Day One - Melbourne to Kingslake

I had a very laid back attitude to getting ready for this ride. Something that perhaps has come from a year of cycling across many unknowns. Let’s call it growth and not procrastination. 

The route: exit Melbourne through the Yarra Trail and Diamond Creek Trail, up through Hurstbridge and St Andrews, brief stop in Kingslake before heading to a little AirB&B in Kingslake Central. 

Three things that fired me up on my cycle today:

1. Don’t trust Google Maps (too much). I used Google and Kamoot to guide my route planning and I was fairly confident that Day 1 was going to be a nice jaunt to get the legs going, some uphill but a fairly short distance (60km). By the end of the day, my Garmin read 1143m assent and 80km. It would be easy to get annoyed (and boy was I feeling it for the last few kilometres) but what Google Maps also fails to communicate is the absolute beauty of the trails within Melbourne City. The Yarra Trail was certainly nothing like I expected. It started as a nice flat cycle path around a green open space where kids play football and a few scattered trees. But once I’d navigated the (frankly) maze-like entry point to the trail, I was taken aback with rolling hills, dense forest and amazing views of the city centre. It was beautiful. I was barely out of the city when I switched (seamlessly, thanks to audio directions) to the Diamond Creek Trail. This felt like a flat mountain bike trail around the Brecon Beacons in the UK. I was enjoying it so much, I barely stopped. Here I learnt another lesson - how the unknowns can be exciting and pay off.
   

2. Beautiful Bridges. As I meandered through the park trails, I crossed a dozen metal bridges. Some over small creeks, others over larger rivers. I played a little game with myself – 'rate my bridge', and started rating each bridge to indicate how photogenic my bike was lent up against the railings. By bridge 6 and after several photos, I thought it was time to stop stopping and get on with the riding! A fine line when cycle-touring. You want to enjoy the journey but also be aware of how far you have to go!
   

3. Kingslake is cold. La Nina in full force, Melbourne was experiencing an unseasonably cool autumn. The morning started cool and around midday the skies parted and sunshine shone down through the trees. I took the windy, uphill cycle in my stride, admiring the miles of forest. However, as I approached Kingslake, mist descended and I began to cycle through a colder, damp weather front. Of course my cycle gear is made for hot-weather cycling from my SE Asia days – shorts and jersey. I kid you not, I was wearing a jumper and raincoat on the last few kilometres, despite going uphill! However, despite the chill, the mist made for an atmospheric ride on a lovely road over to Kingslake Central. It made arriving at my AirB&B even more special. Luckily, my host had put the heating on beforehand and I settled into a cosy bed for the night.

80km | 1143m | 5h 21m