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Day 3: Apollo Bay to Port Campbell
Thursday, 26 January: Apollo Bay to Port Campbell - 96kms
Beer, beaches, BBQ's and Triple J's Hottest 100 - all regular parts of Australia Day for most of us in this sunburnt country... but not this year for the team cycling Melbourne to Adelaide to raise funds for South Aussies with disability or disadvantage.
Today's 96kms saw us climb into the hills of the very pretty Great Otway National Park, taking in the lush countryside. The roads were relatively traffic free for the first part of the day - except for some friendly sheep, cows, alpacas and the odd tractor or two. It was a cruel climb up Lavers Hill (Chris suffered 'like a dog'), but we all made it, and what goes up must come down!
The last part of the day took us back to the coast, passing the famous sights of the Great Ocean Road including the iconic Twelve Apostles - the perfect backdrop for some cheesy team photos.
Day 1: Melbourne - Sorrento
Tuesday, 24 January: MCG to Sorrento - 91kms
The sun was well and truly shining by the time our 14 eager cyclists arrived in Melbourne, ready for departure from the MCG.
After a quick check that the bikes were mechanically sound, a photo opportunity and of course lunch, we were off! The support team in particular were happy to leave Melbourne CBD - there were many mutterings about Melbourne drivers, roads and then of course rescuing Tracy from South Yarra!
The 91 kilometre ride went fairly smoothly for most of us except Doug - who experienced two punctures, a broken shifter and a spectacular slam into the back of Pete. Luckily both came off relatively unscathed.
A mere few hours later we arrived in Sorrento on the tip of the beautiful Mornington Peninsula - Mike with an exceptionally sweaty back, Matt's cycling pants looking a little baggy around the knees and Jill experiencing some irritation on her right buttock.
We were treated that evening by the Rotary Club of Sorrento who hosted all 19 of us with a delicious BBQ - thank you guys! We must of course mention our very own Andrew Friebe who celebrated his 28th birthday today - Happy Birthday Friebs!
All in all, a fantastic first day. Just 988km to go team..!
Day 2: Sorrento to Apollo Bay
Wednesday, 25 January: Sorrento to Apollo Bay - 141kms
A bright and early ferry ride saw us reach the Bellarine Peninsula by 8:30am - ready to take on the second leg of Pedal for a Purpose. We were treated to stunning coastal views over the Bass Straight - passing by the famous Bells Beach, Aireys Inlet (we spotted the lighthouse famous from the TV show 'Round the Twist') and enjoyed a spot of lunch on the Lorne foreshore.
Today's journey took us over some hillier terrain, including the aptly named Big Hill - but we all made it and were thankful for today's cooler weather.
We hit the official Great Ocean Road this morning - of course we had to take a quick stop for a team photo - both of the actual cyclists, then cyclists plus a coach load of amused Japanese tourists!
We arrived in Apollo Bay on schedule and enjoyed a large pasta meal - some larger than others (*cough* Doug)
Our team of 14 riders and 5 support staff are now well and truly in the swing of the trip - with a couple of honorable mentions:
Punctures: Doug is now up to five
Most likely recipient of the Golden Earplug Award for snoring: Justin - reports suggest he could be heard from adjacent bedrooms
Most excitable (over) use of radio communications in support vehicles: Clear winner is Leith
Largest amount of pasta consumed: Definitely Doug - very impressive
First pair of sunglasses sacrificed to the surf of Apollo Bay: Robin's
Most obsessive cleaner: David M (for Malcolm) Healey
Heaviest luggage (suspected hair straightners): Matt
Best looking bike as judged by the support crew*: Daniel Wray AKA Stinger
*NB The support crew know nothing about bikes. But we really liked the colour.
Day 4: Port Campbell to Portland
Friday, 27 January: Port Campbell to Portland - 173kms
On paper it sounded pretty daunting: 173kms was definitely one of our longer days, but we were blessed with an almost completely flat ride and a kind tail wind to help us on our way.
The route turned away from the coast as we made our way into Warrnambool - where we made a couple of quick bike repairs - then onto Port Fairy where our captain Andrew Friebe made his media debut and was interviewed by WIN TV! We all got a real buzz out of watching the footage on the evening's local news.
Day 5: Portland to Mount Gambier
Saturday, 28 January: Portland to Mount Gambier -113kms
Today marked two important landmarks in our epic journey - we passed the halfway mark (today was day five of nine riding days) and we also crossed the border back into South Australia.
It was a pretty good ride, with a helpful tail wind helping us keep to a good pace for most of the 113kms - though the last 10kms were a killer - with most of us struggling up the hils at the end of the stage.
Upon arrival in Mount Gambier we checked out the Blue lake, then took a tour of Bedford's timber processing site. We spent the night at the Mount Gambier Old Gaol, where we we all enjoyed a sports massage - some of winced in pain more than others!
Day 6: Mount Gambier to Beachport
Sunday, 29 January: Mount Gambier to Beachport - 85kms
We got 'out of jail' and were on the road by 7:30am, heading for Millicent along the Princes Highway. We took a quick stop by the Glenelg River in Nelson and passed through the Mount Gambier and Mount Burr Forest Reserves.
It was a short day in terms of kilometres, but cross winds meant it wasn't quite as easy as we expected. The team took turns rotating at the front - some of us enjoying the limelight and hogging the camera more than others!
Support team member Leith (of Smallacombe Real Estate) took a stint on the road today - he did an admirable job of keeping up, even if Andrew did refer to his Dad as 'Puffing Billy.' Leith looked pretty glad to arrive in Beachport - and the whole team are excited at the prospect of a rest day before the final three legs. Our spirits were brightened by several family and friends coming down to visit on the eve of our rest day - thank you Holco for supplying meat for a fantastic BBQ.
Stay tuned - we'll be updating after the next gruelling leg when we hit Salt Creek.
Day 7: Beachport to Salt Creek
Tuesday, 31 January: Beachport to Salt Creek, 185kms
Today was a big day - both in distance and getting back on our bikes for day seven of nine after a relaxing rest day in Beachport. After spending the previous night planning our tactics around the dinner table, we were up and ready to go in record time. Mike won the bet on the exact time all wheels were rolling from our start point - though his win was pretty suspicious as he spent a while 'helping' everyone pack.
Day 8: Salt Creek to Wellington
Wednesday, 1 February: Salt Creek to Wellington - 106kms
Today's route took us along the Princes Highway into Meningie where we stopped for a bite to eat before carrying onto Wellington, where we took the ferry across the Murray.
Originally established as a private enterprise in 1839, the Wellington Punt was the earliest and most important ferry crossing on the Murray River. The Wellington ferry was a vital link on the Great Eastern Road to Victoria, being used by travellers, stock and the mail service.
Day 9: Wellington to Mitcham
Thursday, 2 February: Wellington to Mitcham - 100kms
There was a mixture of emotions this morning - whilst it was the last day of the ride, it was also one of the most challenging days in terms of hills. However, much to our surprise, we made good time and rode together as a pack for the entire day.
