Report from David Jones (Long ride leader)

Ten riders were on the long ride to Barwon Heads via Horseshoe bend Road, Blackgate Road and 13th Beach Road with a return via Wallington Road and the Bellarine Highway.   The riders included Colleen Bourke and Peter Kokalis who were on there first longer Sunday ride.  Also on the ride was Terry Twiss just back from a work assignment in Los Angles.  Collen and Peter rode well on the long ride.

Rod Charles led the shorter return ride to Barwon Heads via Lake Road, Blackrock Road and 13th Beach Road with 5 riders.

It was a perfect day for riding with welcome sunshine, warmth and no wind.  The coffee stop was ‘At the Heads’ the pier cafe’ where both groups met in the sunny back room for the social get together over coffee and cake.

The longer ride group had to contend with some hills on the return trip but arrived at South Barwon Reserve about  12:30pm.  Rod’s group had arrived earlier, they claimed it was an hour earlier – ho ho.
Rod’s report (Rod led the shorter ride)

The mid winter excursion to Barwon heads on 19 June began with  one degree showing on the thermometer. Appropriate, but what a lovely ride it turned out to be. Down the highway before the traffic got too heavy, then Lake Road to 13 Beach road and into the Heads for coffee with the ‘fast’ group. Return was by the main road exiting the town then at the aerodrome we turned off on to the Lake road once again, again out of harms way from traffic, time to chat. The ride to Barwon Heads is the classic Bike Hike of the 1930s, we rode in the wake of decades of previous bicycle tourists which tells us this ride is a ‘beauty’.

Click the maps to see more detail.

The longer ride circuit

David Jones led the longer route along Horseshoe Bend Road to Blackgate, then to Barwon Heads via 13th Beach Road.  The return was via Wallington.  This ride is similar to a ride which used to be held annually, A circuit of Lake Connewarre led by one of our early members, Jim Day.

This ride, as its La Grande Boucle time has some jersey winners:

• Ride Leaders’ Yellow Jersey:  David Jones and Rod Charles
• Polka Dot Jersey (King of the Mountains):  Doug Merritt for his sprint up Wallington Road.
• Green Jersey – sprinter:  John Miro
• Pink Jersey –  Most determined (rather than most aggressive):  Colleen who pushed herself to complete a ride (and a big hill) that she thought was beyond her.

Short ride

Near Horseshoe Bend (long ride)

Start of Black Rock trail

Coffee at At the Heads.