The first part of the ride, along the Great Ocean Road, was by far the easiest, an unbroken descent towards Skenes Creek late in the day. Carrying much less traffic than I imagined, the 47 kilometres along the B100 from Apollo Bay to Lorne, was as scenic as a rugged ocean with the occasional town and succession of wide beaches can get. The road itself was a blend of short ups and downs, around a seemingly endless number of bends and points. It felt like an enjoyable short ride where time travelled quickly.
Cumberland River Beach-Great Ocean Road |
The downhill road towards
Deans Marsh marked the halfway point of the ride, but as I soon learned, the
hardest part of my 130 kilometre journey was still away in the distance.
Whether it was mounting fatigue or the higher afternoon temperature, or a
combination of both, the persistent 3.4% gradient along the Birregurra-Forrest
tarmac was the toughest part of the ride so far. Despite the numerous downhill
sections of road, it was only seconds before the climbing began again.
Typical views near Deans Marsh |
Needless to say, once reached, the long descent towards Skenes Creek was as good as it gets. A wider and more sweeping road than the one that descends into Lorne from Benwerrin, there was less reason to brake and far more opportunity to take in the hilltop views once out of the forest.
The descent towards Skenes Creek |
The one and only switchback-near the bottom of the descent. |
Left with only 5 kilometres to travel, from Skenes Creek to Apollo Bay, along the Great Ocean Road, the tiredness I felt not an hour earlier had disappeared. My 130k/6 hour journey was hardly the most difficult ride I’d done, not by a long shot, but it was difficult enough; and especially a ride worth doing. Again!
‘High Spain Drifter’ is available on Amazon , Barnes and Noble, Booktopia and other online bookstores.
‘Lycra, Lattes and the Long Way Round’ is available on Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble, Kobo Books
Both books are also available at local bookshops on the Mornington Peninsula: @ Rosebud Bookbarn and @ La Brocante
“When I see an adult on a bicycle, I
do not despair for the future of the human race.” H. G.
Wells
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