Skip to content

The East Gippsland Rail Trail

Start of the Trail with new boots

Start of the Trail with new boots

History and rules

History and rules

Second time lucky, but not without a shiver or two

After yesterday debacle I decided that some self pampering was needed so last night, after a shower and a change of cloths, i spent the evening in the company of a couple of glasses of wine. I was out on until the shocking hour of 20:30 and then returned to the campsite where I was planning to sleep through what promised to be a fairly cold night.

 

I did sleep most of it but, with the temperature falling to 2º C, I did so fully dressed and with the mummy sleeping bag and liner closed not leaving even the nose exposed to the elements. The combination of cold, lack of wind and small tent produced however an unwelcome development, the inside of the tent was, by the early morning, getting fairly wet with condensation and I was becoming a bit worried that the sleeping bag was going to get wet hence creating a mammoth drying problem.

Route 3,047,977 – powered by www.bikemap.net

 

In the end things were not as bad as they could be and the fact that I am, as a friend described it, glamping tonight, i.e. get a cabin in a campsite rather than pitching the tent, is allowing me to have a comprehensive drying session.

First station and bridge

First station and bridge

View on river, less than impressive

View on river, less than impressive

The first order of the day was to get the bike in order, I had done a site survey last night and new where to go. I was expecting to have to get what they had to replace my long serving Marathon+ but, so it happens, they had a pair of them. I decided to change them both as the front one, while not damaged, was as old as the back one, this will mean a trouble free ending to the down under tour, we hope.

After the change was made i was on my way, having now, thanks to the backtracking, the possibility to starting the East Gippsland Rail Trail from its start.

Second station

Second station

Story

Story

and route profile

and route profile

The first part of the trail was paved and straight to Nicholson, following that there was a succession of rises and falls that did not challenge the gearing too much.

Some of the station are better preserved that others, but on the whole there is no comparison between the organisation that is present in the New Zealand trails and the neither is the exploitation of the tourist opportunity with the pub in Nowa Nowa being the only watering hole along the way.

Big bridges but not used

Big bridges but not used

yet quiteimpressive

yet quiteimpressive

Third station

Third station

On the other hand there are a few impressive bridges that you can see very well as they have not been restored so the path now goes around them.

Most impressive bridge

Most impressive bridge

with legend

with legend

When I got to Nowa Nowa I stopped for a lunch but I had had enough of gravel and sand so I decided to finish the last 24 miles on the tarmac of the Princess Highway.

Did I enjoy the trail, mmm, so so. I guess it’s another case of not liking good once you’ve enjoyed great. I think if I had to I’d do it again but only because it is shorter than going to Lakes Entrance along the A1. I suspect that, on the experience of today I might stick to tarmac for the rest of the trip.

Beauty can be seen on the highway too

Beauty can be seen on the highway too

drinking seems to be lees of a concern than sleeping down here

drinking seems to be lees of a concern than sleeping down here

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *