2025-01-07 -37 144

Location

In a field next to the train line through New Gisborne.

Participants

Felix

Expedition

I knew I wanted to do something outdoorsy today, given Gretel was being looked after by her Nan and Papa. I was originally thinking of bike-trailering my kayak out to the Yarra. But when I briefly woke up at 3am and I checked the geohashes I knew that's what I'd be doing.

I set off after G's Nan arrived. Unfortunately, my plan of taking the train at Footscray to Riddells Creek was complicated by the train not taking off for another 1.5 hours at that point and I could definitely not be bothered waiting. My further plan of taking the metropolitan train to Sunbury and riding from there was also thwarted due to rail replacement buses being advised.

So I just jumped on my road bike and headed vaguely north-west, my route coagulating on my phone as I rode.

I went through the Essendon/Keilor type suburbs without incident. My route also took me right up to Melbourne (Tullamarine) Airport, and I got to see a plane landing overhead. The freeway turned into a normal road and I continued, taking the steep valley just past Bulla to get my blood flowing.

There was a brand new bike path for most of the way into Sunbury, built by developers, it seemed. But the direct road out of Sunbury was pretty busy and shoulderless (no wonder Lachie avoids this route. Getting past this it was good though - a gradual descent towards Riddells Creek.

Here, I availed myself upon the bakery, consuming a meat pie, a snot block and a caramel latte iced coffee. Pretty soon I was back on the road heading towards the hash.

The hash was just south of the railway line I'd failed to travel on. Looking more closely, I realised this was not a road as originally perceived. Google Maps was now telling me I'd have to bash my way along a wind break for 450m to get to the hash. But, thankfully, there was a rough rail track access track that let me get to within 45m (apart from some overshooting/backtracking).

I climbed underneath the barbed/electrified fence, in true Geohashing fashion, and walked right up to the point. It was a huge field and I couldn't see any nasty bulls, so I took it easy. A few photos of this and that and I was away again.

At this point, since I was so close to Mount Macedon, I obviously decided to do some ascents. I went up the steep Alton Rd ascent, reaching the Memorial Cross at the end of the plateau. Then I returned, heading down the north-east side this time, down Falls Rd - an access I'd always considered too rough and dodgy but was actually fine. So much so that I turned around at the bottom and ascended it again ("NO ROAD" be damned! Clearly inaccurate).

I ascended to the agreed 'summit' - the Camel's Hump car park - and then went down the north side towards Hanging Rock (of 'Picnic at' fame). At this point, I decided I felt like a beer, so I rode into Woodend and had a tulip of hand-pumped Temptress Stout (pictured below). I jumped back on my bike and headed back up another route I'd never ascended (but frequently descended with Lachie) - Mount Macedon Road, in the north-west.

Half way up I was feeling okay but not pushing it, when another cyclist blitzed me at about double my speed. Uh oh, I thought, and looked at my speedo. 7 kms/hr - very slow for this gradient. I must be bonking.

I stopped to drink a bottle of Soylent, but this didn't totally help - I didn't feel hugely hungry, it was another need I hadn't identified. I continued up the hill gradually getting more and more wiped. Finally, I realised I was low in salt! I pushed on until I'd reached the top of the road, but decided to skip the last 100m or so turnoff to the Camel's Hump carpark (proving to myself I could be responsible and forfeiting accurately describing my trip as three ascents - although I have been anyway).

I zoomed down the other side without pedaling - taking it at about 65 kms/hr, satisfyingly above the speed limit, until I'd reached the post office/general store. Here I bought a Powerade and ground some table salt into my mouth. The relief was nearly instantaneous.

I rode the rest of the way down the hill and into Macedon Station, where I took the 4:24pm train 14 minutes after arrival to Footscray and then rode home. Just in time to have a quick shower and do the handover of Gretel from Papa. A great day out (124 kms all up), and stonking good weather!