Coolalinga coffee

I have not been sleeping, my nervous system keeps triggering early morning jitters, the heat is rising and the cockroaches scurry.

Pillow soaked in sweat if the fan is not full the nerves in my leg start to quiver.

It's coolest just before dawn, maybe I could get an hour sleep... but I don't want to miss the dawn.

The buildup. Waking in a sweat at regular intervals. By 4am starting the day is a viable option. Why lay in bed any longer?

Dim pre-dawn light on the Darwin rail trail

No point waiting for sleep. I'm compelled to ride to use up some nervous energy, listen to music, be under the open sky and to witness the dawn. It's become a compulsion. Distances are increasing, most morning's I do about 30km.

My wife and kids are still in bed. They won't be up for a couple of hours, despite the fact that I only seem to be in the way during the morning routine, I feel guilty for not being there when they get up... But it is true, I just get in the way... The time for trying to figure these conflicting emotions has passed. Whatever errors I have made have been made and there is no going back. I am what I am. I'll see the kids after school. No room for guilty feelings. Just action. Do what you feel is right. This feels right. Sitting, waiting, trying to do what you think is expected... is like a slow miserable death and it pleases nobody. "Don't question what you thinks others expect or what you think they want you to do, If you can't be true to yourself you can't be true..." (Internal thought buble) The questions and doubt rage within me. I must make my decisions and live with the consequences. 

This morning instead of following the coastal trail I decided to ride out to Coolalinga along the Rail Trail. 

I've been doing these early morning rides for a month now and my body seems completely tuned to the exertion. My mind and soul crave the activity it's like a drug for me now and I get really restless if I can't get out.

Cycads and Salmon Gum beside the path

Freshly cleared and graded rail line, steel track and ballast removed. Next will come bitumen

Although it hasn't yet been opened I thought I'd check out the new section of the trail leading from Howard Springs to Coolalinga. There are about three bridges on this part of the trail that haven't been opened yet. The bush tracks in this section are so dusty or muddy they become too difficult to ride a lot of the time and leave the bike covered in abrasive crap. 
When riding south I usually choose to take the Stuart Highway, I never feel comfortable riding the highway on this section so I'll be very glad when they finally open the cycle path.

The original rail line was closed down in 1981 and the land has been vacant since but judging by the number of bush tracks sprawling between the line and adjoining bush, locals have made use of the area for recreational, motorbike riding, 4x4 and hooning around. 

Adjoining properties that had probably enjoyed a certain amount of  privacy are now easily viewed from the cycle path. There's a pretty section near Howard Springs where Mango and cashew orchards extend all the way to the edge of the trail. I found a few trees fruiting. The Cashew fruit is very pretty and has quite a sweet scent. 

I hope these plants survive the development process, there is a tendency around here to destroy non productive orchards.

Cashew fruit. I picked and ate the soft fruit of this pant, very sweet but leaves the teeth furry

Arriving at Coolalinga I had to leave the serenity of bush riding and enter the madness of Coolalinga shopping centre. Headed straight to the el-cheapo coffee vending machine, grabbed a double hit and sat by a road train to sup my brew before heading back the way I came as the sun revealed it's splendor through tree trunks on the horizon.

It was another nice ride. Beautiful country for the most part. As I came closer to Darwin the intrusions of unfettered development began to close in, I needed to travel closer to busy roads and morning commuters and tradesmen. It was inevitable that I would be confronted with one of the nastier sides to riding a bike. Malicious drivers. As I was riding on a roadside bike lane, a truck came towards me in the opposite direction. He was fully in the bicycle lane traveling at over 60kmh! I slowed down to give him time to move across. He drove his  vehicle directly towards me and moved only slightly into his own lane and passed me with only centimeters to spare! I was seriously shaken, it's not the first time and it probably won't be the last... but there will possibly be a 'Last' time it does happen. 

I finished the ride with a loop of Charles Darwin Park and a great view over the city. clocking up 58 km before work. 

An interesting morning.  

O'Keefe Rail Trail on a winter day

I recently had the opportunity to ride the O'Keefe Rail Trail a 49km trail that follows the old rail line between Heathcote and Bendigo via Axedale.

See link for full details https://www.bendigotourism.com/images/Cycling/OKeefe%20Rail%20Trail.pdf

I had once owned some land at Heathcote but haven't been back there for about 20 years. Coincidentally I've been wanting to visit Bendigo for several years but have not had opportunity or a good enough reason to travel out there until now.

Some time last year I read about the opening of the O'Keefe Rail Trail on a Cycling blog. The pictures looked interesting and the distance seemed quite manageable. About 50km.

On Wednesday morning I put my bike in the back of my parents car and we all went for a drive to Heathcote, via Seymour. The country was absolutely beautiful, the sky was blue and the fields were a brilliant green. They'd had enough rain to really freshen up the place. Rain and heavy winds were forecast for later in the day but the the morning was magnificent.

 

We arrived in Heathcote fairly late in the morning and I headed off on the trail at 11am. My traveling companions drove on to Bendigo to do a bit of sight seeing, ride the tram and see some local attractions.

Here the track begins... Right in the centre of town. 

I hadn't really thought through the ride, the only reason for starting in Heathcote was so the rest of the family could drive through to Bendigo where there is more to occupy them while they wait for me to ride the trail. 

I didn't count on the fact that in winter the sun doesn't rise high above the horizon, which means that if you're heading in a northerly direction, the sun will always be in your eyes! 

I also hadn't considered the wind direction. It just happened that on the day I was riding most of the state of Victoria was expecting winds of up to 100kph!

At 11am the wind hadn't yet reached it's peak but the temperature was only around 9.C. The combination of cold wind and Sun in my eyes meant that I missed a lot of the view. My nose was dripping.

A very large roo, he aint moving for nobody.

All these negatives aside, the track was smooth and easy to follow, the sky was clear and, beside the odd kangaroo, I had the path all to my self for most of the journey.

There are a few sections, where the path combines with local roads, I needed to refer to google maps to be sure I was still on the right path, but most of the trail was very easy to follow.

Cattle Grid

Between Heathcote and Axedale there are a lot of cattle grids. I rode a flat barred road bike basically because it was the easiest thing to fit into the back of a car. The grids weren't a hindrance but I was worried the continual impact would damage my rims or flatten my tyres. 
Aside from cattle grids the track is smooth and can easily be ridden on most bikes, but if I were to do it again I'd choose a more robust bike with wider tyres.

Replica mile stones mark the length of the trail, distance from Melbourne in miles (not KM)

There was plenty of bird life along the way, of note were three separate White-winged Chough clans and a flock of about 30 Red-rumped Parrots.

 

Acacia baileyana - Cootamundra wattle. (Swaying in the breeze)

A wooded section

Although a lot of the land along the highway is cleared the rail trail passes through areas of state forest which contain reasonable stands of eucalypt and wattles.

Ubiquitous dead trees at lake view rest place

The map shows an interesting section where the trail passes over Lake Eppalock. Unfortunately this section of the lake was quite dry, only a depression in the ground and some distant puddles suggested the existence of a lake.

After crossing 'Lake' Eppalock the path makes its way to Knowsley State Forest, a reasonable stand of eaucalypts and yellow flowering acacia bushes I am not familiar with. It's good to see stands of woodland remaining in these areas, they don't seem to have a lot of species diversity but they must provide a haven for wildlife. Wood harvesting seems to be another function of the area. 

Before arriving in Axedale the path winds past the remains of an old building, I am not entirely sure of the story but the map indicates this as the site of the Quarry Hotel. There's an old stone wall and remains of orchard close to the river.
Looking down from the bridge over the Campaspe River I was surprised to see the water was so clear.
   

Campaspe River looking toward McIvor Highway bridge

Continuing from Axedale there was much greater presence of residential semi rural development. Much of the land was still wooded with native vegetation and a reasonable reserve had been left along the rail line which doubled as bicycle path and wildlife corridor. Nesting boxes had been installed on many of the larger trees. It was pleasant cycling through this section but I wondered how much land is sacrificed for so many people to live on their one or two achre blocks.

Bicycle repair station

Tyre pressure gauge for high pressure foot pump

Along this more heavily populated section of the trail there were more amenities. Although I didn't see a public toilet at any stage along the path they did have a water dispenser and an awesome do it yourself bicycle repair depot.

By the time I arrived on the outskirts of Bendigo the wind had picked up and the trail became less defined. A small hill greets the rider just before finally arriving in the town centre.

Bendigo Hothouse

All up I found this a very pleasant ride, two and a half hours of easy peddling stopping occasionally to take photos and smell the flowers. A fantastic way to arrive in the town of Bendigo.

What next?

As one who prefers to travel independently I am planning to catch the train to Castlemaine, cycling to Bendigo via Knowsley and Axedale then return to Melbourne on train from Bendigo.

   

Possible rout next time

Night commuting

Note to self...

Commuting by bicycle from Darwin to Palmerston at dusk is divine, the flowing water, the frogs, egrets, bright green spear grass, cool showers of rain, all lovely! Riding home through the wetlands at night... Not so great!

12 km of this path is through unlit wetlands... Lots of reptiles and amphibians

Returning along the bike path raised only centimeters above water level of flooded wetlands in the dark of night might sound romantic, but a discerning cyclist should be aware that what appears cute in the day can become hazardous by nightfall!

One of many Cane Toads enjoying the wet bitumen (apologies for poor quality image)

Tonight I narrowly missed squashing several frogs and some pretty hefty looking Cane Toads on the path... Unfortunately I was moving too fast to avoid running over one snake! I think it was a Keel Back or a Slaty Grey, poor bugger.

In the cool we ride

Here in the Top End of Australia the humidity and heat can make outdoor activities very uncomfortable, fortunately though we get relief when the Monsoons arrive.

On Wednesday last week (New Year’s Eve) they arrived and things have cooled down a lot. Although the monsoon brings a lot of rain, there are also quite long spells between downpours and if you can get the timing right you could discover that this is the absolute best time of all for cycling. The weather is cool, the roads and cycle paths aren’t so crowded with tourists and, unless there’s a cyclone brewing, there isn’t much wind around.

My mate Michael, who suffers from some fairly serious lumber pain prefers to ride a single speed beach cruiser with ape hanger handle bars, which gives him a very upright riding position. I have a cruiser myself which I love but I tend only to use it as a delivery bike during election campaigns these days.
With Michael daring to ride further afield each week I’ve had the opportunity over the Christmas Break to join him. To keep the pace fair, I’ve decided to ‘join the club’ and ride my single as well.



Our ride last Friday was a 50km round trip, most of which was along bicycle paths until we reached the back blocks of Howard Springs. I forgot to bring a water bottle, something I would never have gotten away with in the dry season… or on a hotter day.