Wine country to the Mountains

Wheatfields of the Wimmera.

A hop skip and a jump from Echuca to Bright. Well, all of that hopping and skipping was made easier by a slight change to our route. We removed a few kilometres and long, flat rides through farmland, and replaced it with a trip straight to Rutherglen where we spent two lovely evenings and a day riding at a VERY leisurely pace to Wahgunyah via Chambers Winery. From there we hopped over to Cofield’s for a delicious lunch then onto Pfeiffers and home again. A lovely day topped off with a swim in the Soldiers Memorial swimming pool – just Brenda, Dale, Des and myself along with a local kid demonstrating bombs and double bombs and twister bombs.

We had a bit of trouble with the van in Echuca, which was partly why we changed the route. It was towed away on a tow truck and came back in the late afternoon, but by then we have activated Plan B, which was for Garis, Michael and Al to drive to Rutherglen and the rest of us make our way there on the bus. Talk about a milk run! We saw all sorts of Victoria including Kyabram, Mooroopna, Shepparton and Numurkah. My heart beat a little when we almost went to Katamatite, scene of a dusty attempt to hitchhike in 1975.

From Rutherglen we rode to Beechworth. We began in solitary joy along county roads and into Chiltern, an easy 20kms or so. Then another 15kms of similar joy, but as we know in the bike riding world, all things can change rapidly. Soon we were climbing, slowly and steadily, but climbing nevertheless. By the time the main road into Beechworth appeared, it was getting warmer and my resilience for hills was waning. I never thought I’d make it, but I did, as did everyone else, but the last 19kms on a busy road with a narrow rough shoulder going uphill was not pleasant.

All thoughts of hardship disappeared however with a beautiful day on bike paths all the way from Beechworth to Bright. Rushing downhill to the Everton turn-off was quick, followed by kangaroo sightings in paddocks as we dipped along and up Taylor’s Gap into Myrtleford where we enjoyed lunch at Café Chakra. Smoked trout kedgeree for me. Yum!

Bruce, Des’s brother, has joined us for a week or so and it’s great to see him. We have two days in Bright to ride around and swim at the Jumping Off Rock in the Buckland and a few plunges in the Ovens. Bright is beautiful as always, trees galore, birds screeching in the morning and the campground full of kids on bikes.

Statistics

Thursday 27 February: Rutherglen to Beechworth. 66kms with an average speed of 15.5kmh. Lucky those 7.5kmh hill climbs didn’t skew the average too much!

Friday 28 February: Beechworth to Bright. 75kms on bike paths all the way. Beautiful surrounds and a as Michael would say, a perfect day.

The Barham Hotel.

Sunset on the Murray.

Michael loves a coffee.

Des blowing up our mattresses yet again...

From the mountains, through the wheat fields up to the Murray - Halls Gap to Echuca

Camp at Halls Gap

Firstly, I'd like to thank the Victorian Government for making the many bike paths for us that we occasionally have needed to share with various vehicles. Fair dinkum, there are thousands of kilometres of bitumen roads that must only carry a dozen vehicles a day at best.

Leaving Halls Gap

Prior to setting off from Halls Gap we were visited by cockatoos and kookaburras, as well as the mob of kangaroos that live in the campgrounds. I was holding out a crumb of bread when cockatoos decided to use me as their perch. I think there were 6 on me at one time, including on my head. 

In high spirits we following the mountain range, enjoying the bush, the kangaroos and the birds. All day we biked along quiet roads, entering the wheat fields of the Wimmera until we reached Murtoa. 

The Grampians in the distance

Clouds over the Grampians.

As we were setting up camp, Paula came by with her dog Scruffy and after a conversation she said she could organise a private viewing at the Stick Shed. Built in the 1930s to house excess grain, it is a mighty construction, the last of many, made from eucalyptus regnans poles and corrugated iron. 

Next day I was on driving with Michael so it was an easy run into Donald. Next Day to Boort I was on driving again, this time with Karen. We camped on lush grass beside Little Boort Lake and had access to the wonderful ski club kitchen.

