Two bike rides to end the year

I decided to ride the Great Victorian Rail Trail over four days, starting at Tallarook.

19 December I had a coffee at the Tallarook general store and started out on the trail. The countryside looked great in the sunshine: hills and grazing land, all relatively green. Some bush. I rode past the assortment of station sites, crossing the road many times, crossed the Goulburn River and got to Yea where it was already hot. I had a sandwich and went on, the going was harder as I gradually climbed to the Cheviot tunnel - I hadn't appreciated that the tunnel would be near the top of a hill. The tunnel was about 150 metres long and dead straight so I could see the exit but I found it slightly unnerving.

Nice downhill afterwards to the Alexandra spur turnoff. There were some welcome avenues of trees along the trail and the trail was mainly well away from the road. A ruined trestle bridge in a paddock. I stopped at the Koriella station site for a break then went on to Eglington Gap for a view over the area and the Cathedral ranges.

It was really hot in Alexandra. I got some water and returned to Koriella to camp on the grass; it was too public for my liking but I appreciated the toilet and water. 86 kms

20 December Deafening din of cockatoos woke me. I went back to the spur trail turnoff and on towards Mansfield. I stopped at Yarck for coffee and then had a long uphill to the Merton Gap, highest point on the trail but no view as the trail went through a cutting. It was getting hot again. I saw an echidna beside the trail. Again some bits of tree lined trail and lots of cockatoos. I followed the river into Bonnie Doon and Lake Eildon had plenty of water. I had a rest in Bonnie Doon then crossed the lake on the non-traffic bridge and went along a levee above the lake. The rest of the way into Mansfield had good views of the Mt Buller foothills. Mansfield was busy and hot. The way back seemed easier. I went to a campground by the lake, the last 3 kms was downhill and I was exhausted. A cockatoo tried to eat my noodles while I was putting up my tent. 94 kms

21 December Deafening cockatoos again. Much cooler. I rode back to Yarck, first with a tailwind and then into the wind as I climbed to the Merton Gap again. I saw a blue tongue lizard. Parrots. As I was going into the recreation ground in Yarck a group of about 8 people descended on me asking questions about my bike and one guy took lots of photos of my set-up. I made coffee and returned to the headwind. Lots of sheep. Lots of cows. It has all been very pretty. I stopped for a sandwich in Molesworth. All these places look so different from when I've driven through. I saw a kangaroo. Then I climbed to the tunnel, which I didn't like much this time either. On the other side I chatted with a couple of women riding e-bikes. I had a nice descent to Yea and went to the bakery; the e-bikers soon arrived for another chat. I did a quick tour of the Yea wetlands and went to the caravan park. I went into town for fish and chips. Then chatted with 4 riders who turned up and made a fire. 70 kms

22 December Cockatoos screeching. Even cooler. I got lost in Yea again, then back through grazing land; once my route was barred by a large flock of sheep. I stopped for coffee at Granite station site. Finally a corridor of bush, sightings of the Goulburn River and descent to Tallarook. Only a short day so I continued to Seymour (also more choice of cafes) on a pleasant gravel road and last bit on busy road. 54 kms

Total 304 kms

A week later I did a ride from Ballarat in a different variety of Victorian summer weather.

28 December I left Wendouree station and rode on bike paths then gravel roads in sunshine, windy, fairly flat apart from two stiff climbs, with grazing cows. I got to Lake Learmonth and made a full lap, it was pretty and I could ride quite a bit right by the water. There were volcanic hills surrounding the lake. Crimson rosellas and tiny birds with bright yellow. As I left the lake the sky had clouded over and soon it rained; I sheltered under a tree for a while. Then the sun came back out and I could see Mt Arapiles in the distance. I could see other lakes. The roads were very quiet but I was going into the wind all day. It rained again and then heavily enough that I had to shelter when I was only a kilometre out of Beaufort. I got to the Beaufort bakery just in time but everything else was closed. The low key caravan park was beside Beaufort Lake with ducks, swamp hens, egrets, pelicans, herons - a pleasant surprise (so close to this uninspiring town) with nice bush, and I walked around it. 66 kms

29 December Freezing cold and the lake was covered by mist. I rode along a narrow sealed then gravel road through farmland with the only other traffic in 26 kms being one bicycle. Saw a fox and a kangaroo. I needed a break in Skipton, only the servo was open. Then I went onto the rail trail, mostly bush lined with several irritating gates. It finally warmed up. I stopped in (chilly again) Linton where the cafe was open. More bushland reserves as the trail went along an embankment and I came to Nimons high trestle bridge, the highlight of the rail trail.

I went down below the bridge for the best view. After that the trail was more open, going through Scarsdale to Smythesdale where it took me ages to find the free camping, a large area with scattered trees and about 8 caravans. I had to go to the servo to get food. 76 kms

30 December Coffee from the servo then I did the last part of the rail trail in open grazing country to the outskirts of Ballarat. Crossing the city took a long time, with a short stretch along the lake. I was heading for Ballan; I found some fairly quiet narrow sealed roads and gravel roads, crossed Moorabool River, sometimes parallel with the railway line. Hillier than the previous days. Nice to ride in the sunshine. I came into the compact little town of Ballan and went to the bakery. 60 kms

Total 204 kms