Orbost to Goongerah (Kanukadale) - Geelong a Continuation - CycleBlaze

April 25, 2024

Orbost to Goongerah (Kanukadale)

I'm a bit concerned about the next 4 days, they involve a lot of up. Have I taken on more than I'm capable of? Will this be a little hell I've created for myself? Will the road have lots of traffic? All sort of concerns running through my head 

I say good bye to my cottage of the past 2 days and head out early, 8am.

Bye bye corner cottage
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It even had a spot for Lexi just inside the back door. She is standing on tiles
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The day is gray and cool.  I've put my leg warmers and buff on for the first time.

Dressing warmer today
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I'm on Bonang Rd, C612 in no time and it quickly starts to go up, then down and up again, you get the picture. Komoot says there is 800m of up and almost 600m of down today. So all downs are spent not cycling, but resting and conceiving the battery.

It's a pretty road and I don't even see a car for the first 8 kms, nice.

Bonang Rd
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There are signs off for various tracks some of them I wouldn't even see if it wasn't for the sign 🙂

Lots of tracks in the area
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Autumn is here for the deciduous trees. Most are gums though.

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I've been taking small breaks at the top of hills, deliberately pacing myself. I see a sign, 5 kms to a rest spot. Nice.

It's so nice I decided to make myself a coffee and have my banana.

Coffee break
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In the photo you can just make out a tree on the road, top right hand corner. It's across the whole road. I attempted to move it but it's to big for me. A 4wd comes up the road and without slowing down much just goes around it. Well that's one option I guess.

While I'm having my coffee a motor cyclists pulled over closer to the road, to have a smoke and stretch his legs. To be honest it was intimidating, he didn't even wave or acknowledge I was there. Thankfully a ute turn up and pulled over. They didn't like the tree over the road. The 2 of them moved the tree. The motor cyclists didn't acknowledge them either, I guess him wanted to just do his own thing. For a few minutes it was peak hour and then we all packed up and I was cycling on my own again.

Tree is off the road
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The road is patchy there are occasionally signs or paint markings on the road warning of hazards. On a bike with so little traffic it was no issue.

Hazard sign
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Even with my breaks I make it to my camp in remarkable time, 12:30pm and I'm here, wow! I'm feeling much more positive about the next 3 days.

It's a private camp spot called Kanukadale, I found it by trawling the road with Goggle maps, they are on an app called Hipcamp. There are tiny horse, chickens and peacocks. It's a working farm with a side hussle. Tama is lovely and I'm soon charging Lexi and putting up my tent.

My home for the night
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Tiny horse's
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They lost everything in the 2019 Black Saturday fires. It's remarkable how much the forest has regenerated and the farm is still being rebuilt.

Camp kitchen
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The camp kitchen was the only building left standing after the fires. Tama and several friends lived out of here and their campers for over 18 months while rebuilding their homes in the area.

Inside it's cosey in an open way. I'm sitting on the black couch writing my journal.
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Time for a coffee.

Walking along  the property's creek, it's hard to take a bad photo.

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I think it's going to be cold tonight but I'm sure I'll sleep well 😴

Today's ride: 65 km (40 miles)
Total: 813 km (505 miles)

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Wendy NeadleyStunning scenery there, good luck with the hills in the next few days 🚵
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