Stephen Blyth's Blog

Cycling them there hills

Sunday, March 14th, 2004, Australia, Travels, whanau, life

It was an early start to catch the 9.20am Albury train to Avenel, about 120km north of Melbourne. On a Sunday too. Every weekend the Melbourne Bicycle Touring Club organise rides in and around Melbourne, and today’s trip was a 65km ride along Hughes Creek in the Goulburn River catchment.

There were nineteen riders, of whom I was probably the youngest. The oldest, Paul, celebrated his 81st birthday a few months ago. Even though autumn is approaching and the mornings a lot cooler, it was hot today, and at times we struggled with the hills. Under tread the terrain was variable – intermittently heavily corrugated, rutted and sand traps, along with smooth tarmac.

The countryside was mostly dry, dusty and yellow or brown, as pictured. Contrasting strikingly were acres of vines in the half-dozen vineyards we passed. Muddy dams were the only sign of water in the area – most creeks were bone dry. The vines were heavily laden with fruit, so the scarcity of water hasn’t seemed to have hindered their growth.

There was hardly any water in Hughes Creek, but it looked idyllic surrounded by gum trees and ancient looking boulders. Hard to believe it was a torrent one stormy day in the 1860s when a young Ned Kelly committed an act of bravey. According to the Iron Outlaw website Ned was rewarded with a cummerbund for saving the boy Richard Shelton from drowning in the flooded waters of the creek. This cummerbund, now on display at the Pioneer Musuem in Benalla, was apparently worn under the iron armour of the older, then fugitive Kelly.

It was definitely not a medium ride as advertised, about which there were a few good natured grumbles. Those with slick tyres definitely struggled at times. The ride along Hughes Creek was rushed as we had to make up time to catch the train from Seymour. The last riders arrived with 10 minutes to spare. Bikes were loaded onto a cargo wagon V-Line especially hooked on for the Club. After an hours journey we were dumped back amidst the busy chaos of Spencer Street Station.

Revived by a cuppa cha, sunburnt and pleasantly tired, I say I’ll be back.