Day 40 & 41

Day 40 Started early before sunrise  from Lorne as my target was Melbourne which was some 140kms away and i needed my best chance for all the planets to line up together if i was going to try and navigate my way through the traffic in the heart of the C.B.D at a descent hour. After taking a wrong turn in Geelong and turning back to a more direct route for a  bike I eventually  could see the tall buildings of Melbourne getting closer  with every pedal.
Then i was stopped by some guy who worked for the Vic Roads and told me ,you cant ride on this road,its a freeway. And i said ,yes i can, the sign back there said i could. Even though it must of been 30 kms back. He apologised and told me he was new at the job and said, fair enough you no what your doing. Well i think i did ,I was looking for a particular bike track route in Footscray to take me over to Flinders St Station area which i located without too much trouble. Thank god because i heard theres a lot of brothels in Footscray and i was only interested really in finding a bike route.

I arrived at the Station to take a few photos to prove to myself that i was really there. People everywhere dressed in black busily walking quickly as theres no tomorrow and me standing there like a homeless man stinking like a rotten piece of meat. So off again down St Kilda Road which turned into the Princess High Way on my way heading toward Cranbourne area. Stopped for a burger so i could get some energy happening to continue riding as i felt pretty good. Came out of M'cafs and it was quickly getting dark and cold,freaking out that i am going to come a cropper if i don't find a place soon and i looked over the road and saw a motel.Bingo ,that will do. These wintry days are too short.

Happily booked in at 105$ and the women was Chinese who owned it so i was clicking my heals down the corridor shouting out knee how,knee how, like a bucking donkey.I think she thought i had gone mad  and was laughing at me. Did some washing there and organised my bike for another early start after boring her husband with my recent Shanghai trip photos.

Lucky i had my helmet on.

Flinders Station

Day 41also started early in the dark  and rain. I was going o.k. with a slight tail wind and knocking the kms off but slowly getting wetter and wetter till i was saturated but not that cold.My trick in the morning was to put my socks on and then plastic bags on them before my shoes,great if you want to turn your feet into aquariums and then  your shoes start to swell and get heavy.Also my so called wet weather gloves sucked the water in and the fingers of them started to extend out. At one time i thought that i was being tortured by the C.I.A with the water dripping off my helmet to my nose every five seconds The only good thing where the trucks at the stop lights as you get the heat from there exhaust pipe  and it feels nice.
Loch ,was i thought a good time to have a break and a coffee.big mistake. After visiting a nice coffee shop in town and meeting Chantel and her fiancee Mat, i went outside to carry on riding, then disaster struck,the body went into an uncontrollable state of shock,eyes wide open,teeth clanging together and body shaking as though i was getting electrocuted.
Plan of attack was to try and  go straight to the pub down the road owned by Sybil to book in for the night.Not as easy as you think when your body has turned rigid and blue. .On meeting her she said she would show me the room and i kept saying ,fire,fire till she new i was in trouble and needed warmth quick. I stood by the fire for a good half an hour, then the big hot shower and then put some warm clothes on. It was only then i said to Sybil an hour later, what did you say..
I don't know how i am going to deal with this constant rain and cold if it hangs around too long. I was thinking perhaps a full wet suit complete with hoody and boots plus of course the helmet. But i thought that might bring the attention of Mr Plod, bit like the gimp out of the Pulp Fiction movie, and when he See's me bonging on a truck exhaust at the lights straight from Snowtown i'm sure the bike trip would be over.Any suggestions are welcome to overcome this dilemma
Now its been a couple of hours now since i have booked in to The Royal at ground zero in Loch and Sybil and her partner Toddy have been wonderful hosts. Making cups of tea and dipping my camera in rice to get the moisture out of it .Meal time starts at six and i have heard good reports about the menu. Could end up one of those stories about how i was just passing through and ended up staying for ten years.

Had a drink here 37 yrs ago with Jim.

Would you believe it, and i was just in the zone

Taken from outside the pub in Loch.

This is a bit basic but the technical people just couldnt get it together back in Perth so i am following the 5,6 and 7 graders from Colleens School to show you where i have been

Sorry about the photos ,seem to have a bit of moisture in it and i will try and dry it out.Except for the last one looks better than it really is.
HooRoo till later