Day One (Dec 27) - Home to Rawson
The plan was a simple one - strap the bag onto the bike and ride to Rawson via Powelltown and Neerim South. But the straps I bought from Andy Strapz are too short. (No one to blame but me) so I needed to find an alternative. As it was a public holiday, most of the shops were closed so I strolled into Supercheap to find something that would work. It wasn't what I wanted, and I determined to do something different for the rest of the journey, but it meant I could get started.
Leaving late meant changing my plan for an interesting ride and just went down the highway. Once I turned off at Moe and started up the hill to Rawson I could feel my mood changing and my spirits lifting. This is a good road to ride with a lovely surface, good curves and some good views.
I arrived at Rawson, parked the bike, and settled in for a six day youth camp I was leading.
Day Two (Jan 1 2017) - to Lakes Entrance
While at camp, I had ordered some Gotcha Straps from Biker Bits. These did a great job, though it did take a few efforts to work out the best way to strap my pack to the bike. I was one of the last to leave the campsite, so got away a bit later than I planned. After 6 days with teenagers, which was great, it was a delight to get on the bike and head down the hill to Tyers. Seeing a wombat crossing the road and then a wallaby on the side of the road reminded me I need to look out for more than just other road users.
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| Why are you closed now??? |
I was looking at the clouds and knew that I would be riding into rain. So I stopped at Maffra to get petrol, hide from the rain to see if it would pass, and put my wet gear on if it didn't. But the petrol station was closed! So after a walk to a toilet stop and then something to eat, I put my wet gear on and rode on into the rain. Filled up in Bairnsdale while the rain was getting heavier. By the time I arrived at Lakes Entrance, I was sodden. It also took me much longer to get here than I had planned, so it was nearly dark when I arrived at my aunty and uncle's house. Anyway, we hung out the wet stuff under cover and hoped things would dry overnight.
I should add that when I stopped at Maffra I realised that one of the straps had slipped off completely and was just hanging off the bike. I was grateful that the velcro on these straps is so strong and this meant it was not long enough to get under the wheel. I don't want to think about what might have happened if it did.
Day Three (Jan 2) - to Merimbula
After a good night's sleep (the first in a week!) I strapped the bag to the bike using a different method, pulled on my wet gloves and began what was to be my best day of the whole trip. I hit more rain between Lakes Entrance and Cann River, which was frustrating, but it wasn't cold so I didn't stop to put my wet gear on. A quick break in Cann River should have made me realise that there are a lot of people on the road travelling on their holidays. This would become very clear later.
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| Sometimes you just need a cuppa |
I left the Princes Highway here and turned north towards Bombala on the Monaro Highway. In doing so I left most traffic behind and felt like I had the road to myself. And what a great ride this is! It may not have the tight twisties that some people look for - and which I was going to find soon enough - but I really enjoyed being able to ride this highway at good speed, see some amazing views, and not have interminably long stretches of straight boring bitumen.
Bombala was a highlight, although as it was a public holiday most everything was closed. I was pleased to find one cafe that was open and able to supply me with a magnificent hot chocolate. I spent a bit longer here than I planned, but would like to come back again one day.
From there I headed east towards Merimbula. This is where I hit the tight twisties. Now, I can enjoy twisty roads, but when there is a car behind you being driven by someone who clearly knows the road better than you, it can lose the fun value pretty quickly. I was pleased to find a spot where I could pull over and let them pass and then enjoy the ride at my own pace - which I didn't think was all that slow anyway.
Spent the night at Wandarrah Lodge, a hostel in Merimbula. It was cheap, and it was comfortable. A good place to stop if you're in this area. It was the best thing about Merimbula too.
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| At least the sun was shining in Merimbula |
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