Home again, happy b.day mum

Back home again

Ok, we're back to reality now. Oh well, it was a wonderful growing experience!

And best of all, even on home turf there are some pretty mean slides!

Slide cam

Ok, just one last time

As mum points out some 15 month olds are still not walking. Can I help it if I'm an early blooming stunt toddler?

Our Buffalo room in Bright

A lazy day in Bright. Parks, museums, babychinos, big sleeps; perfect.

Day 6: Shuttle back to Wangaratta

Yo, bros. Here we are on the bike bus back to Wanga. Time to sit back and enjoy the ride; maybe even have a sleep!

Last hurrah in Wangaratta

Its our last night of holidays so we all decided to cut loose and jump in with some coloured balls.

By the end of the night Joel was sliding the big slide hand in hand with a very pretty young friend. Go Joel.

Joel loves holidays because there are play centres, desserts and tv.

The journey home

The train arrived at Wanga an hour late. Lets hope we can make up some time.

Leisure day in Bright

The town of Bright is known for its Devonshire teas and its extreme sports. Today we pushed the limits of both.

Some community organisations spend their hard earned fundraising money on dubious overseas development projects. An ambitious group in Bright has thrown its ample resources into creating the most elaborate riverside playground imaginable. There's more treated pine logs than a timberyard, and enough bark chips to reclad ten gum trees. And the awesome outdoor unheated alpine melted-snow-run-off waterslide means more unused tourist facilities than 8lackpool.

Dad said that Bright looked like such a perfect little toy town. Joel asked where the toys were.

Joel really liked the railway museum, especially the police lock up that dates back to the 19th century and was still in use in the 70's. The dummy inmate gave Joel and daddy both a scare.

Fully overcast today, which shows just how lucky we were, to have four days riding in the crystal blue, before all this cloud rolled in.

Day 4; Myrtleford to Bright

Ok, I don't blame you if you accuse me of some editorial repetition, but really, today its a beautiful clear crisp blue day. There was a nip in the air in the morning; but not too much, a gentle breeze; but not too strong.

If yesterday's ride was through postcard countryside, today was through a glossy photography book. Autumn leaves, vineyards, berry farms, contented cows and much more, all tucked into a long lush valley. We ate apples that grew by the roadside, we had berry icecream straight from the farm where they grew.

Joel was a champion peddlar on the day. Mum's incentive of reassuring him that fast boys do not have their legs eaten worked a treat.

Our great unsolved mystery for the day was how we could possibly cycle mostly on the downhill and on the flat and yet travel from a valley town up to an alpine town that serves the ski fields.

The chilly but fast ride down

Man versus gravel!

Oops. We decided to get 'our holiday incident' out of the way on day one. The rail trail is about two metres wide. Anything outside of that could be soft shoulder, dirt, mud and, as mum and I discovered, deep and loose gravel.

Over we went. Thank goodness I was wearing my helmet, pants and boots - not. Poor mum had some grazes.

Some long soothing showers were the order in Everton. And a nice pub dinner brought back to the cabin.

Great day!

Day 2; Everton to Beechworth

The town of Everton is on the floor of the Ovens Valley. Beechworth is the hill station. Today, the only way is up! And well done troops, we did it.

Another crystal clear blue day. Beautiful scenery, butterfly forests, rosellas, and railway bridges and cuttings that looked very handmade.

The climb was rewarded with the sight of the historic town of Beechworth. At the museum we checked out Ned Kelly's armour, walked down a 19th century street and I poked at the glass cases of more stuffed birds than you can imagine.

The motel was way up out of the town, but our host Steve was amazing, giving us a lift and guided tour into town, picking us up and even racing mum back into town when we realised later that we'd left our bakery shopping at the counter - we couldn't leave our buns behind!

There were bubblebaths alround tonight. These care packages delivered to our accomodations each night are great; nappies AND bubblebath.

Jail birds

Incarceration has played a big part in Beechworth history, so here is Joel and I in a moment of reflection in the Newton Park playground.

Day 3; Beechworth to Myrtleford

Crisp this morning in the mountains but another stunning day. Here's mum and me as we pass the organic vineyard just outside town.

Then for all our climbing yesterday we flew back down passed Everton and through postcard countryside to Myrtleford.

We were hoping they'd be a bike shop in M so that dad could replaxe the handlebar bag that had broken on the way. There is but today is Sunday and the shop is closed on Monday's too! But no problem. Dad called the number on the door, and within 5 minutes, Steve had rode in, sold us a new bag, replaced a crucial hex nut on the bike rack and put locktite on all the other hex nuts that needed it.

The cabin at Adern's Caravan Park is awesome!

We made it!

Shona and Boyd believe in allowing plenty of time, and yes, this morning at Chatswood we had an entire 15 seconds before the doors of the train closed. At Cental we found out that it really is a good idea to rehearse removing bike pedals BEFORE we arrive at the luggage check in. Fortunately there was only a small loss of cool and knuckle skin.

We're now feeling right at home on the train. We're going past Moss Vale and I've just coated daddy's pants in yoghurt. Sweet.

Day one: Wangaratta to Everton

Our ride begins! I roused the troops at six, and we sped through a number of pre-ride tasks; last minute shopping, a coffee for mum. And so we were on that trail by noon!

What a sparkling perfect day for riding, and for letting one's helmeted head fall forward and drift off to sleep.

I'm told that we passed rivers, rolling hills, villages, old farmhouses, birds and even an echidna.

Mum and I were the speedy pair; fast, sleek and zippy. Good old Joel and daddy are the slow and steady packhorses - good on ya fellas.

The mountains around Bright were a constant backdrop to the day. You could almost see the snow!

Its holiday time!

Here i am, giving some careful consideration to our plan of cycling northern victoria. I'll be reporting back (by MMS) now and again, as well as serving as guide and motivator for the travel team. And don't forget, you can always ask Emile.