Day Nine - Benalla to Alexandra

Distance: 116.68 km
Riding time: 5:06:24
Average speed: 22.8 km/h
Maximum speed: 60.5 km/h
Bum soreness: 5/10

I went through Bonnie Doon today! Stoked about that. How's the serenity? 'Twas good indeed. I made great time from Benalla to Bonnie Doon. Partly due to the relatively flat roads and partly thanks to my recently-rested legs.

My bonnie bike and I in Bonnie Doon.

It was great to ride through Bonnie Doon but there's not much there. I stopped for a break, a snack and a bit of emailing at the community centre.

The fire danger ratings are a good corollary of riding conditions:

the lower the better.

It's hot and sunny again today - around 31. I can't believe I'll be back in Melbourne tomorrow. It feels like ages since I left Sydney and will be a little sad that this adventure will be ending.

Free sauce! OMG, OMG!!!

There were quite a lot of cars with caravans or boats on the roads today. I guess they were headed to or away from the largely depleted Lake Eildon. I'm pleased to say that 99% of the cars on my trip been courteous and given me pretty much a whole lane of space when they passed, even when I was riding on the shoulder (where they exist!). Most road train trucks have been good too. There have been only a handful of near-death exceptions but mostly the traffic has been good. A big thank-you to the drivers of Australia.

How's the serenity?

I stopped in Yarck and could not believe my luck with the awesome little road-side general store. They have an excellent pie/pasty selection. I got a vegetable korma curry pie. Probably the best pie/pasty I've had on my trip. Plus the air-conditioning didn't hurt either :)

I've arrived in Alexandra and have been pleasantly surprised. It's a lovely little town with some good places to eat and a library with kick-arse-quick free Internet.

See y'all in Melbourne tomorrow.