From Boort we rode to Barham, just across the NSW border. No country and music festival for us, instead a great night camped beside the river listening to a covers band at the Koondrook Hotel. Hotel California, Stairway to Heaven…all the favourites.

We then took to the long, flat, shade-less road leading to Echuca as the heat set in, as did the head winds, and the tail winds when we changed direction. We came across roadworks, cattle being droved along the side of the road and not a whole lot more. Few vehicles, no shops, no water. Sally and Karen came by with ice and water at the 40km mark, which was fabulous.  A couple of rescues and we all arrived in Echuca safe and sound and enjoyed a lovely dinner with Lucy and Frank who brought along some of his red wines for tasting. Given the hilarity, I think they went down very well.

The Europcar van has been giving us trouble since we left and has now been deemed towable by the company. Let’s hope we get it back so we can proceed, otherwise our planned route may have to change.

Statistics

Wednesday 19 February: Halls Gap to Murtoa. 78kms on lovely roads.

Saturday 22 February: Boort to Barham. A quick run into Kerang with very few vehciles on a nicely paved road, then a further 30 into Barham along a not-so-quiet road. 77kms 

Sunday 23 February: Barham to Echuca. Dry, dusty, shade-less roads in variable condition. 81km.

Michael takes a break.

A lively talk accompanied by dog.

Pelicans at Murtoa

Camp at Murtoa

The long rail that is now used for freight and grain.

Paula and Paul examine bindis.

The Stick Shed at Murtoa

Inside the Stick Shed.

A long view of the Stick Shed.

Sunset at Murtoa.

A grain train crossing as we drove to Donald.

Grain train

The wheat fields near Donald.

Shopping in Donald.

Sally relaxing at Boort.

Yoga at Boort

Sally's gone to ...L

From the beach to the mountains

A Port Fairy mudlark

Paul in tent(s) as he sometimes is.

Morning tea at Hawkesdale.

Lunch at Penshurst.

Along the road to Halls Gap.

It was a character building 40km uphill en route to Halls Gap.

Dawn at camp in Halls Gap.

One of the four kookaburras who visit us in camp.

I counted 18.

There’s nothng like a swim in the ocean to revive one’s spirits and repair small lacerations, so when we setoff from Port Fairy, headed due north to Dunkeld, spirits were indeed high and small lacerations were much less troubling.

Beginning from sea level we climbed about 650 metres for a net gain of 250 metres. That’s bike riding! Although steadily uphill all day, the traffic was benign and the conditions excellent – slightly overcast and cloudy. 

Yellow-tailed black cockatoos chattered above the grazing cattle and sheep, along with the few goats tethered on the verges. It is very rich farmland here in the western district, dotted with volcanic hills.

We ate at the Royal Mail in Dunkeld, a fine dining experience with a fine-dining wallet attached. Nevertheless, no one on our ride would have cooked gin-cured trout or grilled octopus, or served me a glass of white wine in an elegant glass, so I loved it.

The campground at Dunkeld was perfect, as have been all of our campgrounds. Good facilities, small luxury touches, friendly folk. Al has been rounding us all up for games of Skip-Bo – a card game based pretty much on pure luck with a modicum of strategy thrown in. Not too much hard thinking after a big day in the saddle.

Riding into Halls Gap began in the mist and ended in clear blue skies. My first task was to throw myself into the swimming pool where I stayed for almost two hours. Bliss! Des and Dale cooked up a storm and we all went to bed, tired well-fed and happy, ready for a rest day in this gorgeous place with cockatoos screeching overhead and myriad small birds darting to and fro.

Statistics for those interested.

Sunday 16 February: Port Fairy to Dunkeld. 91.5kms in 5 hours, 11 minutes. The terrain is now dotted with beautiful red gums.

Monday 17 February: Dunkeld to Halls Gap. A Little slower at 64.5 kms in 3 hours 50 minutes. When we crossed the high point of the Great Dividing Range it was a glorious 15km of downhill.

The kangaroos are everywhere in our camp.

