Warburton — Lilydale Rail Trail
Sunday 6 November 2005

Driving to Warburton on such a beautiful Sunday morning, we knew we were in for a great ride.

After our group had gathered and signed in, we left the shady banks of the Yarra promptly at 9.30am. It was then a quick uphill and onto the rail trail. The magnificent trail passes through picturesque countryside including a spectacular blue-hilled valley and restored railway stations. Coffee and snacks are only a quick detour off the track.

The track was in good condition and the gradient was gentle until the climb to Mt Evelyn. We enjoyed a stop and a snack along the way, before pedalling on to Lilydale where we made a beeline for the Lake and a leisurely lunch.

The weather was kind; warm and sunny with only a breeze to cool us. After the climb to Lilydale it was a long, relaxing coast down from Mt Evelyn for the return trip. Arriving back at Warburton around 4.30pm we settled by the river for a paddle and a cool drink. It was a delightful ending to a great day. It seemed to be the easiest 78km ever!

NIL DESPERANDUM

Some times just getting to the ride can be quite an adventure!

Sunday dawned bright and crisp and cool. Rays 9.30am ride from Carrum to Berwick beckoned and as I wanted to put in an extra few Ks I decided to ride from home base in Mornington. Rays ride was mostly on tracks so I jumped on the “Great Vic” bike (the original purple & orange breed) as its perfect for those conditions. At around Frankston I remembered that my tool pouch was on the road bike, that's OK, its dry and the support of the group is just a few Ks away I thought. No sooner had that comforting thought passed through my mind than the peace was disturbed by a rifle shot bang from the back wheel. The road was alive with cyclists and a dozen others spun their heads to check the source of the shot. I rumbled to a stop and quickly found the last 20mm of a 75mm nail protruding from the tyre. The lycra clad bunches of riders with their quick release axles and allen key fitted bikes were not going to be much help, I needed a 16mm spanner to be able to fit my spare tube (see I wasn't totally unprepared!) So I started to walk back to Frankston thinking about plan “B”.

Back in Frankston, I recalled that there was a Sunday market near the railway station, should be able to find a spanner there me thinks. Paying my dollar and forcing my self to walk past all the other interesting stalls, I sought out a tool fella. Five minutes and five dollars got me a pair of multigrips and a shifter, so I headed back to the bike and on to the station, plan “B” was starting to look a lot like plan “A”, but first I had to catch the group! The 9.18am train was waiting, half full, ready to go, so I found a carriage with a bit of space and started my puncture repair. No sooner had the ding sounded to close the doors than a second heralded the announcement that the train had been cancelled (vandalised). At around this time I also discovered that my brand new spare tube had a hole in it, and yes, the puncture repair kit was at home also. Now my mobile workshop was going nowhere so I picked up the pieces of bicycle and continued my musing on the station.

Having validated my ticket I decided to stay on the platform and wait for the 9.48am train, any thought of catching the ride at the start point had now evaporated. Now travelling north on the 9.50, I reassembled the bike without a rear tube and from one of the spidery maps on the wall selected Mordialloc as an exit point. There is a bike shop there, could they be open and have a 26 inch tube? They were and they did. Out came the $5 spanners and in went the new tube, with part of the cardboard box covering the inside of the tyre where the nail went though. Yeehaa!!!!, now I had a working bike and a small window of possibility to catch the ride group at Dandenong.

The GV bike has no accessories fitted, so I don't know what speed I maintained for the 13 Ks to Rotary park, but the legs were fresh, the chase was on, and the goal was in sight. As I rolled into Dandenong I could just see the tail end of the group crossing the pedestrian bridge in the park, I could hardly believe my luck! I have never been so glad to sign onto a ride.

Some times just getting to the ride can be quite an adventure!

Stan Proctor

Peninsula Pedallers