Here we go again take 2! Huntly to Aysons Reserve

Huntly to Aysons Reserve = 46km (Lockwood South to Huntly on Sat = 31km)

Cummulative total = 107km

Ok so we had bit of a mishap at Lockwood south - I kept waking up in the night and I found my Thermarest is deflated so to fix that would require a tub so the only solution was to come back to Huntly to pick up our spare one and continue on to Aysons Reserve after a rest day.
I would like to point out that on Friday the temperature was 29 degrees - ideal temperatures for cycling ... on Saturday it rained and was a freezing 12 degrees during the morning while we rode back - our feet were frozen!
So after a rest day yesterday and redoing the layout of my bike we embarked on a sunny warm day.  I have set up the bob trailer a little different - ditched the 2 dry sack food bags and opted for 1 big pvc 90 litre bag ... it is the mother of all food bags!  Now I know where everything is and everything fits in better!  So here is the new look touring bike ...

 Over the course of the day - actually after the first break that solar panel moved to the front rack as I realised my fat arse blocked it from getting sun when it is at the back!  The photo below is with Neil and his bob trailer - due to the spare thermarest being massive he had to put it in its own orange dry sack along with the inflatable pillows which also take up heaps of space!

 So we left at 9.30am - a little later as the Epsom-Barnadown road is busy before school times, actually it is busy all the time as it is an alternative to the midland highway.
So we took breaks every hour as we had a slight head wind and had a coffee break at Avonmore reserve - that is not really its name (it doesn't have one) but we called it that as it was in the Avonmore region.  This is the place, Dad, that is aong the Campaspe river and halfway between English Bridge and Elmore.

 As you can see the river maybe widish but it is definitely shallow and full of snags - no good for a loaded kayak!

 After our coffee break we only have another 1 hour to ride to Aysons Reserve, at this point the legs are beginning to tire but are ok to plod along - the wind is a still a head wind but okay to sit on around 15km per hour.
Along the way there are plenty of fields with not much crop or greenery!  There was one field that had a dip in it and you could see where the water channel was ...

big difference in colour!

So we arrive here at Aysons Reserve and it is chockers with big caravans and mobile homes so our little tent looks minscule compared to them - last count there were 32 and more are still arriving!   We are fortunate enough to be able to ride through the bollards and can camp along the riverside.  If you remember where the jetty was Sharon where we launched Dad in his Kayak we are not far from that point - actually it was where you were going to go to wee and I said no as that was going to be our camp spot in a few weeks!!!

 It is a lovely secluded spot to set up our tent and we even went in for a swim/wash

I thought I would kill 2 birds with one stone so I went in with my cycle clothes in all so they got a rinsing!

After both having a refreshing but cold wash we admired our new food bag!

and enjoyed a cuppa and the view! ... smell the serenity!

Tomorrow we head to Lockington.

Here we go again!!!

Huntly to Lockwood South rest area = 32km

Cummulative total = 32km

It has been just over 4 years since we last went cycle touring and clearly after todays start we have forgotten how to tour!

Packing the bikes yesterday was easy and we thought we had everything but cycling the 32km today to Lockwood South we certainly forgot a few things - namely the garden trowel for bush camping toilet pits (lucky we aren't bush camping but always a good idea to bring just in case we don't make our destination!) we also forgot the tea towel ... so that is only just the everyday items ... after half a kilometer Neil remembered he forgot his phone so back he goes .... almost to Leannes place to drop the key off I forgot the cooler bag with the milk ... not that we needed the milk but after  10 days I think it would have stunk out the fridge so we rode back to where they are building lifestyle blocks and off loaded my trailer and I rode the 4km back to home to get the cooler bag - by the time I got back to Neil I had clocked up 12km and we were less than 5km from home!!! 

 So picked up the bike path at Epsom and rode to Weeroona and had a pitstop and then continued through to the city center and picked up the bike path along Hargreaves street and onto Kangaroo flat.
It takes a bit of getting use to the heavy load minus the 7kg dog at the back in the trailer and just for good measure in honour of Kouta I used a stern voice and growled 'sit down and stop moving'.
I suppose going along the bike path avoids lots of traffic but it is very stop start so there is a lot of wobbling going on until we get use to the heavy front steering and load at the back.  We do feel lighter as we don't have the huge pannier bags at the front anymore and only little ones.  All the food is now in the trailer so the steering is lighter than previous tours.

 So once at Cooinda park for a cuppa as it is near lunchtime and we are both reflecting on the extra kms that we have done and wondering if we are going to die before we reach our camp spot.
In hindsight we should have taken the highway all the way from Golden Square as the bike path to Kangaroo flat and on from there to Crusoes reservoir was really stop start, crossing busy roads and a very narrow bike path that made overtaking and passing very difficult ... one couldn't help but get the wobbles when passing someone on a narrow path!
That said we got to Crusoes road and passed the Reservoir and it is a nice gentle climb pass there and then we were on our way ... about 10km to go to the rest area.  The road was ok, cars overtook with ease and it is rolling a bit so we used the gears on the bike profusely and used the time to enjoy the gentle downhill roll before having to reclimb again.  The legs were weary but ok ... the test will be to see how we go tomorrow and the following days.
The rest area is nice, it is a narrow reserve just opposite where we came out from the Crusoe reservoir road.  There is plenty of space and although close to the roadd we are camped just far away that the noise is there but not intrusive.  We would imagine the noise will die down as the night approaches.  It is busy but it is free so we will put up with the noise!

 Sitting there having our cuppa and cheese and crackers and this magpie decides that it is not afraid of us and will gladly take whatever is in my hand out of it ...

it would come very close to us and not worry at all!

 So by mid afternoon we are sitting here with not a care in the world, smelling like sweat, I am missing the fact that I can't have a shower and will have to make do with a bird bath while Neil is enjoying the serenity!

 There are toilets here but we have to get on the bike to ride to them ... they are down by the footy ground.
So tomorrow is another 30km odd day to Tarnagalla - have been through there before and this time we will be staying there at the local footy ground ... gotta love that Wikicamps - it has opened up so many roads for us to cycle on!
Until then, happy cycling!

Wednesday - a real bad day!

oh well as the title suggests it was a very bad day yesterday (Wednesday).  We were both well rested after a rest day on Tuesday and decided to get up nice and early to start early, we were ready by 7am with one last job to do ... slather on the sun cream ... on to  my last part to cover - my lower legs and feet and guess what? my back gave way completely!  I couldn't believe it - I felt the whole lower back go from left to right.  I was in such pain for 10mins that I couldn't move and when I could it was basically on all 4's which eventually led to a stooped walking position.
Sitting there for an hour figuring out what to do - the only ute hire in Cobram had none so it was a phone call to good ole Leanne - well she should be an event organiser!  She organised a trailer, a physio appointment and drove up to pick us up at Cobram - a 2 and half hour drive from Bendigo, all Neil and I had to do was float down to the next beach on the Victorian side as there was no tracks on the NSW side to come and get us and when she gets there she has a pillow, a cushion and cold water - talk about spontaneous organisation!
So here I am at Bendigo - the physio said it was muscle damage and when I got to him at 4.30pm (happened at 7am) the muscle was still twitching away there and I there is a lot of local swelling but no joint damage so that was fortunate.
I on the other hand are absolutely gutted that this trip is cut short - not sure what to do now but just go home and recover.
So that's all folks!

Monday 8/2: 1943 to 1910 (33km)

Not sure what the temperature is today but it is hot up here in Cobram - around the mid to late 30's I think.  I am posting this from Cobram and have left todays end km open as where we were going to camp (beside the road bridge at Barooga picnic area) you use to be able to free camp but that has gone now and everyone is in the state forest so that is no good for us, so we are in the picnic area on the Victorian side and Neil has gone in to get some food - it is a 2km walk to woolies and that is a long walk to get all our supplies - I told him to get a taxi back.  Once back we will paddle off again - not too far as we are very tired and weary and it is hot paddling.

So our campspot was lovely last night - so quiet - we had a few guests - 

 these little fairy wrens were everywhere and always in pairs!
Here is Neils cup for the trip - not long after we started his silicon cup got a puncture in it at the bottom so it was leaking chronically! so we improvised (as we were in the middle of nowhere!) and he is using the container that we keep our trangia burner in!  we put the burner in a snap lock so no metho leaks out and taints his cup!

