As you may realise there is a mobile signal here in Loch Sport but fairly patchy so I may not be able to update on time.
I lost my luck with the weather today. The morning started dry until I loaded up the bike and left the motel when the first drops started and continued as fairly heavy rain for 3 hours. The afternoon and evening cleared up with temperatures reaching 25C.
Loch Sport is situated on a long spit of land with a large long lake inland of it and the famed 90 mile beach on its coastal side. This is the Gippsland Lakes National Park area of SE Victoria.
Bairnsdale is on the inland side of the lakes and as the crow (or parrot!) flies is about 12 miles from Loch Sport. However there are no ferries and the only way to get there is 83 miles by road.
I took a back road with very light traffic and plodded on into the rain until it stopped about 11.00. On the quiet tree lined road I was back in white Cockatoo territory with some of them making an almighty racket at being disturbed as I passed.
I continued to the large town of Sale where I stopped for a picnic lunch beside a lake. Then south on the Gippsland Highway before turning off after a few miles onto the quiet Loch Sport road. For one section this was into the wind but I was overtaken by 2 cyclists on lightweight bikes and sped up to hold their slipstream for 8 miles until they turned off at Golden Beach.
I arrived at Hanna's B&B in Loch Sport in good time. The room had everything one could possibly want for including welcoming goodies of fruit, chocolates, nuts and wine. I know some people who would have especially appreciated the latter! This will be my base for rest and recuperation before hitting the road in earnest again on Tuesday.
After a meal at a nearby Hotel Bistro overlooking the lake I took pictures of a glorious sunset.
83 miles for the day and 475ft of climb.
Edwin
Posted by Edwin
at 9:25 AM EADT
