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Midweek Overnighter to Kyabrim 4-5th Oct 2023
by Mark Nicoll Sat Oct 07, 2023 11:56 am
Ulysses Geelong Midweek Overnighter to Kyabram – The Kyabram Kanter
Wed 4th – Thu 5th October 2023. Ride Leader and Ride Report – Mark Nicoll.
To be honest, less than a week out from the ride, the weather was looking very, very bad.
Forecasts for storms and torrential rains by the inches.
I considered cancelling…
But waited, and then a few days out, there was a glimmer of hope…
So, trusting my instincts, it was all to go ahead. As it turned out, while eastern Victoria copped a hiding, we escaped the worst.
Tuesday very wet – departure day Wednesday - started dry.
And then apart from some drizzle through Daylesford on day 1, our whole two days were dry! Phew! What a relief.
We even had sunshine Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning.
We had 9 riders (one joining us in Ballan), 2 in car, and John’s friend Lucy joining us for the night, coming down again from Albury.
Unfortunately, a couple of members had to withdraw the day before for health reasons.
So off we went, Ballan for morning tea, then via Malmsbury and Faraday, then up and over Mt Alexander and
into Harcourt for lunch at the delightful General Store.
Soon after lunch we stopped at the Centre of the World (my nickname for this place, which kept everyone guessing) which is
actually the Geographic Centre of Victoria, near Mandurang. Marked with a rock and a plaque.
After this and some fuel, we wound our way through Axedale, Toolleen, over the Colbinabbin Ranges, then on some
mostly straight but excellently surfaced roads, for a stop at Stanhope.
From here it was a short haul into Kyabram with a visit to the Water Tank Art for some photos,
before heading to our motel at the end of Day 1.
A bit over 300km for the day.
Our stay was in the Kyabram Country (Kountry?) Motel, which everyone agreed was very well set up and very comfortable.
Short walk to the Hurley’s Bar & Bistro for drinks, where we accidentally arrived for Happy Hour… had a few drinks, very nice meals, some drinks, excellent company, and a few drinks…
After a reportedly good night had by all, it was an even shorter walk in the morning to the local General Store for breakfast,
with freshly cooked brekky wraps, toasties, e&b muffins, and coffees all round.
Heading South out of Ky (local lingo!) for about an hour, we stopped at the magnificent Colbinabbin Silo Art murals.
Without fail, everyone was impressed, with most agreeing they were the best silo art we had seen anywhere.
Excellent murals with fantastic fine images and details.
Then it was a nice run through to Heathcote for fuel and ‘brunch’, at the HUGE store that is the newly built Gaffney’s Bakery.
Who doesn’t love a good bakery?! And this one is massive!
(One day I might put together a bakery tour of Central Victoria…haha)
With three of us being ex-cops, we had a good chat to some young members undergoing some driver training.
(Always up for a chat with the boys and girls in blue!)
After that it was off via Mia Mia, and down the Burke & Wills Trak, with a stop at the Duigan Monument.
This monument, built and dedicated in 1960, honours the first flight in Australia, by an Australian, John Duigan,
in an Australian built and powered aircraft, on 16th July 1910.
The Northern 10kms part of the Burke & Wills Trak is rough and narrow and potholed, with great care needed,
but the remaining 25kms is wide, well surfaced, beautifully undulating, winding through hills and valleys, finishing just out of Lancefield.
A quick stop here, and then another in Darley, before finishing the ride at the BP Truckstop on the Ring Rd Corio.
A little under 300km for the day.
And wouldn’t you know it… it was raining within half an hour of getting home!
Thanks to all members for a great ride, with all going so very smoothly, great company, lots of good chats and laughs. It’s a good crew!
See you for the next one.
Wed 4th – Thu 5th October 2023. Ride Leader and Ride Report – Mark Nicoll.
To be honest, less than a week out from the ride, the weather was looking very, very bad.
Forecasts for storms and torrential rains by the inches.
I considered cancelling…
But waited, and then a few days out, there was a glimmer of hope…
So, trusting my instincts, it was all to go ahead. As it turned out, while eastern Victoria copped a hiding, we escaped the worst.
Tuesday very wet – departure day Wednesday - started dry.
And then apart from some drizzle through Daylesford on day 1, our whole two days were dry! Phew! What a relief.
We even had sunshine Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning.
We had 9 riders (one joining us in Ballan), 2 in car, and John’s friend Lucy joining us for the night, coming down again from Albury.
Unfortunately, a couple of members had to withdraw the day before for health reasons.
So off we went, Ballan for morning tea, then via Malmsbury and Faraday, then up and over Mt Alexander and
into Harcourt for lunch at the delightful General Store.
Soon after lunch we stopped at the Centre of the World (my nickname for this place, which kept everyone guessing) which is
actually the Geographic Centre of Victoria, near Mandurang. Marked with a rock and a plaque.
After this and some fuel, we wound our way through Axedale, Toolleen, over the Colbinabbin Ranges, then on some
mostly straight but excellently surfaced roads, for a stop at Stanhope.
From here it was a short haul into Kyabram with a visit to the Water Tank Art for some photos,
before heading to our motel at the end of Day 1.
A bit over 300km for the day.
Our stay was in the Kyabram Country (Kountry?) Motel, which everyone agreed was very well set up and very comfortable.
Short walk to the Hurley’s Bar & Bistro for drinks, where we accidentally arrived for Happy Hour… had a few drinks, very nice meals, some drinks, excellent company, and a few drinks…
After a reportedly good night had by all, it was an even shorter walk in the morning to the local General Store for breakfast,
with freshly cooked brekky wraps, toasties, e&b muffins, and coffees all round.
Heading South out of Ky (local lingo!) for about an hour, we stopped at the magnificent Colbinabbin Silo Art murals.
Without fail, everyone was impressed, with most agreeing they were the best silo art we had seen anywhere.
Excellent murals with fantastic fine images and details.
Then it was a nice run through to Heathcote for fuel and ‘brunch’, at the HUGE store that is the newly built Gaffney’s Bakery.
Who doesn’t love a good bakery?! And this one is massive!
(One day I might put together a bakery tour of Central Victoria…haha)
With three of us being ex-cops, we had a good chat to some young members undergoing some driver training.
(Always up for a chat with the boys and girls in blue!)
After that it was off via Mia Mia, and down the Burke & Wills Trak, with a stop at the Duigan Monument.
This monument, built and dedicated in 1960, honours the first flight in Australia, by an Australian, John Duigan,
in an Australian built and powered aircraft, on 16th July 1910.
The Northern 10kms part of the Burke & Wills Trak is rough and narrow and potholed, with great care needed,
but the remaining 25kms is wide, well surfaced, beautifully undulating, winding through hills and valleys, finishing just out of Lancefield.
A quick stop here, and then another in Darley, before finishing the ride at the BP Truckstop on the Ring Rd Corio.
A little under 300km for the day.
And wouldn’t you know it… it was raining within half an hour of getting home!
Thanks to all members for a great ride, with all going so very smoothly, great company, lots of good chats and laughs. It’s a good crew!
See you for the next one.
Mark Nicoll
Jules Pearce, James Rousseaux and Sheryl Townsend like this post
Re: Midweek Overnighter to Kyabrim 4-5th Oct 2023
by Jules Pearce Sat Oct 07, 2023 2:46 pm
Thanks for all the work that you put in to make this such an interesting and enjoyable trip.
Jules Pearce
Graham Aitken, Mark Nicoll, James Rousseaux and Sheryl Townsend like this post
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