Gippsland rail trail

I'd finally got the car kitted out with roof racks to carry the bikes so we packed up and headed east for the long weekend to do the rail trail from Leongatha to Foster in Gippsland. It was a nice drive to Leongatha, it actually reminded us of New Zealand. It was very green thanks to all the rain. Anyway, we made it there fine but after we had stopped off at the visitor centre, the car wouldn't start. After trying to push start it (of course didn't work) and trying every garage in town, we finally called the RACV and paid the whopping fee to join up. The nice RACV man got us fixed up and restarted and everything appeared to be fine so we got going on the cycling.

The trail was a great surface and of course very flat. It was a nice ride and we made good progress as the day warmed up.



No, Kelley hasn't had a little accident in the picture below, just some friendly wildlife.



And some more, check out this prickly little dude...



After all of my best laid plans had failed to come to fruition, it was time for Plan C and a nice spot a few km from the end of the day provided the opportunity for me to pop the question. It wasn't exactly what I'd had in mind but with the background of some sheep grazing on the rolling hills and a view towards the appropriately named Wilson's Promatory National Park, I asked Kelley to marry me and thankfully she accepted. All felt a bit surreal really but after we'd rolled into town at Foster, set up camp and called home, it started to feel a bit more real. We celebrated with a bottle of bubbles and a feed at the local pub alongside guests from someone else's wedding who were getting a few under their belt before the reception.

I don't like these type of photos but since I had such a happy look on my face after recently getting engaged, I had to put it in. Appropriate that I'm still in full cycling kit too, I mean, why should I take my helmet off for a proposal, what if she hadn't reacted well?



We took a slightly different route on the way back including some time on the road and some fish and chips near the beach, and a paddle.







Unfortunately the car troubles resurfaced on the way home. Lights starting flashing on the dashboard with about 80km still to go and we pushed on - by the time we got to the BP station in Cranbourne (about 40km from central Melbourne) almost every light was glowing on the dash and none of the electrics were working. We pulled in to the BP and weren't going anywhere after we'd filled up so after another call out and some confusing and frustrating phone calls, we ended up waiting for the most racist tow truck driver in Melbourne to come and tow us home. Poor car....

Rail Trail

We had a few spare days after the weddings in Hawkes Bay and Christmas at home so we managed to lure Jenny and Laurence down for ride on the rail trail. We picked them up from the airport and by the time we had lunch we were running a bit late to be able to do all of what we planned for day one so we threw the bikes on the back of the truck, skipped the flat boring bit and started at Hyde.



After about and hour's riding, the clouds rolled in and it bucketed down. By the time we got to Ranfurly we were soaked so we took the quickest route on the road to get to Naseby. That night was New Year's Eve, and Jenny's birthday so we went out for dinner and even paid a cover charge to get into one of the pubs but it wasn't worth it. It was a freezing night and by the time the bagpipes started playing to bring in the New Year, we were in bed.

Day 2 was a much better day and it was our longest ride, from Naseby to Ophir.



Art on the wall at a cafe where we had lunch, all the stops of the rail trail.



Poolburn Gorge, tunnels and viaducts











Ophir swing bridge



We had a day to relax in Wanaka at the end of the riding and peter and Robyn came up as well. Unfortunately the weather was bad but we did get a morning when it wasn't raining and made the most of it with a walk up Mt Iron.



A quick stop at St Bathans and the Blue Lake on the drive home

Shaun and Michaela's wedding

The second wedding in two days and this time a groomsman role for me to play. The ceremony was in the church at Taradale and reception at 'the 'Old Church' just out of Taradale, a really nice setting amongst the vines. Everything went perfectly, unfortunately it all got a bit too much for me late in the evening and I fell asleep on a table outside and caused a small panic to those who thought I was lost...

The families outside the church



A big old double decker bus hired for the occasion. To transport everyone from the church to the reception and then do a run back to Napier that night to get everyone home. Also provided a platform for Burt to fertilise the road....



The handsome side of the bridal party



And one to capture the flowing locks

Josh and Jody's wedding

The day didn't start out so well, in fact the whole weekend in Hawkes bay was rather damp. But the clouds cleared for Josh and Jody's outdoor wedding at Ormlie Lodge just out of Taradale. It was sweltering in fact and the only sign of the persistent rain was the girl's high heels sinking into the lawn.







Was a fantastic wedding, the clear highlight was Josh's father's band playing and getting everyone up on the dancefloor. It was going to be tough to back up for another one the next day!

Adelaide and the Ashes

It was very hot on our day at the Ashes but we were lucky enough to snare a seat in the stand for the whole day.

After watching Bollinger take a wicket in his first over, the rest of the day was all England as they racked up the runs and their fans got louder and drunker. Super ground though.





We took a trip out to the beach on Sunday before our flight.

New camera, new house and a trip to the snow

Well it has been a while since the last post way back in March, thanks largely to a damp winter, weekend spent house hunting,no annual leave and the lack of a functioning camera. But we finally made the call to buy one and the removal of the cobwebs around the wallet must have started something as soon after we were successful with our offer on a unit in Heidelberg Heights. We purchased in the first weekend of September and have a 30 day settlement so we'll be moving in early October. Very exciting, especially having a full sized kitchen, a freezer and a spare room for people to stay. I'd put up a link to the new place but it probably won't last so if you are interested, do a search for 3/21-23 Bamfield Road, Heidelberg Heights.

We'll miss our little tree house which has been home for the last year. It was supposed to be a very temporary arrangement but we have been treated so well by our brilliant landlord Shelagh so it was always going to be hard to leave.

Airing the bedding at the sleep-out / tree house / cubby house, home for a year



A couple of weekends earlier than all the house stuff, we took a drive out to Warburton in the Yarra Valley for a walk in the bush. I'd read about a 'treetop walk' which sounded brilliant but was rather disappointing- consisting of a platform about 10m off the ground.





There was a lot of traffic going up the hill and signs about road closures due to snow but I was sceptical, not this low and not this close to Melbourne. Curious, we followed the traffic, up Mt Donna Buang and sure enough there was snow, and heaps of parents with young children and toboggans. It looked like great fun. I wasn't exactly appropriately dressed (the shorts caused a bit of a stir actually) so we had a wander round for half an hour and then headed down the hill to where it was a bit warmer.



After a walk around Warburton, we went over the hill to Healesville for lunch at the RACV club.

Sculpture outside RACV club, Healesville



Golf course at RACV club

Grand Final

A couple of snaps of Collingwood supporters before the first of 2 grand finals for the AFL. The first one was a tie so they had to come back the following weekend.

Magpie army on the way to the MCG



Fans parked outside - this van had a spit roaster in the back.