76.58km / 3:37:43 / 584m / 29.0°C
An ugly pun in the ride title, Seymour to Alexandra along the Great Victorian Rail Trail – the GVRT. The #CycleDindi event providing impetus for the second of my two overnighter/weekends away for a bit of a ride in this part of the countryside. The V/Line trains are running reduced services so there’s only one or two trains a day that stop at Seymour – and none at Tallarook which is where I really wanted to start from. Of course the train was packed, and all the “unreserved” ticket holders (ie anyone on a Myki and only going as far as Seymour) was asked to get off and catch the bus – but of course the bus won’t take bikes so I stayed quiet and stood beside the bike space for the two hour trip
An auspicious start time, 13.37 and out of Seymour station and off to find my way south-west for 10km to join the rail trail, then follow it to Yea and on to Alexandra. The #CycleDindi ride is “mostly” centred on Yea, but I couldn’t get any accommodation, so Alexandra it would be … about 20km more
Stopped for a coffee at Trawool as I joined the GVRT, the staff their couldn’t get their heads around me sitting around at 2.15pm, having a coffee, then heading off to ride ALL THE WAY TO ALEXANDRA. I pointed out that I had all afternoon, the trail is mostly flat, but it seemed an Olympic feat to them
Anyway, off I went, the trail as far as Yea a bit overgrown and getting eroded in places but mostly flat. Didn’t bother stopping in Yea and passed through, then the 8km or so gentle climb up to the Cheviot tunnel and thoroughly enjoyable long gentle descent afterwards all the way to where the trail splits in two at Cathkin
5.30 or so and I made it to Alex, a bit hillier than I remember & I was feeling a bit ragged for the last 10km or so, well pleased to get to the pub, off the bike and have a beer and check in for the night
Few clouds, 29°C, Feels like 28°C, Humidity 32%, Wind 1m/s from E - by Klimat.app
My 1542nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…
Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps
