Page 9 - 2022 June Exhaust Notes

June 2022 Exhaust Notes - Edition No 314 

SCENIC SUNDAY RIDE

HARCOURT

Photos and report by Gentle

nd
Scenic Sunday Ride to Harcourt, 22 May 2022
I arrived at the Corio Roadhouse after a fresh 5-degree ride from Clifton Springs,
accompanied by my 41 year old grandson Cooper, the poor bugger picked a chilly day for
a ride, Ha Ha. By 7:45, there was only myself, John Grace (Birthday Boy) and our newest
member Ash Fields, and I was worried that we wouldn’t get any other participants,
doubled the numbers by 8:00am, when Stephen Travan, Ken Davis and Peter Barclay
arrived.

I announced that due to the low temperatures, we would not go to the Mt. Macedon
lookout because of possible “black ice” on the very steep and narrow road on the
northern side of the mount. Therefore, we would travel to Lover’s Leap on Glenmore Rd
(near Fiskville) and check out the view, it was a good theory until we got past the
reservoirs on Anakie/ Ballan Rd. the fog closed in on us and we could only see approx. 50
meters in front of us, at this point Ash thought that we are crazy, and he went back to
Geelong. We stopped at the top of the escarpment and took a couple of photos of the
fog, and the now 5 bikes slowly rode down to the valley floor to be greeted with clear
vision. From here we travelled around the west of Bacchus Marsh and onto the “ridge
road” to Gisborne where we found some more fog and the temperature dropped again
down to around 5 degrees.
At Gisborne we stopped for a welcoming hot drink and some great food from the
Gisborne Bakery & Café, south side of the carpark. From Gisborne it was to southwest of
Macedon and on to Woodend where we said goodbye to John G. and then to Kyneton
South and to the wall of the Upper Coliban Reservoir, then we checked out the Viaduct at
Malmsbury, at this point the 4 of us had a discussion on the difference between Viaduct
and Trestle Bridge. By this time, it was a beautiful 12-degree, sunny day with not a cloud
in the sky. It was then onwards for about 8 klms to Taradale where we admired the
Trestle bridge and we took the opportunity to water our “steads” at the historic Taradale
Horse Dam. By this time the troops were getting hungry, so it was back on the bikes and
after asking directions from an Elphinstone local we found ourselves at Mt Alexander
lookout for some more photos. I will admit, it was impressive watching Peter “the Lens”
going bush bashing when he got onto his bike, prior to joining us on the road. From here
it was downhill all the way to the Harcourt Produce & General Store for a delicious lunch.

By
the
time

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