Bike Rides: Day 1 Bittern to Sorrento
Monday 19th March 2012
With a little time on my hands, I had decided to make the most of it, and head off on my bike for a few days adventure - three days, three bays, five trains, three maps, and one hundred and fifty kilometers cycling worth of adventure to be precise. Real Boy's own stuff.
The first leg involved taking the train to a small village called Bittern, sixty five kilometres south east of Melbourne, on the rarely visited Western Port Bay. This was actually three different trains, including one for the train spotters - the last remaining suburban diesel route in Australia. Cool. The journey lasted around two and a quarter hours, ran like clockwork, and all for the princely sum of five bucks, which is pretty amazing value.
Today was going to be the hardest days cycling, with fifty kilometres pedaling through the green hills of wine country, so I had given myself plenty of time to cover it. In fact having arrived in Bittern just after nine in the morning to clear blue skies and glorious sunshine, I had time to make a minor detour to Balnarring Beach for breakfast. And what a treat it was, with an endless panaroma of white sand and calm seas lapping the shore, and I had it all to myself.
This was the calm before the uphill storm. The next few hours were filled with what felt like endless steep climbs and burning legs. The vineyard vistas certainly helped me through it, though this wasn't the time to miss a turn and add a further five kometres climb to the top of Arthur's Seat. Which I did. The views were worth it, just.
Back on the planned route, the next ten kilometres meandered through the most English-like country side I've ever seen in Victoria, a real home from home. I stopped off for a break by a dairy farm where a herd of rather curious and friendly cows came to join me; I think they could spot a vegetarian and considered me low risk.
As I carried on, the landscape changed to a drier coastal feel, and with the houses getting bigger and golf clubs appearing at a canter, and I knew I was getting close to Sorrento, Melbourne's prettiest and most exclusive bayside resort. I was glad I was close, my legs were becoming weary with the last five kilometres in the thirty degrees heat reminding me I had turned forty just the week before!
And so finally there I was, in pretty Sorrento, with its fine hotels, cafes and boutiques. I cycled past all those of course and headed to my dorm room at the Beach House Youth Hostel. What did you expect? The good news was that I had my 5 bed dorm room to myself, I had a fridge and a six pack of beer, and a peaceful garden to recover in. The bad news was the only other guest was a barking mad sixty year old woman who started swearing to herself very loudly whenever my back was turned. And she was sleeping in the next room... Cue ear plugs and prayers for a curse free evening.....
With a little time on my hands, I had decided to make the most of it, and head off on my bike for a few days adventure - three days, three bays, five trains, three maps, and one hundred and fifty kilometers cycling worth of adventure to be precise. Real Boy's own stuff. 
The first leg involved taking the train to a small village called Bittern, sixty five kilometres south east of Melbourne, on the rarely visited Western Port Bay. This was actually three different trains, including one for the train spotters - the last remaining suburban diesel route in Australia. Cool. The journey lasted around two and a quarter hours, ran like clockwork, and all for the princely sum of five bucks, which is pretty amazing value. 
Today was going to be the hardest days cycling, with fifty kilometres pedaling through the green hills of wine country, so I had given myself plenty of time to cover it. In fact having arrived in Bittern just after nine in the morning to clear blue skies and glorious sunshine, I had time to make a minor detour to Balnarring Beach for breakfast. And what a treat it was, with an endless panaroma of white sand and calm seas lapping the shore, and I had it all to myself. 
This was the calm before the uphill storm. The next few hours were filled with what felt like endless steep climbs and burning legs. The vineyard vistas certainly helped me through it, though this wasn't the time to miss a turn and add a further five kometres climb to the top of Arthur's Seat. Which I did. The views were worth it, just.
Back on the planned route, the next ten kilometres meandered through the most English-like country side I've ever seen in Victoria, a real home from home. I stopped off for a break by a dairy farm where a herd of rather curious and friendly cows came to join me; I think they could spot a vegetarian and considered me low risk. 
As I carried on, the landscape changed to a drier coastal feel, and with the houses getting bigger and golf clubs appearing at a canter, and I knew I was getting close to Sorrento, Melbourne's prettiest and most exclusive bayside resort. I was glad I was close, my legs were becoming weary with the last five kilometres in the thirty degrees heat reminding me I had turned forty just the week before!
And so finally there I was, in pretty Sorrento, with its fine hotels, cafes and boutiques. I cycled past all those of course and headed to my dorm room at the Beach House Youth Hostel. What did you expect? The good news was that I had my 5 bed dorm room to myself, I had a fridge and a six pack of beer, and a peaceful garden to recover in. The bad news was the only other guest was a barking mad sixty year old woman who started swearing to herself very loudly whenever my back was turned. And she was sleeping in the next room... Cue ear plugs and prayers for a curse free evening.....
No comments:
Post a Comment