Bike Ride to Torquay

The other day I was biking around my new neighborhood to get my bearings. I ended up biking about 12km all up and felt pretty good at the end of the ride. "That wasn't difficult at all, maybe I'll go a bit further next time."

Torquay is 25km from North Geelong. I've visited this town before, but if you look at the map, there aren't a lot of travel options. And who can say no to the lure of the ocean? It's been so long since I've seen those clear blue, blue waters. Torquay is the gateway to Great Ocean Road, and the closest oceanside town. It HAD to be my first biking destination. I would just need cash on hand in case I couldn't make the 50km round trip. I hope Torquay has a hostel.

The weather man promised unseasonably warm weather on Sunday and so a Sunday ride it would be. He was wrong... what else is new? Thankfully, not wrong enough to mess with my trip, just wrong enough to slow me down in the morning - it was COLD.

Also, my contacts were locked in the bathroom while one of my new roommates got ready for Sunday church. While I waited, I ingested a protein breakfast shake as some small attempt to prepare my body for what I was about to do to it. How is it those things always manage to taste like cardboard? Chocolate flavored cardboard.

So, it was a leisurely 9:30am start on a partly cloudy Sunday morning.

Foot bridge over the River Barwon.

After the first hill it was apparent by my protesting legs that I might not make it round-trip. It didn't help that I was taking my ol' sweet time meandering through town and staying off the main (busy and un-bike friendly) highway. At least, I consoled myself, I almost always knew where I was, and had kind of an idea where I needed to go. If I could still see the highway, I wasn't lost yet.

I found some new things on my ramble. Like a foot bridge with a nice view over Seaview Park. This is the best place to find an exposed bit of limestone (which I couldn't find) that holds evidence of an ancient sea bed. In a separate panel, you can read about how the Wada wurrung balug clan, of the Wathaurong people, probably used this high land to camp during the wet season. In 1840, convicts built a breakwater downstream, which stopped salty tidal flows and created a source for fresh water. The growing town took advantage of their work, building homes for the like of pioneer Dr. Alexander Thomson, the first elected mayor of Geelong. Later, factory owners lived alongside their businesses and there grew another Geelong suburb by the banks of the Barwon River.

South Bank of Barwon River, looking west.

Side note: Lately I've noticed a lot of Australians talking about the "limited" cultural history here, as if the recent influx of Europeans is the start of all things worth noting. I'd just like to point out that the rest of the world loves Australia NOT for the Sydney Opera House, but for the didgeridoo's. Just saying.

Thirsty Camel drive-in bottle shop.

Back on the main roads, I found an Aldi - need to stop there on the way back, and a Thirsty Camel. Have I showed you guys this yet? Drive through bottle shop. Possibly the greatest Australian invention since the accent.

11am: I finally made it out of town. 2 and a half hours and I was only half way there.

Sight seeing is easy when you move as slow as I was. I passed a sign for the "Rose Garden", and, while wondering if that was a tourist stop or a flower market or what-have-you, could actually smell the roses - you don't get that in a car. Turns out it was more of a shop, really.

I stopped to chuckle at the tiny Geelong Airport. It's size always makes me smile, but I'm sure it's packed with Aussie spirit on the inside.

Never noticed these guys before, across from the Lutheran College. 

 

Hm... another destination for a ride? Koala sanctuary.

And finally, I reached the sign. The blessed sign that meant I could stop pedaling... soon. I was determined to eat lunch on the beach, so now I had to find the water. Just behind the sign are some walking trails I read about online, I decided to see if taking those in an ocean-wardly direction would get me there quick. Man, my mountain bike liked that. So did my behind - mountain bikes aren't made for long sits and now I was properly riding it up and down winding trails. It was fun.

And educational: The Bellarine Yellow Gum is listed as endangered in Victoria and is only found in the Bellarine peninsula. It's important in the winter as it flowers and produces nectar while little else is in bloom.

The sundial on the sidewalk where you are the dial.

In the end, I returned to the roads and a random decision to follow a sign to the "Sundial" lead me to the esplanade. Good, I'm getting hungry. It's 12:15pm!

12:15pm. Spot on!

This was my view for lunch. There was a cold breeze up from the south, but the sounds of the waves more than made up for it. I pondered the fact that for such a fierce some thing, the ocean, but it still has such a calming effect.



After lunch, I visited the fair that just happened to be going on that day.

And found this interesting tree carved to resemble a figurehead from the 1902 shipwreck Inverlochy. The figurehead used to sit on a flagpole, but disappeared in the 1950's. A local artist carved this dead Cyprus tree in 2002 to bring the memory back to life. Now you can try and find the 6 six in the watery setting - fun for the whole family!

I resisted the temptation of fresh chips and ice cream and face painting at the fair, did some light browsing at the outlets, and set out again for home. It was 2:30pm and I didn't know how long it would take me to get back.

The trip home, as it usually is, was all about survival. Getting home before dark, making it up all the hills, finding my way back across town without getting lost, And then I did stop at the Aldi, stock up on groceries only to realize my "steal" of an $8 backpack was ripping. Every bump I hit resulted in the tear of a few more stitches and I envisioned my precious dinner stuffs dashed across the road. I slowed my pace and crawled my way back home. I mean, I was still on the bike, but it was a struggle. Arrived 5:30pm. Well before dark and just in time for dinner.

3 days later and I'm still complaining about my knees. Round trip = 31 miles plus meandering mileage. Let's say 33. Next time I'm thinking of biking to Lorne and spend a weekend. Or do a shorter trip to one of the wineries along the Bellarine peninsula. That would be fun.