The bridge over the narrows of Lake Eildon, which is really a reservoir.
The highway bridge.
Part of the trail.
Views from the trail.
Saturday,
September 3rd
This
morning I packed up my bicycle and drove to
Mansfield. This is the town that is at the eastern end of the 123
kilometre Great Victorian Rail Trail which goes from Toolarook to
Mansfield. I had ridden from Toolarook to Yea a few months ago and
decided to ride from the eastern end this weekend.
I
got to town about noon and checked on line to find a motel. I
discovered that everything in town was booked, as this is the nearest
town to the ski hills of Mt Buller. But I found a room at the Boonie
Doon Hotel and Motel about twenty minutes out of town. I put the name
in the GPS and drove there. Initially I couldn't find it as it was
just off the road and the GPS was a bit ambiguous in where to get off
the highway. However, when I finally found it I went in and told the
motel owner I had a booking under Jarrett. He looked at me strangely
and asked how I made it. I told him on the internet and he responded
that his motel is not on the internet. We laughed at the situation
and I had a good talk with him. I would have happily stayed there but
I had already paid for another place, all I had to do was find it. He
told me that there was another place just down the road with the same
name. So I programmed the GPS again and went back to find it. Turns
out I had just passed it two kilometres back. I found it without
further incident and got my divvy little room with a nice view out
the back patio doors.
After
that I drove back to Mansfield and had a walk around town looking at
the shops and waiting for the sun to come out and it to warm up a
bit. When it finally did I drove back to the hotel and got my bike.
The rail trail is right across the highway and I rode west. The trail
immediately crosses a long narrow bridge that goes over Lake Eildon.
I rode the trail for 20 kilometres on mostly flat crushed gravel past
cattle and sheep ranches.
In
several places I was dive bombed by magpies, which are about the size of crows. This is nesting time and
magpies are notoriously territorial. I had even seen videos on the
news in Canada of people being 'swooped'. It scared me a couple of
times as they come from behind and all you hear is their wings behind your head as
they veer off. I stopped a couple of times and got my camera out and
hoped they would come but they sat in the trees and watched me. But
as soon as I got on the bike, turned my back and pedaled off, they
would attack again. They are smart, beautiful birds and incidentally
have a lovely song which I hope to record.
I
enjoyed the ride through the country, but had to turn around and
retraced my steps back to the hotel. I was late afternoon and getting
much cooler by the time I arrived. I went into the hotel and had a
great salt and pepper squid dinner before going to the bar and having
a couple of pints of the local beer. Then off to bed.
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