Friday, September 10, 2010

Welcome back to Victoria......

Eden to Cann River......110km of a lot of hills.....it has loomed large in my mind for months.....I had wondered often if I would be able to make it.......but as life would have it, it turned out quite differently from what I expected!

Woke up again to a beautiful blue sky day and the wonderful sounds of the natural surroundings that is the home of our friends Lesley, Janice and Graeme. After a good breakfast and chat with Janice, we said goodbye .....although we have been extremely appreciative of the amazing hospitality extended to us by so many across NSW, we also commented to ourselves how wonderful it was to spend time with old friends.

After a quick car trip back into Eden, we started off on bike and support vehicle up the hill that leads out of Eden. It was a very warm morning and on the second pit stop before the morning, Carolyn foolishly commented to PJ how fortunate we had been with the weather but was directed towards the looming dark clouds ahead. As planned we all met at the border sign and took a photo. Then like a movie script right on cue, I was on my bike again cycling on Victorian soil and the rain started.....

If only it had stopped with the rain, all would have been well .....months of training in a Melbourne winter had its fair share of rain (some would say more than??), nothing new there...but with the rain came the thunderstorm (and thoughts related to how much of my bike really was metallic??), a sudden drop in temperature and it was made to feel even more extreme by the logging trucks that had no room for manoevering on the single lane carriageway with no shoulders - forcing me onto the gravel a couple of times. In the end though it was sheer cold that got to me and by the time I met the support vehicle in Genoa I was freezing and knew that it was stupid to continue in such conditions...hard to admit though and it took the full 30 minutes or so huddled and shivering next to a heater in the Genoa pub with a coffee in hand to give up on the goal of reaching Cann River on the bike that day and to finally say what everyone else was thinking - lets put an end to the days riding and head to our accomm in Mallacoota. It is all a bit stupid.....noone's life depended on making Cann River in one day.....so today it is all put in perspective, especially after a lovely cooked meal by PJ last night and relaxing over a couple of comedy DVDs......

Rest day today......we are all heading off to the laundrette....clean clothes here we come.....

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