Stawell to Rupanyup

 
Stawell to Rupanyup = 56km
Cummulative total = 298km

Man it was a tough day today! but first we had a thunder and lightening show very early this morning.  Now this sent Kouta into 'panic mode' which means that he paces about the tent panting away, he does this regardless of the time of night and last night it was around 1.45am.  I didn't hear him at first and wasn't aware until the first crack of thunder at 2.15am which woke me up and I tell you it was loud thunder, bright lightening and brief heavy rain which once the storm moved over became just light rain.  We woke this morning and it was still raining a bit so looked at the radar and saw that it was about to clear but unfortunately the radio was saying something else and that there was going to be more thunder and lightening by lunch time and at least 20-50mm of rainfall, but according to the radar there was nothing in sight.  So we ummmed and ahhhed and decided that we should be able to get to Rupanyup around lunchtime and fingers crossed that the weather forecast timing is out!
So we left around 8.30am and took a quiet back road to Deep Lead of which the last 1/2km was on the highway from there we took the old Glenorchy road to Glenorchy.  The 2 quiet roads were superb for riding hardly anyone on it.  The area is a bit like what is around Bendigo - scrubby and barren.  No grass just trees and heaps of digging holes and mounds from all the gold digging I presume.  There was very little wind and the temperature was almost muggy.  The riding was very pleasant indeed.
Once we got to Glenorchy we took the slightly busy road that goes to Warracknabeal.  It was busy going the opposite direction to us - lots of trucks.  At this point the wind picked up alot and it was a very strong headwind.  I became a little stressed as this meant at least an extra hour on this leg of the journey which meant that we would get to Rupanyup no earlier than 1pm and if the forecast was right then we were in deep, deep poop!
This road is very long - 34km and very straight and most of it is wheat fields so there was very little protection from the strong winds which by now had dropped me down to around 11 - 12km per hour!
 
The wheat fields look nice as you ride along - better than hay as it doesn't set my hayfever off! We had lunch on the side of the road and felt a little better once we got going again.  Got to Rupanyup around 12.30 and the town is a little bigger than what I thought.
 
There are quite a few houses which I presume support the heaps of wheat farmers that are around this area, it has a pub, takeaway, small general store, post office (which Neil thinks is up for sale), a Bendigo bank and a garage/farm machinery place.  But there are quite a few empty shops along the main street.
The town doesn't have an official camp ground more a lovely park area set aside for travellers with toilets, power points and a shower in the disabled toilets - a bit like a place we stayed at Tullibigeal in NSW last year which offered travellers an area (free of charge) in the hope that they spend a little money in the shop so that it stays open for the locals.  Well here it is not free but costs $10 which is okay as there are plenty of power points and a free bbq.
Here is our tent spot ...
 
it is nestled in amongst the trees for shade as it is around 31 degrees at the moment and the wind is really blowing - I would say around 30km per hour.  We would had taken up one of the power points but it was out in the open and on lillydale topping so we opted for the shade and I am using a power point in the shade near the water tank!
Now Rupanyup is famous for 2 things - the first is that it boasts to be the first town to have a community bank - hence the Bendigo bank and believe it or not, and before I tell you I was in absolute shock when Neil told me this and explained the sign and I have lived nearly my entire life an absolute lie!  Do you remember the famous TV series 'the flying doctors' at Coopers Crossing in Broken Hill NSW? well believe it or not we passed a sign that said "Coopers Crossing - the home of the flying doctors" now I just thought oh yeah they have a flying doctors service but Neil pointed out that this town is too close to a hospital to warrant a flying doctors service so he said it meant the TV series.  I thought no that is up in Broken Hill not in Victoria - Neil points out that  it would be cheaper to do the series somewhere like here as it is close to big towns and Melbourne - I tell you I was gutted when I found this out - I really thought it was filmed in Broken Hill and I have often said to Neil that I would love to go there as I had seen it on the TV!  Tomorrow I think we pass where they filmed it so hopefully I can recognise some of the places or get photos.  So really my life of imagining and thinking Broken Hill looks fab and so 'outbacky' has been one big lie!
Oh the clouds are coming over now so we might just get that rain and storm later on!
Tomorrow is Horsham.
PS - I forgot to mention since it was so hot this afternoon - afternoon tea was a 2L tub of vanilla icecream which we couldn't finish ... very depressed over not being able to finish it!

