Latest Update

Not too many posts recently. So here is an update.

1. Green Edge Ride at Nagambie

The Greenedge ride at Nagambile was a great opportunity for us all to travel to Shepparton for a family get together.
Vic Maddie, and Mia flew in, John drove from Sydney, Gaye and I drove up from Geelong and Steve n Regan of course were already living nearby in Shepparton. The Green Edge Ride around the environs of Nagambie, Seymor etc. was excellent with many of the team members riding with the participants. John did the 150 klm ride, Vic and I satisfied ourselves with the 60 klm (actually nearer to 70 klms) ride.

2. Clive and I visit Pompie Boat Builders in Mordiallic.

3. Portarlington Race on Phantom.

Manno likes this sailing gig.

Ben taking it in.

dave on the bow, Andrew in the foreground.

Me

This is how we like to see jac

4. Christmas at Home with Vic, John, Maddie, Mia, Stev, Regan, Owen Alannah, Nic, Vas, Sue and Dim.

5. Preparing Peregrine for Tasmania Trip

6. New Years Day at Nic and Vas's.

6. Phantom gets a new drive coupling

7. Regan, Owen and Alannah visit during January heatwave.

Tallarook to Mansfield Rail Trail

Last week Clive and I did a 3 day cycling trip to check out the recently opened Mansfield Rail Trail. We took the train to Seymour, then cycled to the head of the rail trail at Tallarook and took the 134 klm trail up to Mansfield, with a little side step to Alexandra. Finished to trip in Benella where we caught the train back to Melbourne, then (for me) home to Geelong.There is an active map here: http://www.railtrails.org.au/trail?view=trail&id=90
Day 1: Seymour to Alexandra 90 klm Surface Gravel. 90klm is a bit far for an unsealed track, we left Seymour at 9:00am and arrived at Alexandra at 5:00pm, averaging 12 klm per hour which in retrospect was pretty good for gravel.
Stayed at the Best Western and went to the Seymour Pub for a meal, which turned out to be the biggest serving of roast pork and crackling I have ever had. Yum.

Day 2: Alexandra to Mansfield 80 klm. Surface Gravel. This is magpie swooping season and we could rightly name this section 'magpie alley'. If we got swooped once, we got swooped 20 times.
Stayed at the Alexandra Motel, which I can't recommend - for the price you would expect 4 star quality. The local Alexandra pub had just won an Australia wide award for their Parmas (Parmigiana). I ordered one with prawns and wasn't disappointed. Yum - yum.

Day 3 Mansfield to Benella 65 klm Surface Sealed Road. First half with little shoulder, the rest had plenty of road shoulder.
Can't go away without having crumbed cutlets just once. So tonight was crumbed cutlets night. Yum - yum - yum.
Had some time to kill before catching the train, so checked out the local Antiques Shop. Found a very lovely Record 405 combination plane, in a box and almost complete. It is still bothering me that it remains in the shop.

Clive at Seymour with the Goulburn River in the background

The original Hume Highway Bridge crossing the Goulburn River near Seymour

Bridge over Goulburn River near Seymour

Rail Trail near Tarwool

We stop for Devonshire Tea 

Lunch is less salubrious than the D tea, but equally satisfying 

Cheviot Tunnel is 200m long built with bricks.If you close your eyes you can 'see' the trains coming up the grade.

Magpie Alley. This guy at Alexandra was particularly annoyed with us.

Alexandra Rail siding. Now a particularly interesting museum.

Creek which will eventually find its way into Lake Eildon

The Brankeet Arm of Lake Eildon. Now full of water.

Crossing Lake Eildon at Bonnie Doon.

Wodonga to Bairnsdale Cycle Trip

Day 1 Monday 24th Oct Geelong to Wodonga

Train from Geelong to Wodonga costing $30 took most of the day. Stayed at the Blazing Stump Comfort Inn which is located on the east side of town. This provided for an easy get away the following morning.

Day 2 Wodonga to Mitta Mitta

Started well with a nice sealed track running along the side of the highway. However turning on to the rail trail we encountered axle deep mud. I was a little miffed about this. Fortunately it lasted only 4 to 5 klm. The trail took us 20 klm out to and along the Hume Reservoir. Leaving the rail trail we took to road up and over the 'Gap' which took us on to the Mitta Mitta River Valley. Our final destination was the pub at Mitta Mitta where we sat out the back drinking beer and watching the local store owner catch trout. Trip total was 82 klm. 

   

Day 3 Mitta Mitta to Anglers Rest

80 klm total trip distance. 52 were up hill and 20k were on and unsealed road The road gradient was constant and unrelenting - a tough but rewarding day. The road takes you almost to the top of Mt Wills, the highest peak in Victoria. At Anglers Rest we stayed at the Blue Duck pub. Renowned for its steaks I wasn't disappointed.

At one stage we caught a glimpse of the back side of Falls Creek

Day 4 Anglers Rest to Swifts Creek

The big hill climbs are behind us and this 60 klm run was mostly downhill. A small glitch, we stopped at the info center at Omeo and the nice lady said that there was an nice cycle into Swifts Creek on a sub road, and it was 'all downhill". Well we should know by now that advice from non cyclists should always be treated with suspicion and this was no exception. The first 5 k was up hill big time, the following 5 k was undulating big up and big down. Finally the road dropped down beside a creek and the last 20klm meander was delightfully a mild down hill run.

Day 5 Swifts Creek to Bruthen

Nice ride along a sub road with a tail wind...

Bruthen pub was crap. Hasn't been cleaned in years.

Day 6 Bruthen to Bairnsdale to Geelong

Only 25 klm into Bairnsdale in the morning before a train ride back home. We had planned to take the rail trail, but with a big downpour during the night figured the road to be the best option.