We were ready before 8:30am and so rode down to Little Crumb Bakery and Cafe in the main road for breakfast. Such cheerful, obliging folk; and David opined it was THE best smashed avo of his life! Tom needed to spend some time with his brother who lives in Apollo Bay, so did not join us for breakfast nor the morning's ride. We talked a lot while we ate (a regular failing of ours) and so departed Apollo Bay towards the west a little after the appointed time. We were a little concerned about the weather, as the forecast was for 5 - 10mm of rain and indeed, the radar was showing a huge band to the north east. Freshly down from Sydney, we thought. Plan A was to stick to Plan A ie gravel roads; but if it rained too much, plan B was to hit the (sealed) Princes Highway and head back to Melbourne. As so often happens, the weather forecast, if it was accurate at all, was accurate in a location or locations different to ours. So, during the morning and early afternoon we contended with dust, not mud. On Saturday evening, Tom's brother Matt, who lives in Apollo Bay, had joined us for a beer after dinner; and discussion ensued about roads and things to see. Binn's Road was mentioned, as was the stand of Californian Redwoods. Yes, you read that correctly. As an experiment, the Forests Commission of Victoria in 1936 planted a stand of Californian Redwoods in a verdant valley in the Otways. Planted on the bank of a small river, the site receives high winter rainfall and summer fogs. It is protected from the wind so, with such perfect growing conditions, these trees are now reaching 60 metres tall! This is really impressive and it was well worth the short stop. It is worth noting that over the two days we had a handful of instances where trees had fallen over and partly obstructed the roads. Our original intention was to proceed along certain dirt roads and meet Tom for lunch in Forest. That fell by the wayside when we saw an interesting looking cafe in Gellibrand. The staff were pleasant and helpful and the owner likes adventure bikes, selling bike equipment in another business. Tom made contact with David and he decided to wait for us in Forest. After lunch and a couple of stops to check the map, we duly caught up with Tom and proceeded to turn for home. We made a pit stop in Birregurra and discussed the fact that it is the home of "Brae" a high-end, very popular restaurant. Our cafe was pleasant, but definitely not high-end. Our dirt riding was over and we proceeded along the black top, reaching the M1 just short of Winchelsea. Double lane and freeway followed which, apart from some light but steady rain, presented an uneventful ride. As we approached Melbourne, we started peeling off off one by one at our home exits, hands raised in salute and farewell. Thanks to Greg for organising the accommodation and to David for planning the routes and leading. There was only one short section where the road, recently graded, provided some slippy conditions going into corners. Thus the weekend was adjudged fun, not training. Which is why Greg says we must do another day in sand before the Big Trip. That may well get a mention here. Please note: There are more photos in the Photos tab.
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We were all on time this morning. Tom and David more on time than the others, but they might as well have been ships passing in the night. Promptly at 9:00 we started down the freeway, past Geelong and along the slow stretch to Anglesea where we had coffee at our usual spot. Simon ordered a mug of coffee but drank Duncan’s cup. Confusion in the camp when the mug arrived, but all ended well.
In no particular haste, we eventually got ourselves going north of Anglesea on packed gravel. A few kms of tar and then back on gravel, travelling through the eucalyptus forests of the Grand Otway National Park. The countryside was very pretty with only some minor technical sections, where we rode on almond sized pebbles. The steering felt very skittish, which was not helped by the back wheel also dancing around. We took an early lunch in Deans Marsh as we were not confident of supplies further on. Lunch was not healthy, but it was tasty. David led the charge through the forests, stopping every now and then to consult his detailed map. Not once did we get lost, a miracle for our group! From the photos you might think we were lost. No, just ensuring we didn’t get lost! We did pause a couple of times at road closed signs, but as with previous rides, we regard them merely as advisories, not mandatories. After negotiating the very pleasant closed road from the Otway Fly, we came across a locked boom gate. There was a sign blocking off a path on the side of it. A Swiss Army knife dealt with the cable tie and on we went. We had afternoon tea at the artists café and got into a deep discussion about the way society is now handling the issue of sexuality. A most vexed question. More dirt roads followed until we connected with the Great Ocean Road between Portland and Apollo Bay.. Do we take the tar? No, we take the Old Ocean Road, which rejoins the tar later on. The final thirty kms to Apollo Bay were handled in fine style, with lovely sweeping bends. Our accommodation is no palace, but we all had a bed and the shower was hot. Duly refreshed, we strolled the few hundred metres down to the main road, looking for dinner. We were surprised at how many eateries were closed, especially on a Saturday evening. We were also surprised, looking in the windows of the realtors, how expensive properties are here. It is rather far from Melbourne for week-enders.. So to the pub we went. The fish and chips and salad were acceptable and a few beers and glasses of wine stretched the evening very pleasantly to nine o’clock. After walking home, we settled down in the lounge with tea and the area map to discuss the route for Sunday. That done, we talked about things to do with motorcycles! Ready to leave for breakfast at 8:30. Heading for the hills at 9. One does not simply roll out of bed of a morning and head off for an eight day ride in potentially difficult, if not hazardous, terrain. Being sensible suggests that preparation is required. We are sensible and thus have done one day of training in some deep-ish sand behind Anglesea. And tomorrow we mount our steeds for a trip down a dirt road of over 200 kms behind Anglesea, through the Otways and down to Apollo Bay where we will spend the night. Riding on dirt is fun. Riding in sand is training. We hope there is a balance of the two. However, the ride is also to pack as if this was THE trip. Never before have I packed a week of clothing for one night away.
We have had a few discussions as to what will be carried; and by whom. Yours truly was volunteered for the tow strap, which of course we all hope will remain pristine in its wrapper. Members of the group have been investing in new gear. I guess helmets do require replacement every number of years. I have aluminium panniers but have been persuaded that if I tumble, they - and the bike - are likely to suffer significant damage. Soft panniers are therefore indicated and a fellow club member Steve B has very kindly lent me a pair. Interestingly, our little group is expanding! For this ride we are being joined by Tom and Steve, so five we are. But famous we are not; and we hope it remains that way. Better still, Steve has put up his hand for the NSW ride. Apart from enjoying his company, there is a significant safety aspect to this. If something goes wrong, two people can ride for help and two people can stay at the scene of the incident. Steve is also young and strong. However, we are of course trusting our that thoughts in relation to this remain in the realm of the hypothetical. Standby for tomorrow's report and hopefully some photos. |
AuthorDuncan & Liz are keen travellers, doing less than they would like but appreciating what opportunities present. Duncan loves his motorcycle and Liz loves it more at the end of a trip! Archives
June 2021
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