Bass Coast Ride- Day 1 Cranbourne to Inveloch 100 kms
Today was an early start for all of us leaving home and driving to Cranbourne railway station to meet the guys traveling by train from Murrumbena.
We started the ride from the station at about 9.00am with coolish weather and the threat of rain but it stayed away thankfully! But…. We had a head wind for most of the day which meant we had to ride in a group taking turns at the front after about a km. Seemed to work well
The first part of the ride was through the outer suburbs of greater Melbourne which was quite amazing that the spread of Melbourne reaches this far!
I was first in the ute and started my ride after about 15 kms
The early part of the ride was through the market gardens of Victoria on the flat
We travelled through to Caldermeade farm for morning tea which is near Lang Lang where my wife Robyn spent the early years of her life. Her father was the local doctor in the town
After morning tea it was off to the climb up the hills to Loch for lunch….lovely lunch venue
It was a late lunch about 1.30 pm
We then had a fairly big climb out of Loch and through undulating country to Longwack where we were to have arvo tea. The town was shut so we made our way through to Invaloch to the Big4 caravan park where we enjoyed a shower in lovely cabins. A great relief after a long day of 100 kms for most of the group. Arriving at about 4.30 pm meant we had time for a rest before dinner
I should mention that one of our group Ellio pulled out at the last minute as his father was taken to hospital. We all hope he is okay and our thoughts are with Ellio….
A good day of hard riding… will sleep well tonight
Day 5 - Yea Ride
Commentary on the day’s activities:
Today began with us packing up our belongings after 4 nights at the Yea motel which was a superb centre for us all for the hub and spoke ride. Having the entire motel to ourselves was a real advantage as we were able to use the grounds for meals and sorting out the rides each day.... motel was well selected by Ray
With cars packed we were ready to leave at about 8.30 for Alexandra where we parked our cars and unloaded the bikes for the day’s ride to Eildon ...
In leaving Yea we said goodbye to Des who was to proceed on his own to Mansfield and other places.Safe travels Des!
After coffee in Alexandra we were on our way to Eildon on an amended route taking out the big climb on the original route.... a very good decision
The weather was fine but coolish which made for good riding for the day.
The first 5 kms of the ride was hilly but thereafter to Eildon was quite flat... the only exception was a hilly ride to the lunch venue at the Eildon Harbour
As we were on major roads a few of us hung back to allow cars and trucks sufficient room to make passing moves safely
We arrived early for lunch at the Aqua bar and grill which was very pleasant and the food was excellent....
After lunch we made our way across the dam wall and other hydro infrastructure back to the main road.
The rest of the trip back to Alexandra was uneventful although a few of us were taking it slowly along the road to enjoy the solitude of the country-side and the lovely weather
Arriving back at the car park we packed the bikes on cars and said our goodbyes after 4 days of riding and wonderful fellowship including discussions on all manner of subjects
For me the 4 days of riding were 285 kms traveled and 2780 metres climbed... a great achievement
For the Flat Earthers this was an enormous achievement and we all respected their efforts in the last dinner together
Special thanks to Ray and Ellio for organising the ride and we all look forward to the next group ride !
Day 4 - Yea Ride
A big day
Comments on Today’s Ride
Today was the day of the big ride of approximately 100 kms with a few big climbs ....
So we were on the road after breakfast at about 8.15 am with a lot of enthusiasm for the day
The first 20 odd kms were on reasonably flat country but we needed to make good time to Yarck for morning tea. The Yarck cafe was very good with lovely cakes and after good coffee , donuts and 2 lamingtons it was off to the beginning of the climb of about 400 metres to the top of the ridge where we travelled around 50 kms for the ride. It was here that we lost Abdy and Anthony who missed the turnoff on the Ruffy road. So we waited for them and proceeded for another 2 fairly long long climbs to lunch... gosh it was well deserved after over 1000 metres of climbing!!!
After a a refreshing lunch courtesy of the Yarck cafe we were off again for the final 35 kms back to Yea.... however there was another climb of about 70 metres over about 1.2 kms!!!!
After this the riding was over undulating country until we reached a magical descent from the plateau of about400 metres over about 10kms..... wow what a a great end to the ride after a big day!!!
The day ended at about 4.30 pm with us all feeling we had a great day of achievement
Ellio, Ray, Gary, Steve Chen and Jeff organised a great dinner of steak fish prawns and salads at the Wetlands centre which was a perfect way to thank all involved with organising the ride.... particularly Ray Taylor for his careful and thoughtful organising of the “hub and spoke “ version of the ride who we all agreed worked well!
We all agreed that Ellio had done a great job of arranging the rides in all directions from Yea and the motel was perfect as our accommodation hub!
Looking forward to the last day of riding tomorrow
Day 3 - Yea Ride
Today’s ride was starting at about 8.00am with warmer weather than yesterday.... about 12 degrees as opposed to 7 the previous day!
The ride started along the rail trail which was delightful with a good surface and gentle gradients. The turnaround point was at Kerrisdale where we rode along the King Parrot road to Flowerdale for lunch. The pub lunch was very good and the publican was very hospitable!
After lunch it was on to the ride to Yea with a 10 km climb almost straightaway!!! The gradients gradually increased as we progressed with the max gradients at 14pc which was a bit challenging!