Ararat to Stawell

 
Ararat to Stawell (via back roads) = 57km
Cummulative total = 242km

We had a lovely rest day in Ararat yesterday - it was hot but not too hot and sunny.  Here are a few photos of Ararat ... the first 2 is off someones garden, actually it was something in the garden that caught my eye ...
 
can you see there is a toy crocodile with something in its' mouth?  well below is a close up of what is in its' mouth ...

LOL someone doesn't like Kiwis!
Ararat is a lovely ole town and below is the town hall
 
and all along the mainstreet are these very old vines that are well maintained and believe it or not they actually do get grapes on them - not sure if they are eating grapes or wine grapes.
 
We woke this morning to rain - it lightly rained for most of the night so we checked the weather forecast radar and saw there was more and we guessed it was going to go north of us and around Ouyen - Mildura way so we packed up and left rather late this morning.
It was overcast and somewhat muggy as there was very little wind about.  You climb to get out of Ararat and at around 7.5km you come to Carols Cutting which is at around 400m above sea level and just over the crest of the hill is a wonderful view of the Grampians and the plain below.
 
Off course the bulk of the Grampians was in cloud!  From there it is undulating to Moyston at 16km.  We took a break there and we have been here before as it is the birthplace of AFL.  And Russell you were right the memorial is for Thomas Wills who established the game of AFL.  He is also the cofounder and captain of both Melbourne and then Geelong teams
 
From here we were suppose to find a road about 8.7km further on to connect to the road that goes from Pomonal to Stawell - we didn't find a sealed road but did see an unsealed one but decided to stay on this one and do the extra and go to Pomonal. Mind you the state of this road is really lumpy and bumpy and I doubt if the unsealed road was any rougher!  The traffic is relatively light - quite a few coming from Halls Gap to Ararat but not much going our way.
Just before Pomonal we saw a Kangaroo grazing alongside the road, normally they panic and bound off but this one just casually looked at us and thought 'oh yeah' and nonchalantly carried on like we weren't there!
At Pomonal we had our coffee break and there were little wee ants running about annoying Kouta when he laid on the ground.  In annoyance he bounded up to me and lept on my lap ... it is lovely to be used by Kouta - that is the only time he sits on my lap - when it is too uncomfortable to ly on the ground!
 
From Pomonal we took the Stawell road and that was really quiet.  It is nice riding through there.  The area is very dry looking but the pastures look green but not 'lush' like around Colac.
The campground is just before you get to the highway ... speaking of the highway - if we rode along it from Ararat to Stawell it was only 31km ... by taking the back roads we almost doubled our distance!
It is a nice big campground but not too many here.  It has a lake in the middle and we are camped right on the edge of it ....
 
It is still overcast but incredibly warm - too warm to lay down in the tent to admire the view of the lake.
Tomorrow is Rupanyup - decided to go there instead of doing the very long haul of Stawell to Horsham via the back roads which is near a 90km day - so to Rupanyup which is about 55km and then onto Horsham the next day.

