Fifth Leg - Phillip Island to Melbourne

Day 16 started as a bit of a worry, the weather looking a bit dull for our momentous return to the mainland. We arrived at the Ferry catching place nice and early to ensure we didn't miss it. It rained a little bit on our journey, but nothing like day 1. I managed to get another flat and spent a good ten minutes in a bus shelter changing my tube and removing the offending shard of glass. A friendly bus even stopped and waited for me - for some reason expecting me to get on despite the fact I was reattaching a wheel, putting my helmet on, and tying my bag down. I got a wee bit bored riding through the populated area and started taking artistic shots.

Front wheel of my bike.

My beautiful face and some lush scenery.

We arrived in Frankston about lunch time. Chris, Jules and I went looking for a Barbar to shave us with a cut throat but to no avail. However we did find a woman in a box. She wrote messages on the screens with white board markers and you could write back. She refused to speak and could write amazingly quickly backwards. In a bold move I got her to sign my shirt. I spent quite a long time topless as she wrote me a message. We finished the afternoon by catching a movie - The Hitman (based on one of my favourite playstation games) and listening to live music whilst drinking beer. This was a very short day - 30 km, but our total was now a whooping 926 km total.

Day 17 - the final day. We got up late and rode leisurely as a group from Frankston through to Melbourne. Multiple times we were passed by yuppies all decked out in the riding gear, they passed us with a healthy look of disdain on their faces at such a rag tag mob - wearing cheap gray t-shirts with texta scrawled all over it, riding bikes that didn't cost more than a second hand car, one even had a bag tied down with straps. Those bloody wannabies don't even know the meaning of a long days ride, they're too content riding to the next coffee shop so they can lounge around in the tight clothes and their helmets on their heads (they annoyed us a little).

We happily continued on our journey ringing our bells merrily. Together we arrived at Fedration Square at lunchtime. Chub joined us for the celebrations along with our friends and family.

The team arrives safely.

Left to right: Myself, Danene, Chris, Jules, Chub, and Emily.

We ate lunch and drank beer. A good time was had by all.

Where did we want to ride to Guys? Right Here!!!

Day 17 - 44km. Questacon to Federation Square - 970km.

Fourth Leg - Wilson's Prom to Phillip Island

Leaving Wilson's Prom on day 13 was much easier than entering. It earlier in the morning and so it was cooler, we were fresh and keen for the ride, not fifty km into a gruelling day, and there were no anger filled p-plater's to deal with. Not all of us found the lunchtime destination with ease. Jules and Danene turned up to the wrong beach and had to take their bikes off road proper by riding on the sand for a couple of kms to join the rest of us. After lunch Emily and myself were able to visit the second southern most lighthouse in Australia

and we took in the magnificent view.

We all met up at the Tarwin Lower Hotel for a few beers where we chatted to the locals whilst waiting for the keys to our accomm - a garage had Danene's mother's house, which is still in the process of being built. The local bar staff and some friendly drinkers jad a couple of brain teasers for us uni students to grapple with, the pool table offered us much joy, and the Juke box caused angst.

One of the puzzles - get the 5 cent coin into the glass with physically touching anything.

When we had finished our socialising Emily rented a DVD for us to watch but most passed out in a drunken stupor with Danene caught between the two snorers and Chris crushed up against the roller door.

The team drunk at the pub: Danene, Emily, Chris, Myself and Jules.

Tarwin Lower was 97 km from Wilsons Prom and we had now covered a grand total of 813 km.

On Day 14 we started on our way towards Phillip Island. A green sign alerted us we were now under 200km to Melbourne before we entered the Island of my namesake. Emily, Danene and myself went surfing (apparently Danene has wanted to do this her whole life

but her parents never stopped to let her) before finding our way to the chocolate factory(Danene tells us this was a coincidence but I'm not convinced). Here Emily chewed on a choclate house.

We made it unscathed to a caravan park that allowed us to camp on their boat washing area as water restrictions meant it was out of service. While everyone else bunkered down for the night I found a bar by proceded to meet the staff. The batender was a chemistry graduate (like me), owned a motorbike (like me), and wanted to ride his bike from Warrnambool around to the Mornington Peninsula (like we were doing). I then stumbled home and slept with the mossies (those bastards bit my lip and it swelled up like scared fugu). It was an 83 km ride. We had now ridden a total of 896 km.