From the Port of Melbourne to the Port of Fairy

We’re off again, this time circumnavigating Victoria before catching the ferry to Devonport and cruising down the east coast of Tasmania. A six-week ride boasting elite athletes including Maria Lacey (Maryborough), Mick Jovic (Essendon), Margit Gundert (Northcote), Des Boucher (Maryborough), Paul Davison (Wolfeville Nova Scotia), Karen White Smith (Halifax, Nova Scotia), Michael Netzsch (Mannheim, Germany), Brenda Worden and Sally Holden (Vancouver, Canada), Dale Hobsbawn (Altona Meadows), Al Young (Idaho, US), Pauline Moody (Invermay), Maureen Welch (Moonee Ponds) and my good self. Werner also came along to drive until Port Fairy.

A lovely dinner at the Melbourne Docklands Marina catered for by Maureen and Sally set the scene for a relaxing ride round the Capital City Trail before catching a train to Ballarat. From there we rode north to Invermay and camped in Chris and Pauline’s garden. 

Chris, Mick and Werner with Des cooking at Invermay.

Another beautiful dinner then we woke to misty morning and the reality of our first “real” day’s ride: into Ballarat, the Skipton railtrail then onto Lake Tooliorook. The rail trail is well-maintained and a scenic ride through farmland and scrub, but who would have thought that Skipton was on a hill! From where we camped on the Lake we could see Mt Elephant across the waters, but again, when we woke, it was shrouded in mist. Perfect riding conditions, not too hot, cloud cover. Well, perfect that is except for the gravel roads we took. Bums were shaken, bones were rattled but on we rode to Mortlake through the wealthy western district grazing country, dotted with former volcanic hills.

.

From where we camped on the Lake we could see Mt Elephant across the waters, but again, when we woke, it was shrouded in mist. Perfect riding conditions, not too hot, cloud cover. Well, perfect that is except for the gravel roads we took. Bums were shaken, bones were rattled but on we rode to Mortlake through the wealthy western district grazing country, dotted with former volcanic hills.

Our camp at Lake Tooliorook.

Mt Elephant across the water.

 Dale, Mick and Michael relaxing after 100kms.

 Des, at a crossroads, again!

Brenda, Maria, Karen and Dale ponder the kms ahead.

 Yes, Australia does have flies!

 Coming down the gravel.

Mortlake is home to 74% of Victoria’s corella population. They talked all day and then all night. Just as I was falling asleep, silence reigned, then one squawked and they were all off again. At times it was deafening.

Karen and Michael fixing a flat at Mortlake under Al's supervision.

 More gravel...

Morning coffee in Port Fairy with Garis, Michael, Dale, Werner, Margit, Al and Maria.

 Koroit has everything!

Our ride into Port Fairy was fab – a tail wind, open country and even a kangaroo spotting. 

Those who rode to Tower Hill saw a red-bellied black snake, emus and koalas.

The eastern beach beckoned in the sunshine and dip I did into that might ocean to be buffeted by waves and feel the soothing salt water on all the body bits that needed soothing. Having two whole rest days was great after four days of riding.

Margit, Werner, Maria and Mick left us in Port Fairy leaving eleven to ride the hills towards Halls Gap and further into the wheatlands and up to the Murray.

Thus far we have had excellent company, excellent camping and excellent food. What more could a group of bike riders need?

Statistics

Monday 10 February: 39 kms with a few sprinkles of rain. Slow riding round the city and up those pesky gravelly hills to Invermay.

Tuesday 11 February: Invermay to Lake Tooliorook . Slightly more than 100 kms along gravel with slow long climbs on the rail trail followed by 35kms of STRONG headwinds. Great café in Skipton!

Wednesday 12 February: Lake Tooliorook to Mortlake. 66kms along gravel and paved roads, past a salt lake, through sheep and cattle to the corell-filled campground.

Thursday 13 February: Mortlake to Port Fairy. 75km with a tail wind on quiet paved roads. Great lunch at the micro-brewery in Koroit.