29.58km / 1:53:53 / 72m / 14.0°C
A very wet gravelly track, my tyres flick it up all over me, my bike and the luggage. We were all filthy by the time we got to the end of the trail at Stratford
Morning started with a very light rain and a toss up of whether to have breakfast then pack up, or pack and then ride to the cafe. The latter won, which was a good thing since the cafe was closed… as was the other cafe further through town… and the bakery. About to return to the supermarket to see if we could grab a pastry when Jo remembered the servo on the way into town so we rode out towards it, and found a coffee & food caravan doing a roaring trade. Egg and bacon muffins & a hot drink each, eaten under the shelters in the Apex park across the road, then out into the rain and mud. We were thoroughly covered within the first 100m and splattered our way onwards to Maffra
Rode past a turtle out walking along the trail, then a flock of YTBC down at the side of the path that were the wildlife hilights of the day. The cockies eating casuarinas, creaking to each other then flying off all around & alongside us.
Coffee & a slice of carrot cake to share at 11am in Maffra, if they’d had any pasties or muffins we would have had them, but nothing much, so just one slice between us & shed muddy grit all over the floor.
Then 10km more to get to Stratford, path improved a bit. Rolled into town around 12 & washed the bikes in the park then back to the bakery for a pie. Got to the station in plenty of time for the train, nothing much there with all closed up, then on to the 13.30 train back to Traralgon – bit full, needed to move some bags around to fit the bikes in.
Back in Traralgon the other two put the bikes on the car for the drive to the motel, I couldn’t be bothered to unpack the panniers & pizza bag so rode the 3km or so. Of course now that we weren’t on the trails and were back in a country town I had the mandatory abuse from a motorist, wanting to turn left while I was riding straight, he pulled half alongside and screamed at me to GERROFDAFUGGINGROAD! Such are the joys of country railtrails in Australia
Light rain, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 97%, Wind 1m/s from SW - by Klimatt.app
My 1003rd day in a row riding a bike, including my and following up with all of 2021.
Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps
