Bonnie Doon

Ghostriders' Central Victoria Cycling Adventure - Day 8
Not only was our cycling adventure coming to an end, but it appears that our peloton is also rapidly coming to an end as well. Only a couple of days ago we had 19 riders enjoying the warm sunshine, this morning only 10 riders presented themselves at the start of the ride in Boonie Doon.

After dinner last night, another 5 riders indicated that they would not be completing the final ride. I guess it takes a unique combination of extreme mental and physical fitness to complete 7 rides in 7 days and not all of our peloton are equally blessed in that regard.

Since it was Anzac Day, we started the ride with a short Anzac Ceremony by the war memorial in Bonnie Doon. Allan Barlin led the service, just like the way he had led us 12 years ago at Anzac Cove in Turkey. It was a meaningful way to recognise the sacrifices made by so many in the armed forces.

The balmy weather that we had enjoyed up to now was now nothing but a memory. Not only had the temperature dropped by about 10 degrees, but it was actually raining. Faced with this unexpected challenge, there was even some discussion as to whether we should just cancel the final ride and head home instead.

We finally opted for a much better alternative - to head to the coffee shop just across the road, and enjoy coffee and cake instead. It turned out to be a wise decision, as by the time we had finished our coffee, the rain had also finished. We could ride after all.

The plan was to ride from Bonnie Doon to Mansfield and back, a distance of around 45 km. It didn't take long for us to decide that the trail was a real gem. Not only was the scenery amazing, but the surface of the trail was smooth and well packed. It all made for most enjoyable cycling. It was a pity that it was just so cold.

At the ten kilometre mark, our peloton shrunk even further when Michael, Christine and Bob all decided to Uturn and head back to the start. We were down to seven riders.

The ride to Mansfield is slightly uphill, but the good surface and gentle tailwind made the going easy. One surprise discovery was a mobile phone tower that had been distorted into a piece of sculpture. We stopped there for a closer look and a few photos.

When we made it to Mansfield, we discovered to our relief that the huge bakery was doing a roaring business. We would not be going hungry after all.
After lunch we began the 22km ride back to the start. The return ride was just as much fun as the outward ride (apart from the head wind and frigid temperature).

When we reached Bonnie Doon we shared a few hugs and fond farewells. It really had been a fantastic week of riding and fellowship. All seven rides had been quite different, each one special and memorable in its own way. We are truly fortunate to have the opportunity to explore our state with such good friends.

Now we need to make plans for our next adventure. The ideas are already forming.....Read more