Lake Bolac to Ararat

 
Lake Bolac to Ararat - 53km
Cummulative total = 185km

Oh man you are not going to believe the night we just had!  I don't think I have slept, Neil reckon I did, but I am sure I was awake for the bulk of the night.  Knowing that today might be a tough day with headwind we decided to set the alarm for 6am and get going early before the wind and heat.  Well we did get going early but for Neil the wind and heat was not the reason ... his reason was because of the fear of being bashed up because of me!!! It is always me!  Yes I have done it again - me and my intolerance to late night noise!  But you are going to love this one!
It all started at Lake Bolac.  Since it is the weekend you sort of know there are going to be people staying over night there.  And there was quite alot of families and quite a few blokey groups out boating and fishing.  Near us was 2 groups of couples in caravans and about 200m along there was another caravan and then at the end about 300m from us was a group of around 8 people (maybe less).  So after dinner they start playing their music loud which is okay.  By 7.30 the music was loud and so were they which was still okay but the couples near us was yelling at them to turn it off.  By the time the ranger came at 8.30 to collect our fees they had turned down the music so I thought great quiet now!  30 minutes later the music was back on and it played nearly ALL night! 
Lying in the tent thinking at 10pm that surely they will quieten down, NO! At midnight I thought okay now they will stop, NO! By then I said to Neil that we should go over an ask them to turn the music off, I said I was too scared too and so did Neil!  And I am sure everyone else was thinking the same thing - too scared to ask them to turn the music off or down. 
By 2am I was hopping mad and tired and at that point you could still hear the music but not any voices for quite a while, by 2.45am I had had enough, got dressed, put my torch on my head and walked down towards the music.  But not before I told Neil that not to worry I am not going to loose my temper and yell, I am just going to ask them to turn it off.  So walking down and I can't see much in terms of tracks and I pass
the caravan with 2 dogs in them and they start barking and then I came to the end and saw 3 cars parked and I could see a track and another car where the music was coming from down by the water, so I went down and at this point I couldn't hear any  talking and it confirmed my suspicion that they were all drunk and passed out and had not turned the car radio off.  I see the ute and the doors are all wide open then I see a little jack russell dog on something that looked like a double swag so I waltz on up to it and see a man and woman in it.  The man is closer to me so I shook him awake and asked him to turn his radio off.  At first he was slow to waken and when he tried to open up his eyes he couldn't because I had my torch shining in his face, so I didn't bother to consider him at all and maintained my torch in his eyes.  I asked repeatedly for him to turn the radio off and he was still semi unconscious and for some strange reason couldn't pathom what I was asking, I repeated myself and for some strange reason he couldn't seem to do it.  So by now I am getting annoyed (but I still haven't lost my temper) I asked him if he wanted me to turn the radio off, he said do I know how to do it and I said yes by the key and he said in his semi conscious state okay - I am think what a tosser, he didn't even stop to consider that I could do something to his car, but no I think he thought it was rather nice of me to offer to turn it off just so he doesn't have to bother getting out of bed ... well if you all know me by now then you will know that I would have done just a little bit more than turn the radio off!
I did turn the radio off but then I pulled out the keys, thought off chucking them in the water but thought that too evil, thought as I walked past the fire to throw them  on the hot coals and thought nah they would cool and he would be able to find his keys easily, thought about the water again and decided to just continue up the path and drop them on the road somewhere, walking past this trailer on his car I did a double take - he had a bumper sticker and I shone my head light on it and saw he was a Geelong Cats Supporter .... something just made me loose it completely and decided to throw the keys then and there in some bushes where more than likely he won't find them and stormed off.  Walking back to the tent Neil had come down to meet me, more out of concern for the person that he would have to pry me off rather than my safety!!!
I was giggling when I told Neil what I had done, but Neil being Neil could only think off that guy coming up to us in the morning for a confrontation - I reassured him that he was semi concious and won't remember it.
Man I felt so relieved when I threw the keys away and so proud of myself that I didn't loose my temper with him and really the throwing of the keys was more a revenge tactic for me .... it is 3.50pm now I wonder if he has found his keys ... WHO CARES!
So that is why we left early this morning - Neil was worried we were going to be beaten up - I just said if anyone asks we know nothing about the music being turned off!
So we did get up when the alarm went and the wind was already up, and by the time we were off at 7.30am the wind had died down so we were very lucky - good karma because I did something good last night - yeah okay I was a little naughty with throwing the keys away ... but I couldn't help it the bumper sticker made me do it!
Before leaving I did manage to get a photo of Lake Bolac
 
It is a pretty place just a shame about that group. 
So off and away with a very cloudy day but no wind to speak off.  The road north to Maroona was nice and quiet  being so early but the road itself was a little rough.
We stopped along the road at about 19km and by now Neil was a little relaxed with regard to the guy or group tracking us down.  Chill out Neil!
 