Day 15 was a very pleasant rest day. Danene took us on a tour starting with the Knobbies where...

...we spied a penguin. I even got this mad video

and a great shot of Chris's butt as he searches for the Penguin under the boardwalk. Next we made our way around towards the Grand Prix Circuit, on the way passing this cute Penguin on the road - Danene assured us it was just sleeping. We ended the day by visiting a beach with some caves before finding our way back to bed (and those bloody mossies found my lip again).

Third Leg - Lakes Entrance to Wilson's Promontory

Day 9 was a relatively uneventful day, marred by the fact that Chubb had to leave us at Bairnsdale as he had arranged to do some volunteer work for a week. After a teary farwell we rode through the stinking heat avoiding the highways as much as possible. We did manage to bump into a few fellow bike enthusists when thousands of cyclists rode past in the opposite direction. Welcome the Great Victorian Bike Ride. Riders of shapes and sizes on every type of bike imaginable turned their heads to watch us, all mouthing their confusion as we were seemingly going the wrong way.
Coincidentally we had chosen the same lunch spot as the GVBR and so when we arrived there was a carnival atmosphere with live music, sausage sizzles and even a mime. The mime was kind enough to break her statue pose to sign Chris's team shirt.
It was also humourous when one of the WARBYS (GVBR helper - stands for We Are Right Behind You) wanted to chase Chris down after he left the lunch spot as he thought our friend was directionally challenged. We arrived in Sale 115 km later and searched for accom. The first caravan park wanted to charge us over $100 and the second was infested by so many mozzies that even the owner advised us to find alternate sleeping quarters. We left there downhearted and with a plethora of mozzies bites. We ended up at camping at the showgrounds for $10 a night.
That evening a learnt to fear the night. When the sun goes down the flies left us, but a plague of mosquitoes, that would continue to haunt us for the remainder of our trip took their place. We enjoyed a dinner of Chris's Special with the bood sucking insects before retiring to the Greyhounds for a few drinks and a couple of games of Keno. We broke even on Keno, and a few drinks vouchers meant I didn't have to spend a cent. This long day on the road brought our travel total to 517km

On Day 10 we left Sale after a hearty breakfast at a local bakery before being faced with a quandry.
Being the brave adventurers that we are, the decision was made to take the coastal route. We came across a redbelly black snake who was laying across the shoulder, thank god Danene spotted that or their could have been some sick cyclists. Chris, Jules and I decided to stop for a few sneaky ones at Welshpool before the six km ride to Port Welshpool. We then decided a few travelers were necessary. Cheers Chris.
We camped at another caravan park, and met a great guy named Rosco. This is the inside of his living quaters... ...and this is the outside.
Once again we bunkered down for the night with the mosquitoes after completing a relatively easy 107km - bringing our cumulative total to 624km.

Day 11 was an easy ride to Wilson's Prom, followed by a gruelling hilly slog to the camping grounds. The temperature reached 30 degrees at about the same time as we reached the entrance to the National Park, and I then realised I had a leak in my camelpac. In the insane heat as well as contending with lunatic schoolie drivers I had to race up intense hills and conserve my dwindling water supply. All this made arrival at the campsite and subsequent swimming at the beach all the sweeter. It was time to relax and enjoy our next rest day. Day 11 was a 92km haul bringing the group's peddling to a 716km total.

On day 12, our third rest day we went for a small walk and ate lunch on the edge of a cliffbefore the rain sent myself and Jules to the car. Poor Danene and Chris got caught out still admiring the landscape and came back saturated. That night Chris and I were attacked by Wombats and Possums trying to get to my museli bars that I had accidentally left in my pants pocket, which I was using as pillow stuffing. The wombat manged to get tangled in the guy rope of our tent, and in a squeal of panic it ripped half our tent out of the ground. I love nature...

Wilson's Prom: a bird's eye view of our beach.

Second Leg - Jindabyne to Lakes Entrance

Day 4 dawned bright and sunny, and we readied ourselves to leave the confines of society and embrace nature. Chubb had a flat tire. Despite this minor setback we took to the moutainous road of Barry Way. It was this day, during this leg we realised our worst enemy. While people of the city feasted on breakfast, we swallowed mouthfuls of flies. They swarmed us in droves, attacking whilst we were at our most vulnerable, slowly peddling up the torturous hills. But our spirits were still high.