 I also have to show you our suntan lines -  been gone just over a week and already we have funny suntan lines!

 starting from the right is my leg - on my foot you can see brown dots - they are from the holes in the crocs, then my left leg, then my left arm which has a watch mark! and then Neils legs!
Last night we tried sleeping with the fly of the tent - which was a mistake as we both got no sleep as we are so use to being in our kennel that sleeping in a kennel without a roof felt strange - we were also sleeping unside down - which doesn't help so in the end while it was nice to look at the stars it is better we stick to what we are use to!
This morning we set out and just around the corner was a wallaby drinking - he didn't see us at all!

 then I started seeing birds I hadn't seen before and there was one type in particular - it was black on the back and had a white front - I was having so much trouble photographing it that when I thought I had it I hadn't!  I managed this one - not sure what it is maybe a comret (spelling?)

the river is particularly wide and flow is limited

 alot of little corellas and they are all along the banks and beaches and generally took flight as we paddled past

 plenty to see along this part of the murray - more birds compared to some areas and also a little bit of Murray art ...

 neat aye - we assume as the family grows they keep adding more people and as they grow older they also get taller!
Finally I managed to get my black bird!

 We did pass Cobram Estate homestead and only managed to see the chimneys as tall trees are blocking you from seeing the house, you could also see a little bit of olive trees.
We did pass what was Jarn pirr vineyards but it is now part of Seppels and I tell you this is by far the biggest water pump so far along the murray!

 so still alot of people around but they are dotted here and there, we passed some big beaches on the Victorian side and if you read last nights blog about some leave rubbish behind and we can't figure that out as they have cars to carry it out and generally that is the policy for the river ... well most when the leave their rubbish behind place or hide it behind a tree, today we passed a big beach and this was left out in the open ...

 that pisses me off to no end!
About 5km frm Cobram I am getting tired and weary and out of the corner of my eye I spot a movement up a tree and I look and I see something brown up in the tree and shit it is a Koala, so out comes the camera, I stop paddling but I continue to go with the flow and I am missing my photograph opportunity and I drift by and so I quickly paddle back but find I can't stay put so I wedge the kayak on a snag and I am still drifting off so I decide to hoist my leg over this snag to stop any movement and quietly sat there photographing and admiring this big koala while it slept - meanwhile Neil had paddled back as it is strange to see a koala along here I think - I don't think it is common? (Neil has informed me later on that Koalas are common, he has been told around Tocumwal)

 anyway it was unperterbed by us and I don't think it knew we were there!  So this got my spirits up for about 3km and then the final 2km just dragged on!
Here is the bridge that bridges Cobram in Victoria and Barooga in NSW

will go fill up with water now as I am still waiting for Neil.
Okay so I am back now, we headed off after a quick dip in the water to cool off.  We are paddling along and the Victorian side is quite crowded - we think it might be a mixture of grey nomads and also seasonal workers or even the more disadvantaged people that are camping along the riverside.  I say disadvantaged as there are quite a few permanent tents along here, most have a great set up and some are just in their cars and tiny tents no bigger than ours.  I would imagine the wine grape picking would start up soon if it hasn't already started.
We did find a spot and you are not going to guess where we are ... NSW!!! we think it is still the state forest as it is most definitely not grazing or crop land.  we found a beach that clearly had been occupied on the weekend and it is in shade for most of the day except for early evening but that is okay as tomorrow we will stay here.  There is even a tree close to the water line and you can wallow in the shallows of the water while under the shade of the tree - it is divine especially for tomorrow as it will reach the mid 30's again.

Sunday 7/2: 1978-1943km (35km)

  We all slept so well last night - I don't think Kouta moved at all, didn't hear anyone go out in the night to the toilet!
It was a quiet camp spot last night - even the hum of the water pump didn't keep us awake and there wasn't any noise from any other camper - I think because there are so many of them it is frowned upon if you are blaring music at 3am in the morning and I would imagine alot would say something!
So we started early as todays temperature is to reach the mid 30's.  For most of the day every beach that was on the Victorian side had a camper or campers on it - it was crowded, a few would be leaving today to return to work tomorrow but there are quite a few grey nomads that will stay put.
So the arms are a little weary this morning and we need to do at least 30km to make the day into Cobram (tomorrow) about the same.  We all know that camping on the NSW side is a big no no and should only be done in absolute desperation ... except when there is a state park and this was the case from around 1976 to around 1958 - the beaches are the best places to camp - everything else is really wild.  There seems to be 2 state parks side by side - Mulwala state forest and then Boomanoomana (try saying that!) state forest.
Paddling along today we came across something drifting in front of us - Leanne you are going to love this - can you see something in the photo below?

okay here is it closer up (I dare not get any closer - so that should give you a clue!)

