bikes

Day One of my Victorian Alps challenge dawns hot and humid. Cathie and I ride along the pleasant Rail Trail path out of Myrtleford, which I'll blog about next week, for thirty kilometres to Bright. Instead of a light morning tea, befitting this early hour, I chow down on a baguette of pork and salad. I figure I'll need all the energy I can muster to tackle Mount Buffalo. It's 10.30 before I leave Cathie in Bright and already the temperature is passing 35 degrees. The last time I climbed Mount Buffalo, my ascent was accompanied by the melodic and restful sound of running water. It was as though the mountainside was leaking.  Today, with the crackling heat, I half-expect the gums to self-combust as I reach Eurobin Creek at the four-kilometre mark. The leaves of the trees are drooping, others are slowly drifting to the ground aided by a gust of parching hot wind.  The birds are still out though. I see King Parrots, Kookaburras and Green-eyes and hear the familiar whip-call of ...

The Seven Peaks Challenge is, and I quote,  an at-your-own pace cycling challenge which takes you up winding mountain roads, around steep turns and past spectacular views right to the top of Victoria's Alpine Resorts. The challenge, should you choose to test your legs and lungs, is to take on the toughest road climbs in Australia, many of which rival some of the famous Tour de France peaks. Count me in!  Regular readers of this blog will know I've cycled a few Tour de France mountains, so I'm keen to put the claims of the organisers to the test. The mountains I hope to cycle over the next week are: - Mount Buffalo - Mount Beauty to Falls Creek - Mt Hotham - Dinner Plain - Mt Buller. Unfortunately, I'll have to leave Mt Baw Baw and Lake Mountain for another time, as they are a little further afield.  In a crafty move, the organisers have provided all entrants with a small passport/booklet, giving comprehensive details of each ride. And to enter the draw to win a very ...