Cycle Against the Beast – 2022
14th March, 2022
Today, it’s back on the road! But, first, I had some laundry to do – almost a week’s worth! So, I stopped by the local laundromat. I didn’t wish to burden my Warmshowers host later today. All up, it probably took about an hour to do. The industrial grade tumble dryers are very efficient. As I was cycling away, after a few minutes I realised, after checking my map, that I was going the wrong way. Easy fixed and I hadn’t gone too far off course – only about a kilometre.
The Albury CBD is rather flat. However, leaving Albury via the west is a different proposition entirely. A short sharp hill certainly got my blood pumping. However, I took my time as it wasn’t a race. Another steeper and taller hill isn’t too far ahead either. The Riverina Highway (B58) is a rather busy road. A local cycleway follows the road a few kilometres out (which I discovered shortly before it ended!). But the hard shoulder was decent enough. The aim was to reach Howlong by around lunchtime, which I thought was rather attainable.
I had lunch at the Howlong Country Bakery. I had a fantastic steak and mushroom pie (though not as good as the Ganmain pie I had last week) along with a large bottle of Coke. After about half an hour, it was time to get moving again. I rode out of town and crossed the border into Victoria. I could have kept cycling along the Riverina Highway, but the road on the other side of the border was a little quieter – thankfully quieter than it was the other day. The progress was quite good, also. I had the benefit of a very slight tailwind. This made the next hour and a bit an easy ride. Before long, it was time to cross the border back in to New South Wales. This border crossing is right near Corowa itself. It’s on the main connector road from Wangaratta. Across the bridge, it’s a simple left turn to Corowa.
I had a fair idea as to where to go to get to my hosts (John and Chris – 2velos Australia) for the evening. And I only ended up overshooting by one house. John and Chris were wonderful hosts. After a bottle or two of ginger beer, and a shower, we chatted away about past and future travels. John & Chris had done a little filming of their bicycle adventures, so watched a few of their YouTube videos. John suggested quieter ways to cycle on to Yarrawonga (and maybe on to Benalla, if I had the time) tomorrow and offered to cycle with me for about an hour or so. We then watched a movie called The Midnight Sky. Not a bad movie at all! As it was released during the Covid-19 pandemic, it had a limited cinema release before ending up on Netflix.
After (and during) dinner, we chatted away about their plans to cycle up to central New South Wales. It was then time for me to turn in for the night.
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