Sale to Bairnsdale

 
Sale to Bairnsdale = 74km
Cummulative total = 529km

Well we had a very restful day yesterday at Sale.  It was foggy in the morning but turned out to be a brilliantly fine warm and sunny afternoon and even the night was mild that I didn't have to wear any thermals!
We wanted to leave early this morning and so got up when the alarm went off at 6am and we packed and off just before 8am.
It was good riding as I knew there wouldn't be any wind until around 11am and even then I wasn't sure how far along we would be when it struck.  I assumed it was going to be like yesterday afternoon windy and blowing from the east and so a head wind for us if it was like that for us today.
We have done this road before 2 years ago but we came from Stratford rather than Sale.  So we zig zagged our way to the Stratford-Bairnsdale road which was just after you cross the Avon river.
 
Neil remembers that him and Warren camped along this river back in 1986 but now that track that they took is now on private land.  Mind you with the river very full there would be A LOT OF MOSSIES!  So once on this road to Bairnsdale it virtually goes east and veers north east to Bairnsdale.
The traffic was light but not as light as what we have been having!  We had a cuppa at Meerlieu instead of at Bengworden as last time there was mossies.  From here the wind picked up and it was a tailwind so we made good time through the rolling hills (which was relatively gentle).  About 17km out from Bairnsdale we had another food break and poor Kouta must have been a little hot as he drank quite a bit of water - although cloudy at this point it was around 24 degrees and probably the warmest day we have had for cycling so it was lovely to build up a sweat! 
Now for those of you that are familiar with Koutas 'commando crawl' here is a picture of him doing it on the grass ... must have had an itch!
 
And here is me ... not doing the 'commando crawl'
 
From here the road veers north a bit and by now to the west of us we can see the clouds building and getting very grey.  So we pedal like crazy to try and beat the weather before it pours and we don't have the tent up.  Now the wind is coming from the side and is beginning to get a little crazy - funny thing is one minute it will blow in front and be warm and then blow again from behind a bit and you could feel it a touch cooler.  So we had this for the rest  of the way to Bairnsdale.  7km before we had to join the main highway and boy it is busy!  So glad to get to town and the campground.
This campground takes dogs but puts all dog owners in a certain area so we had to have a powered site - alot more than a non powered and alot more than the Sale showgrounds - it is $24 for us which I suppose is okay.  The spot is right next to the highway so I am hoping that it isn't as noisy at night as it is during the day.
In the end the grey threatening skies went south of us towards Paynesville.  But I think there is more on the way.
Tomorrow we are on the rail trail and head towards Nowa Nowa via Bruthen.  So we are hoping to camp in the bush just before the historic trestle bridge.  But I think there is suppose to be a strong gusty wind in the afternoon so I hope we are all set up tent wise before it hits.  Although it is meant to be a south westerly it might be able to blow us all the way to Orbost!