San Remo

You can really feel it in the air. The seasons are changing and summer is now just a distant memory. The past couple of days we have woken to very icy mornings, with temperatures in the single digits. While you are still safe under the doona that is not an issue, but when you plan to get on the bike it can be a little more challenging.

Now that we have explored most of the bike paths in the vicinity, we have been looking for alternate options. Today our intention was to ride from Kilcunda to Anderson and then ride the new path to San Remo. I already knew that this section has some of the best ocean views in the state. The only problem is that it is also very exposed, and the winds can be absolutely freezing.

Even though the early morning weather was less than encouraging, I went ahead and packed the bikes anyway. We managed to make it to Kilcunda without encountering any rain, but we could certainly see it falling down in the distance. So on went the warm gear and wet weather jackets. We were soon pedaling up the hill to Anderson.

Although we had ridden this section just a few days earlier, the surface was much softer than it had been on that occasion. The recent rains had made it feel like riding through treacle. In many spots there were soft, muddy patches to negotiate.

When we reached Anderson, we turned left and joined the path to San Remo. The first part of this section climbs steeply and, just to make it even more interesting, the builders put in some chicanes and sharp corners. It required considerable concentration to avoid falling into the numerous mud puddles.

About mid way to San Remo there is an elevated lookout that is worth stopping at to savour the panoramic views out over Phillip Island and Westernport. Once you pass this point, the remainder of the path to San Remo continues its undulating nature, but the hills are relatively short.

We rolled into San Remo soon after midday and went in search of a place to buy our lunches. Although most of the coffee shops were closed because of the pandemic, we did find that "Beand" was open for takeaway. I ordered two sandwiches and two coffees and nearly dropped my wallet when I was told that it was going to cost just over $40. I suppose that it is hard staying in business at such a time as this, but I am not sure that charging a price premium is the best way to attract new customers.

We took our sandwiches and ate them by the big bridge to Phillip Island. About 600 hungry seagulls also joined us at the picnic table. The combination of aggressive avians and freezing wind did not make for a relaxing picnic, but I had to admit that the sandwiches were delicious. Maybe you really do get what you pay for.

The skies finally started to clear for our return ride, but we decided to skip the bike path and ride the main roads instead. Fortunately, there is a wide bike lane, so we did not feel in imminent danger of becoming roadkill.

On the way back home we learned that Dan Andrews has very slightly relaxed the restrictions to allow up to five people to visit someone else's home. It is now also possible to enjoy outdoor activities with a small number of others. I guess that means we can cautiously begin to ride with our friends again.

I arrived home to find that a new padlock that I had ordered from eBay had been delivered. It looked serious, but it only took a few minutes to successfully pick it the first time. I have now opened it over 50 more times, none of them using the key. It was not as big a challenge as I was hoping for.Read more