May 3, 2024
Marulan to Moss Vale
I had some porridge in my room but decided the cafe 3 doors up looked very inviting. I'm still playing with the route to take today.
Komoot has suggested I take a route on the west side of the Hume highway - M31, but Google maps had a route on the east side effectively following the railway line with several towns on the way. It starts out being called the Highland Way but changes it's name several times along the way. Unfortunately this route involved going up the Hume Highway approx 1 km and then crossing over the highway!! That's the emergency stopping lane, 2 lanes of fast moving traffic, a large medium strip and then the same on the other side. Not a safe option but do-able if necessary.
I asked the lady at the cafe was there an alternative, nope sorry. While I'm eating raisin toast and drinking my coffee a local slightly scruffy bloke comes in, taking a lot of interest in my bike. He is carrying a pannier. Mmm a fellow cyclists. His name is Nick.
Do you happen to know a way to Tallong without going along the highway? Yes, you can go under it and along a 'short cut' says Nick.
So it turns out you can go under the M31 and then along the Marulan entry ramp, yes thats going the wrong way along the ramp. Then across a well travelled bit of scrub and presto you're on the end of the Old Tallong road, it then connects up to the Highland Way. Definitely local knowledge needed and Nick kindly hopped on his bike to showed me the way. I thanked Nick and he headed back to get his coffee 🙂
I joined the Highland Way and started making my way to Tallong. Just outside Tallong is the Barbers Creek Rail Bridge, I thought it was very cool 😎
On the other side of the bridge they have dug up the road and left a wet slippery mess. It's so slippy I couldn't photograph it until I was through.
The farmers around here are big on front yard art and design.
I stopped in Penrose for morning tea. The bus stop was lovely and out of the breeze. The secondhand store across the road looked interesting but I didn't have a look because I have nowhere to put anything. 😃
I made my way to Bundanoon. I liked it straight away.
The train station was cute in a train sort of way. I was reading a sign about the town when Shauna came over for a chat.
She is cycle tourist too. Her and her husband have done several trips in Australia, including the Murray River Adventure trail. We had a lovely coffee and chat. It was nice to talk to a fellow female cycle tourist.
My final stop is Moss Vale, I've got a cabin at the caravan park for the weekend then onto Sydney by train first thing Monday morning.
Lexi can fit inside (just) but first I need to clean her up from the mud early in the day. Nothing like a saucepan when you don't have a bucket 🪣
And that's it for this trip. Thanks for reading along. Bye 👋
Today's ride: 57 km (35 miles)
Total: 1,119 km (695 miles)
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