Tuesday April 1, 2014

Gerard gave us an alternative route to take to Bairnsdale.  It meant going an extra 5 – 10 kms but kept us away from the busy A1 (Princes Highway).  The route was very flat going through primarily farmland and rural pasture.  I think I need hills on my rides.  I never thought I would say this but hills, although they can be hard work, are much better than 70 kms of flat road.  Even a little bump in the road would have been good.

Of course what often happens on straight, flat roads is you also end up with a head wind, or maybe that is just a coincidence.  The last 20 kms we had a full-on head wind, and it was a very warm day – up to 30 degrees.  Fortunately the road did have some shade.

Along this very straight road we spotted this fire bunker.  This is a high bushfire area, not at the moment as they have received some rain.

We arrived in Sale at 12:00, just in time for the lunch hour rush at the cafés.  We went to the Information Centre to find out about a camp site and then had lunch.  The campsite was just on the edge of the main downtown core.  A lovely, clean campsite with a swimming pool.

We haven’t always taken advantage of all the facilities at campsites, but the pool was so inviting.  As soon as we got the tent up, we were in the pool for a swim.  A rather large lady was struggling with her swimming costume (bathing suit) (cossie) actually she was struggling to keep everything inside her cossie, but she didn’t care she was laughing as she got out and told Ralf not to look just incase they fell out!!  A very lovely, funny lady.

After the cool swim, we had our showers and then walked to downtown for some groceries.  Bairnsdale is another large commercial centre in this part of Gippsland.  I had decided I needed a new pair of trousers as my others are about two sizes too big now. I found a nice pair that fit me, although I thought I was going to struggle with the legs being too tight.

We have two choices tomorrow, follow the rail trail all the way to Oborst or go to Lakes Entrance.  We have a response from a warm showers host so we are going to Lakes Entrance.