Yep it is a snake and it was going from Victoria to NSW - Neil saw a stick in the river that was going across which can only mean one thing (as a stick should be going with the river not across it) a snake!  It was a good swimmer too!

A few boats on the river - but no where near as much as yesterday and they were going alot slower due to snags, but most were camped out on the beaches and alot were families with kids. 

The river is quite wide and so the flow is slow but enough so you can drift.

At around 30km we started to look for a camp spot - the shoulders were tired and as per usual plenty of spots but most had campers still packing up or a grey nomad that was staying, in desperation we did consider NSW but decided that we would go for the big beach around the 1941 mark - we did on the way find 1 spot but upon investigation it wasn't great and as per usual someone had left behind their rubblish and broken camping stuff - I don't get it you have a damn car how hard is it to put it in there and take it home with you!  We find this a lot and it is disappointing to say the least!

We did find this spot ...

and it is a good spot - there is a drive into it so it must branch of the dirt road that follows the river but it is quite a rough drive so only a 4WD or hoon driver/camper would get in and technically they will be at home this afternoon and work tomorrow so we pitched our tent up and enjoyed a well earned dip in the river!
Tomorrow we make Cobram - around 27km give or take.

Saturday 6/2 2127 -1978 (49km but really 34km!)

No we didn’t do 49km today – that is just going by the murray river markers which can be a bit dodgy at times – especially around Bundalong with all the everglades and lagoons – I think the markers are a little wrong on the maps, also not sure which way the markers measure coming across Lake Mulwala – maybe they take the NSW coastline which is a lot longer compared to the Victorian coastline – so we estimate we paddled about 34km (but it sure did feel like 49km!)
So we had a nice rest day on Friday – it was quiet until the evening.  We had plenty of wildlife to entertain us – Kouta made friends with the locals, Neil thought he was a Llama whisperer, lucky the skin had legs as I thought it was a snake at first! And our evening music – screeching Cockatoos!

We had decided that we would get up early in the morning on Saturday – well lets just say “we hate people” we had a father with his adult son (and his friends) as well as 2 younger kids camp a beach up from us – that was okay- they had their 2 speed boats and toys etc, that is okay but it wasn’t at midnight when they decided to play their music up loud until 4am in the morning – they were drunk and Neil wouldn’t let me “deal” with them.  So they were quiet until midnight and then all of a sudden they played loud music.  We put up with it and woke up a little later than expected – 6.15am so we didn’t get away until 7.45am.  We were very tired and our eyes were very heavy – crikey I couldn’t even get my revenge in the morning.  Our day did NOT get any better.  Due to a late start the ski boats were already up and about and all over the river so for the first 4km we battled wake after wake after wake then we get to Bundalong and the foreshore is crowded with campers and more speed boats, by now I am over the so called ‘struggling middle class’ with all there toys.  I knew the weekends were going to be difficult and this weekend is tough.

This area of the Murray before you go into Lake Mulwala has wide areas and good corners for water skiers and the like so it is very popular – next time I wouldn’t do this on the weekend it is just too difficult and distracts from the peace and quite!
Around Bundalong it is an absolute mess of water- you don’t know where you are and there are so many bodies of water you have no idea if you are on the murray or not.  To get away from the speed boats we did take a few short cuts through quieter waterways – I was navigating and our maps are good but things change like islands appear or disappear, waterways are closed off or are new and sometimes there were times I doubted my map reading skills however we got there!

On the Spatial Vision maps there is a campspot just on the edge of the lake and a jetty near by- this campspot is quite good – nothing fancy about it but okay for kayakers (it is near a broken down pontoon jetty) perfect if you want to start you day off crossing the lake.  In hindsight we should have made for this camp spot.
So as you know Lake Mulwala has nothing but sticks poking out of it!  Here we are in it …

And here we are saying ‘are we there yet’ so Yarrawonga is somewhere where the point of my kayak is pointing!