Here is Kouta who went straight from his basket to this grass I think to rub of all these tiny black insects that kept banging into us this morning - our shirts and shorts were covered with them and they were all down my shirt and on our faces, sometimes in the mouth so you just spat them out!  Neil didn't want to put sunblock on as they would stick to that but it didn't matter about the sunblock as it was overcast anyway.
So throughout the ride to Maroona you follow the Grampians again and did you end up finding the face in last nights blog?  Well we got closer to that face and took another photo, turned the photo on its side and cropped it so the face is showing
 
now doesn't it look like a face.
We had a cuppa at Maroon and then joined the road that runs from Ararat to Hamilton which was slightly busier.  It sometimes had a shoulder and sometimes it didn't.  About 12km out from Ararat the wind picked up so we were very lucky as it was a northerly but it didn't matter.  We got to Ararat just on lunch time and now we are just chilling out in the tent.  It is warm but not hot.  We are staying here tomorrow and hopefully we will sleep well tonight.
The campground is the one we stayed at last time we were here - Acacia - it is a nice campground with a superb kitchen that can get extremely hot in there when it is a hot day.
We will be heading towards Stawell on Tuesday.  I am looking around the campground and they look like a reasonable lot - none look like fishing people or anglers!
I wonder if that guy has found his keys - I hope not!

Mortlake to Lake Bolac

 
Mortlake to Lake Bolac = 45km
Cummulative total = 132km

We are at beautiful Lake Bolac ... now we came here in Feb 2010 and the lake was empty (like alot of lakes in Victoria) but now after heavy rain over the past 1 and 1/2 years Lake Bolac is full - mind you it is only about 6-7 feet deep but it is a fishing and water sport mecca.  Today is Saturday and there are cars everywhere but not alot camping.  We are at the foreshore campspot and there are 2 other caravans at the level we are at but down along the lake there are a few camped there with their boats and water sports gear.
We are nestled in amongst the trees and have a lovely shady spot which is just as well as it is a warm day today.
So we left Mortlake this morning after a disrupted nights sleep - the campground at Mortlake while it is lovely and well looked after by the caretakers it is surrounded by lawns and grass and parkland near the lake which means someone in the town loves to mow the lawns and hence both Kouta and I had very bad hayfever yesterday afternoon and night and while I slept okay and only woke up to the sound of poor Kouta scratching away.  Poor Neil got up to put cream on him around 10pm and then up at 3am to get him a tablet as he was still scratching.  After the tablet we slept okay until around 6am and then the hayfever started again!
We left at 8.30 and it was a bright sunny day and the breeze was already up and for the bulk of the days ride it was a headwind.  Although not a hot northerly it was strong enough to make the temperature go up to 30.  It was pleasant cycling despite the head wind as it was relatively flat to Woorndoo and the wind was cooling on the body.
 
this is the road - to look at the map it is dead straight but it does have a kink or 2.  The traffic wasn't bad the odd trucks but more locals either going to Mortlake or going up to Ararat to do their shopping.
We stopped at Woorndoo which I couldn't remember but Neil could - yes we have cycled this road before but in reverse from Lake Bolac to Mortlake.  The town is tiny but has a superb sports ground which is where we had our cuppa.
It was warm by now and we were guzzling the water.  After Woorndoo the road is more rolling which is okay as on the down hill you could allow blood to flow to your butt rather than the incessant grind on flat with a head wind.
We could now see the Grampians and to me it is a lovely sight and I said to Neil that I think the Grampians is the most spectacular place in Victoria - he didn't agree with me but at the same time he couldn't name is favourite place.
 
