Day Three - Healesville to Narbethong

Last night I was tossing and turning trying to decide whether to amend my route due to road closures (and miss the most beautiful road) or give it a go anyway. Usually I’d go and have a look, however if the roads were impassable, I would have to ride 30km back before riding another 60km uphill on a detour. 

A thrilling day, here are my top 3 moments:

1. Road Closed does not (necessarily) mean Road Impassable. This morning, I backed myself. I decided to go for it (I could always get a taxi back!) Now don’t get me wrong, I’d always advise to heed warnings. However, experienced, fit and safety conscious, I knew I’d assess and respond as necessary. Off I went (early) and immediately uphill, telling myself I’d go as far as I could. Two hours later, I was experiencing the most incredible cycle. No cars around, nature in full force, cycling through the forest at a steady incline. It was amazing. The smile on my face disappeared when I saw a Road Inspection vehicle driving towards me. I braced myself but the guys shared how to road was closed to cars due to debris, but they wished me on my way encouraging me to go steady. Big exhale! The rest of the day was spent in a wonderful bubble of happiness. The trees giving me peace and strength, the road serving up incredible turns. Well worth the gamble.
   

2. Red Parrots. On my wilderness cycle, I had the opportunity to cycle in the depths of nature - it turns out cars have not been on this road for over 2 years. Red breasted parrots and other smaller birds accompanied me as I cycled through. Usually in groups of 2 or 3, they would whoosh past and then follow alongside for a few meters before flying back up into the trees. It felt really special and I immersed myself in the birdsong.
   

3. Minimalist Being and Burned Trees. After lunch, I made tracks on the Acheron Way, possibly the most scenic track in Victoria. Finely crushed gravel, beautiful big trees and fire break tracks were my next 30kms. I really enjoyed this part of my ride and I was pleased I’d made it – it was the highlight back when I was planning. As I rolled along, the sun came out and I felt a sense of calm that nature always seems to give you. I reflected on the simple nature of cycling through a forest, using a bike that has minimal components and getting you from A to B in a dependable, steady way. However, I soon began to notice the damage of the 2009 Bush fires that occurred in this area. One of the worst fires Australia has ever seen, countless animals perished, as well as over 300 people loosing their lives. I noticed the black charcoaled tree trunks as I got closer to Narbethong. Some of the trees seem to have recovered quite well – charred on the outside but still growing leaves. Some were left complete destroyed, looking stark and naked amounts the green forest. It’s hard for me to grasp just how big the fires were and how terrifying it must have been to see such a large area of forest alight. 

I made it to Narbethong and settled in to a lovely guesthouse, falling asleep almost instantly. It had been a hard day of over 1100m incline, but I was feeling on top of the world. Tomorrow I’d have a day off to give my legs a break, before heading on to Maryville, Reefton and Warburton.

59.7km | 1166m | 4h 17m