Before the sun had reached its zenith we found the dirt. Chub on his smooth, thin tyres knew no fear, speeding down hills at hair raising pace. The amazing run was ended however when he recieved four simultaneous pinch punctures, leaving him with eight new holes in his already brutilised tube.

Chubb and his holy tube, count the patches.

We reached an the top of an amazing hill before a seven kilometre downhill sprint. In this photo you can just make out the road in the distance. The hill was so steep we were on that path within a couple of minutesWe lunched on Jacob's Creek eating a delectable assortment of tuna, vitawheat, brad and lollies (lolly sandwiches aren't as tasty as they sound). By now the sun had started to beat down on us, and we soldiered on, following the snowy river to our campsite at Willis, literally a stone's throw from the NSW/Victorian border. Here's our first view of the legendary river. Willis was a sensational campsite, Chris and Chubb were the first to arrive and cool off in the icy waters of the Snowy Mountains.Day 4 added 67km to our now 247km trip tally.

Day 5 found me straddling the border before heading up some nasty hills in the direction Gilantipy.

Straddling the Border.

A family of emus crossed my path, but I wasn't quick enough with the camera. On the way we stopped a place called Seldom Seen, a very small petrol station where the owner collects - well we'll call them antiques. Julia was lucky enough to see a chicken crossing the road, but we didn't know why. By now we had returned to bituman and just as rain started to kick in we came across our potential accomodation - Karoonda Park. Karoonda Park is a camp for school, we cajoled our way into a cabin for the night, but the highlight (of the entire trip) was when the camp owners learnt we were skilled in the art of science presentations we were offered free dinner for one show. Quickly pooling our collective Science Circus might together we quickly developed a show involving sending Chubb to the Moon, and scabbing props from the camp was easy (thankyou Questacon).

Chubb (wearing the helmet) preparing to be sent to the moon. Chris is teaching the kids about sound - in space no one can hear you scream.

They liked our show so much we got free brekkie too!

By the end of day 5 we had covered 306 km after an easy 58km day.

On Day 6 we left Karoonda Park celebrities and headed towards Buchan. The day itself was uneventful, however we passed a welcoming green sign, letting us know that we where within 400 kms of our destination.

Chubb, Jules, Chris and Danene delighted to see our progress in sign form

Buchan was the nicest town we visited. Our campsite at the Buchan caves was as fine as fine could be.

Chubb, Jules and Chris enjoying the arvo We toured the caves that afternoon and witnessed the spectacular formations inside. This cave is known as Font of the Gods. A photo similiar to this one can be found in most places of business in Buchan.

I then took a scenic bushrun to build up my appetite at the local pub. This unfortunate town had a popluation in the low hundreds, but were preparing for the GreatVictorian Bike Ride to arrive, some 1500 cyclist to boost their population for a night.

41km for the day. Cumulative total: 350km

On Day 7 we headed for Lakes Entrance, passing through Nowa Nowa and visiting the ancient trestle bridge on the way.

Emily dances with the Devil by crossing onto the forbidden side of the fence.

Day 7 was a remarkable day as the curse of the flat tyre was visited upon myself and not Chubb. 1500 metres before our meeting point at Lakes my tyre ruthlessly gave in. However I pumped it up and quickly finished before it went flat again. We once again tried to sneak a few of us into a cabin to decrease costs, but alas we were caught and had to pay for five residents instead of two (there were six of us so we're still winners). After traversing 55 km to Lakes Entrance we notched up the 405th km of our trip.

Day 8 was our second rest day. We slept in and played mini golf.

Chris dreams of being Tiger Woods.

It was a tight competition with everyone getting at least one hole in one. In the end I was able to snatch victory by five strokes.

Here I am King of the Castle. My hole in one on this hole (hole 16) pretty much secured my first place finish.

The team of Golfing Hopefuls - for 18 holes we were bitterest enemies, but our bikes will always make us friends.

We finished our day by buying a Oh Brother where art thou for $3 on video and watching that before dinner and bed.