We followed the Victorian side, however we did cut across the bay to make it a little shorter and also it was better to be out in amongst the sticks rather than in the boat channels!  The trees sticking out of the water are easy to navigate … it is the ones just below the surface you have to worry about!

I think I got one and all it did was move the kayak aside!  It took us 1 hour and 30mins paddling time to get to our first land fall which was at Woodlands Park – there is a little beach right next to the jetty.  Nice spot until all the struggling middle class and their boats start up and create a wake that spun my kayak around, beached it and the water from the wake just poured into the kayak, it flooded it completely – event the compartment that had my camera in – see told you my day wasn’t going well!  BUT I had put the camera in a small container and that protected it from the water and the container was under the water but the inside was nice and dry!  Whew!  So not happy – this was the 2nd time today this had happened (it happened at Bundalong  - same thing wake spun the boat around onto the beach and the water just pours in from the wake).  So by now I am ready to thump any male under 25 with flaming tattoos on his arms, I mean really, it is great that Australians get out and about with recreational stuff but do they have to do it when I am around!!! LOL
So once pass Woodlands Park it is another 5km (loooooooooooooong kms!) to Yarrawonga, there are more boats, jet skis and fishing boats and now add a house boat, and tourist boats to that mix, so it gets quite tough out there in your little kayak.  The swell is also bigger – Neil thinks it is the water bouncing of the banks as it go really big as you get closer to Yarrawonga.

From Chinamans point just as you come around it you can see the weir itself …

Then you see the town and the bridge where the cars go over. Not knowing if there is really any where to beach or land the kayaks near the weir (as there is no locks so you have to portage) so we try our luck and go under the bridge

And start paddling to the weir itself

We can see there is no beach but keep going in the hope there is vacant land to beach on – there is but no beach so I look and I can see there is a small track to the left of the weir

So we paddle up to it and the track is steep for our heavy laden kayaks – ok if you have very little gear.  So we make the decision to turn around and go back under the bridge and beach near the information center and make the long portage from there.  Going back we see a guy in his back yard (which backs on to the waters edge) and he flags us over and offers to drive us around the weir – I mean this guy in an instant just put my faith back into humanity – I mean after the arrogant sods last night and their music and the damn struggling middle class and their toys I had lost all faith in humanity!  We said that we have wheels for the kayaks but driving our gear around would be great!  Apparently he does this a bit as like most kayakers we think we can sneak somewhere through but more to the point there is no real info out there as to what is the best way to portage, back around the info center is the looooooong way and you may have to make several trips (3km round trip at least!)  So there is a vacant lot and he drives his 4WD down and we load all our gear in there, he drives me to the bottom of the weir which is through the caravan park (just past the office turn right and down the boat jetty (it is public thorough fare and boat jetty despite it being in the caravan park)).  We undload the gear and he drives back and walks with Neil who has the first kayak and then returns back home with Neil to pick up the 2nd kayak.
Their names are David and Ros and they are the most lovely people and so friendly and love to help out kayakers who get stranded!  Acutally on our rest day there was a fisherman anchored near our camp and he began chatting to us and he offered his son and his ute to portage us!  So I think if you put on a sad face someone is sure to take pity on you!

So happy that our portage was fortunate – hard work for Neil to wheel the kayaks to the boat jetty so I did the walk to the supermarket – it felt strange to wear sneakers and walk!  The IGA is well stocked but expensive.  Walking back it is hot and sweaty and I have in my backpack 2 flavoured milks which we devour when I get back.

It is late and we start paddling again at 3.45pm – it took us til 5pm to find a spot and we only went 5km down the river.  Our problem is not lack of campspots – it is lack of spots available – they are all taken up with weekenders and it is chockas along here and if you do find a spot it is too close to a noisy group with a damn speed boat and music, we are so tired and worn out that we find a shady spot at the end of a long row of campers – this spot is vacant as it is near a water pump that is noisy – not as loud at the music last night but it is a constan low hum – I think we will sleep through that!

So in hindsight – don’t do this lake on a weekend – try midweek.  In the future I think we might revise our weekends and if we are going to be in a place like Echuca or someplace popular we might either speed up or stay put.  I think we will be ok once past Echuca!