Wednesday, 19 April, 12 miles (19 km)
The weather has been perfect for days now. The smoke hasn’t been as bad this year as some. I’ve been riding everyday and soaking it all in. It won’t last.
I organise to ride a short section of the High Country Rail Trail with my friend Don. It will only be a 20 km ride from the town of Tallangatta to the Sandy Creek Rail Trail bridge and back. But there are more gentle hills than our ride to Rutherglen the other day, so a bit shorter of a ride will be better for Don.
I meet Don at 10am in Albury. We load my bike on his rack and head up to Tallangatta. Don has new rear panniers to try out. They look great and complement his trunk bag.
We share a sausage roll from the bakery before we head out and then have snacks at the bridge. It’s not a fast ride, but Don is so appreciative that I want to ride with him. I tell him not to worry about speed. I tell him I do that speed all the time – I’m usually riding something a whole lot steeper, but I am very used to 6mph on an incline.
We have a great day – a leisurely ride in that gorgeous Aussie autumn sun. We will be heading to Melbourne on Anzac Day for a week. We hope to ride the Lilydale-Warburton Trail, get a good Italian meal on Lygon Street and see some of his old training routes. Do I have a week to spare in my final weeks in Oz? Not really, but I’ve got the time for this most amazing man who’s given so much to so many.
There are a few pics from our ride below.