Reaching the top was delightful and the descent into Yea was exhilarating! We were reaching speeds of over 60 kph with Rob reaching 80 kph !!!! Magnificent effort Rob!!!
We arrived in Yea at about 2.30 pm after doing about 70 kms for the day with a feeling of real achievement for the day
Dinner was organised by Ray with pizzas from the local pizza shop delivered to the motel where we set up tables and chairs in the paved bbq area.... wonderful meal with beer and wine with good banter about all manner of topics
We were in our rooms by about 8.30 pm looking for a good night of sleep ahead of the biggest day of riding tomorrow
All in all a great day of riding amongst good friends.... what could be better!!!
Day 2 Yea Ride
Today we had an earlyish start to the day with everyone ready at about 8.00am for the ride. The weather was cold ... about 7 degrees and fog!
The day began for me with the car driving to Molesworth to meet the rest of the riders who made their way along the rail trail
The trip for me included a coffee and coffee scroll.... very good!
After meeting the riders it was on to Alexandra along the rail trail... a great ride with an excellent surface and great views especially at the top of the ride overlooking Alexandra
Morning tea was in the Alexandra bakery which was ok .... just! Coffee was cold but the lamington was excellent!
After this it was off along roads back to Molesworth which was a good ride along well sealed roads and no traffic
Lunch at the car park was good with rolls from the Yea Provendor bakery which were pre- ordered by us all
After lunch it back along the rail trail to Yea.... quite outstanding travel with an interesting outlook well away from the main roads and an interesting tunnel at the top of the ride.Cheviot tunnel is about 200 metres long and is quite a feat of engineering as it is made from hand made bricks!
The ride back home from the tunnel was exhilarating as it was a steady descent in to Yea.
Arriving back we were met by Des who had earlier had an accident in the tunnel avoiding oncoming walkers and had hit the side of the tunnel... his hand was damaged quite badly so Ray and I took him to the hospital to get treatment.. in the end he required stitching and a real clean up but he says he should be ok to ride tomorrow?
Dinner tonight was again at the Country Club Hotel where most of us had the cheaper “seniors meal” which was quite enough for us even after a day of riding
I am writing this at 9.30 am and am able to reflect on a good day of riding on a coolish day with 14 enjoying the wonderful scenery in the Yea region
Before dinner we were able to have a Zoom with Ric who was unable to join the ride due to ill health and share our experiences with him.... good to see his smiling face!
Looking forward to the riding again tomorrow.....
Day 1 - April. 12 Yea
Today’s Adventures:
After an early morning coffee in Melbourne it was time to pack the car ready for the trip from Melbourne to Yea....
I was attaching the bike rack to the new Ute and alas the bolt on the tow bar had a pin connector in a different position to my old Ute.... so it was off to Rob Baker for a few “running repairs”. Then home gain for the rest of the packing for the trip....
After saying goodbye to Robyn and 5 of the grandchildren it was off to pick up Rob Baker for the trip up to Yea. I was given a picture by my grandson Cooper to take on the trip. You will see the picture below in the photo collection
The trip up to Yea was uneventful and Rob and I chatted about all manner of things including the great win by the Dees against the Cats yesterday.... great to have 4 wins for the year so far!
We arrived at the Yea motel at about 1.15 pm where the weather was quite good with some warmth from the sun...far cry from the cold weather yesterday in Melbourne
After picking up a few items for breakfast we were off for a tour of the wetlands on the Yea river which was most informative. The incredible work the local volunteers have done to restore the wasteland in to this wetland area is quite extraordinary. We all leaned a lot!
After the tour it was time to assess the gear ready for the riding over the next few days and to have a chat amongst us all.
It was good to catch up with Des and Anthony who had traveled by train and bike to Yea yesterday and today!
Dinner tonight is at the local pub
Upcoming Yea Ride
Tomorrow we begin another adventure with a”hub and spoke” series of rides out of the Victorian country town of Yea about 150 kms north of Melbourne
The ride has been organised by one of the Wheeliebinners Ray Taylor which should provide good riding over undulating country. The weather is looking to be coolish with some rain predicted later in the week
We have 14 of us joining the ride with a late withdrawal by Phil Eager due to travel restrictions as a result of Covid and Ric Hallgren due to ill health
I look forward to bringing you reports and photos of the rides each day.... stay tuned
Covid Blog 60
- Have painted about half of the ground floor windows and gutters. The rest of the ground floor will be done as the weather picks up and the first floor will be done by a painting contractor as I cannot risk climbing ladders
- I have organised the lease of number 2 at Rye
- I have kept the gardening up at all properties and have planted the winter vegetables at Rye and have helped with the Kenmare st veggie garden
- Have managed to stay in contact with the family over the period even though there were restrictions in place
- We have seemed to manage the Covid situation at Alkira with good leadership from the CEO and the Chair of the Risk committee... well done!
Today’s ride with the Wheeliebinners organised by Rob Baker
.... a selfie
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Covid Blog 58
A walk on the beach as the sun was setting
... and the sunset!!!!
Today’s ride
Covid Blog 57
Covid Blog 56
The boys after coffee
Today’s ride
