October 23, 2015
Day 4 Dunkeld to Hamilton
Distance 48km
Average 17.1km/h
Weather : clear, cool, light southerly headwind.
Today after cooking and eating our breakfast of porridge we loaded the bike and cycled into the centre of town, turned west along the B 160 - Glenelg Highway out of town, then turning south across the old railway line onto the Penshurst - Dunkeld Road. Although this route would take us south away from Hamilton our next destination, it would provide us with a more pleasant ride away from the busy Glenelg Highway, the main route leading to Hamilton.
The sun was shining today and the crops in the paddocks looked a wonderful green, the sky was blue and you could see from horizon to horizon across the flat pasture land, but the roadway surprisingly still went up and down more than I had expected, we rode along and stopped every now and again to look back at the wonderful views of Mt Sturgeon and Mt Abrupt which tower over Dunkeld, knowing that the peaks could provide panoramic views of the surrounding ranges and volcanic plains from their peaks, we rode on and on. Soon the kilometres rolled past and we crossed Back Creek, and Boonawah Creek where we stopped for a drink, a biscuit and more photo opportunities.
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Riding along the endlessly straight road we had time to look at groups of Magpies sitting on fence posts calling to each other of our arrival or groups of feeding crows, and grazing cows and sheep. Soon we reached the Penshurst - Dunkeld Road & the Hamilton - Chatsworth Road crossroads, two straight roads in the middle of a vast landscape. We turned right along the Hamilton - Chatsworth Road and cycled past Lake Bullrush and Lake Linlithgow set within the Lake Linlithgow & Bullrush Swamp Lake Reserve on our right, and Lake Kennedy Wildlife Reserve on our left, these areas seemed very short of water. The kilometres rolled past and the Hamilton - Chatsworth Road began to converge with the Glenelg Highway on the outskirts of Hamilton and we had arrived.
Hamilton seemed like a very busy bustling place after the wide open spaces we had just experienced, soon we were riding along an over pass which crossed the train line and we found ourselves right in the thick of cars, people and shops, we pulled the bike up next to the pavement at the nearest intersection to take stock of our situation and a man standing on the pavement looked at our bike and enquired where we had come from, after exchangeing news we asked him to point out the best route to the information centre. The information centre was located in the centre of a large traffic island on Lonsdale Street, which we reached by riding along streets filled with cars and small roundabouts, the very cleaver traffic flow systems in Hamilton seemed to slow the traffic down to single lane traffic and all road users seemed very obliging and patient. The lady in the information centre was wonderful and helped us work out the best route to our pre booked accommodation at Boomers Guest House, pointing out the newly opened extra large Coles Supermarket which we visited to buy milk, stopping only to talk to a few interested people about the bike; Boomers Guest House was soon reached and we were allowed to gain access to our room earlier than expected, after eating our lunch and drinking cups of tea we were off again into town.
We cycled around town and visited the Hamilton Botanical Gardens, gazed at the Peacock, the ducks, sat under huge shade trees, and visited the Magistrates' Court across the road in Martin Street. On the way back to Boomers Guest House we stopped off to look at the menu of the Curry Bowl Restaurant in Thompson Street, where Michael wanted to eat dinner that evening.
Cycling back to Boomers Guest House it seemed as if the bike would be able to navigate the route on its own. Later that evening we left the bike behind and walked approx 2 - 3 kilometres to the Curry Bowl Restaurant for dinner, where we were pleasantly surprised to find the restaurant occupied part of a very old home with high ceilings, long windows and old fireplaces. We ordered a very nice meal and eat our fill before walking home along a slightly different route to Boomers Guest House, this allowed us to look at people's spring flowering gardens many of which had magnificent rose bushes. We also found the former old St Mary’s School, Collins Street site whose huge grounds were going to be developed into a new housing area (the school having been relocated to another site in the city).
Today's ride: 48 km (30 miles)
Total: 169 km (105 miles)
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