We could smell this canola field for ages but couldn't see it until we passed a long line of thich cypress trees - it is a lovely sight and you can see part of the Grampians in the background.
 
Not far out of Lake Bolac we took a quick break as Kouta wanted a drink
 
and here we are resting in the shade.
On the ride into Lake Bolac there were no trees to block our view of the Grampians and while cycling along Neil yells out 'can you see the outline of a face in the Grampians?'  Look at the photo below to see if you can pick it out ... think laterally and arty!
 
if you can't see it try this explanation - start on the right and work left.  The first small bump is nothing but the 2nd is the chin which then goes to 2 small bumps for the lips and then the nose just above it and then the forehead bump.  Can you see it?  Basically it is a face looking at a 45 degree angle to the sky.  Now we wondered how many other people had noticed the face - probably none since the speed limit is either 80 or 100km per hour and it would be more of a blur!
We got here around 1pm.  The foreshore camping is run by the  foreshore committee and a ranger will collect the fees later on - not sure how much it is to camp.  It is pretty basic - toilets (flush ones) and a damn good shower that is very primitive but hot water - lets just say that while getting dressed you can either get sunburnt or soaking wet if it is raining - there is no roof over the change area only over the shower itself.
Here is our campspot.
 
Like I said last time we came here this was a dust bowl and we stayed at the caravan park.  But this time there is grass which is good grass for Kouta and there is a lovely cooling breeze coming through the trees.
Tomorrow is Ararat and I think it is going to be a bit like today headwinds and hot.

Cobden to Mortlake

 
Cobden to Mortlake = 45km
Cummulative total = 97km

This will be short and sweet as I have terrible hayfever at the moment so hopefully the photos will speak for themselves.
We woke this morning to a grey cloudy day but as a city girl I doubt if there was any rain in those clouds (and I was right!).  We took a very quiet road (Cross Forest rd) which took us to just west of Camperdown.  It is a lovely quiet road in very good condition and guess what we saw along it?  Our very own Koala!  yes this is our 2nd genuine wild Koala we have seen - the previous one was on a quiet road somewhere on the way to Portland.
 
here he/she is looking directly at me with the camera
 
he/she didn't like the camera so it began to move behind a branch to hide from it ...
 
not the brightest of things as he may not have realised that I too can move to get a better shot of it!
 
of course I got Neil to get a shot of it with me - but it is difficult to see really in the tree!  But we both were very excited to see it.
Once we got to the end of the road and crossed over the main highway we took an unsealed road for 500m to hook up with the Castle Carey road which took us to Mortlake.  We have been on this road before but did it in the opposite direction (Mortlake to Camperdown)
We took a coffee stop at Mt Emu river which is a great camp spot that one day we will stop there.
 
here is Neil studying the map
 
Got to Mortlake just before lunch.  By then the clouds had burnt off and the sun came out.  It was a very warm day in the end ... lovely!
It was fine all afternooon and I managed to try out my new hat.  Unfortunately Dad and Sharon I have had to flag getting yet another one of our genetically inherited desire to buy 'Fred Dagg' type fishing hats and have had to go for one with a broader rim to shade my face.
 
Tomorrow we got to Lake Bolac.  It is suppose to be hot tomorrow and Sunday.  Fortunately we only have short days.

Colac to Cobden

 
Colac to Cobden = 52km
Cummulative total = 52km

We truly are at Cobden today!
We woke this morning and the sun was shining so we decided to head off!  We walked Kouta before we left so that he 'of loads' extra weight if you know what I mean!  Walking around the streets and I look west and see some very grey thick clouds and mention we might have showers ... but a local western district boy told me that they are not rain clouds and are perfectly fine, but I did have some doubt but he reassured me that they are not rain clouds and to trust him as he is a western district boy! can you guess who I am talking about?
Anyway we head off around 9.30am and went on the Princes highway for the first 12km to the turn off to Swan Marsh.  Just out of Colac there was a speed checker and the speed along there was 80km and there was cars going pass at 77km and 71km and after flashing up the speed it then flashes up 'well done' and as we got closer I wondered if it would pick our speeds up, we got closer and then about 10m from it it flashed up 13km and a well done and then a 12km and a well done for Me and Neil!  So within 10m it picks up the vehicle speed - the only problem with that is that cars have wizzed by before even seeing their speed - I think they need to be like us going at <15km per hour to see their speed!
Relieved to get to the turn off as the highway is pretty busy and noisy.  We stopped a few kms before Swan Marsh as there is a sportsground and rested our bikes against the fence.  Below is a picture of the new set up of my bike
 
I am now carrying 2 small panniers at the front and 2 at small panniers at the back.  The front 2 is heavier than the back 2 to counteract the trailer.  But I am now back to my old front rack which is alot higher than the low riders.  The only problem is the back 2 bags block Koutas line of vision so he has now begun to move even more but fortunately the back coped with it.  I will put 2 foam rolls up to see if it will limit is movement ... if not I think the fact that I don't have low riders now will be alot easier to control the bike when he moves.
Just down the road - the other side of Swan Marsh it began to rain - more a light mist so we stopped at the bus shelter for it to pass ... off course I happened to curse that local western district boy and I cursed him even more during the morning (and he even cursed himself! mind you he was blaming that 'bunny' weather girl!) as this rainy mist became heavier and we got wet and had to put the rain coats on!

this is me seeking shelter in the bus shelter.
So poor Kouta had a sense of deja vu with this weather and we had to take his basket of him to keep it dry.  Just before Bungador it really got heavy and we sort shelter under some huge Cypress trees and it was nice and dry under there.  We had our coffee and it began to clear up. 
We continued on to Carpendiet and the rainy mist was off and on.  Just opposite the hall is a farm that has Yaks (I think they are Yaks) and every time we pass this farm (this is the 4th time we have come this way!) there seems to be more and more Yaks!
 
a local!
 
They look very mottled and forelorn as I think they are shedding their winter coat but they also were cursing the 'bunny' weather lady as well as by now those showers were suppose to have passed but they were still around!
From Carpendiet we go down, up, down and up and then along to Cobden.  The country side is very green and lush.
 
this is the typical view you get when riding around the Western Districts.  Lovely isn't it.
We get to Cobden at around 2.30pm and it is up for auction this Saturday and at first we thought it might be closed but they still have the cabins just no tourist traffic.  Fortunately the owner is still here and just tidying up inside - the gas station is closed and so is the restaurant.  Lucky for us he came out and recognised us!  So we are staying here tonight and I think we might have to find an alternative for the next time we come through - might have to go to Camperdown.  Or better still if Timboon get their campground up and running that would be great.
Anyway off to Mortlake tomorrow, the weather hopefully will be warmer than today - I think it is about minus 5 at the moment!!!

Colac to Cobden

It was a very cloudy, gloomy grey day this morning and we have done the ride from Colac to Cobden that many times that I have now lost track ... this could have been our 4th time - mind you on this next trip to Ouyen we will be covering a few roads that we have travelled on before but that really doesn't matter!  so we did our mandatory stops at the usual places - Swan Marsh and then Carpendeit for a coffee etc...
Anyway what I can tell you is that the caravan park HAS changed tremendously ... all in OUR favour off course!
Firstly the unpowered tenting section is simply SUPERB ... I tell you the ground is flat and perfect for a tent. 

But that is not all ... the campground offered us a dog friendly cabin at no extra charge simply because of the inclement weather the area is having at the moment ... so Neil and I jumped at the chance and quickly settled in.  It is nice to have a bed to sleep in tonight ...
 
even Kouta understood what was happening and quickly settled in as well ...
 
he made himself right at home!
I tell you lucky we took this cabin as it is a grey, cold and misty rain.
LOL if you haven't guessed by now dad we are still in Colac!  I think Neil had decided last night after the weather report of showers and 15 degrees that we weren't moving today.
Tomorrow the forecast is meant to be better so fingers crossed we can go tomorrow.