85k.

The day started off cold and gloomy making the 20k to Inverloch a bit meh. I actually resorted to the rain jacket then, but whenever we were protected from the wind off the ocean I was too warm. On off on off…

The road between Inverloch and Cape Paterson was surprisingly traffic free, and we were treated to some good views. Still grey though.

Cape Paterson to Wonthaggi at least had a shoulder most of the way, so that 10k section wasn’t too bad.

From Wonthaggi we joined the Bass Coast Rail Trail which took us right along the coast at one point – couldn’t complain about that, especially as the skies cleared. Blue sky, sun and sea. 👍

The rail trails are a bit harder going with the loam surface, but at least the gradients aren’t too severe. That all changed, however, when we turned off at Anders for the San Remo bike path. Sure it’s great that they’ve built this separated cycling (shared path) infrastructure, but it used the same loam surface, and also went up and down steep inclines that often went higher than the road.

I don’t know even know how to explain this bit, but, in the spirit of the name of a UK twitter account that I follow, I call it ‘bollocks infra’

Thanks guys.  We COULD have ridden up that (AND he insisted on trying.) They really don’t consider any variants of bikes, never mind panniers.

But anyway, I guess at least we got bike path pretty much all the way into San Remo, then across the bridge, and all the way across the island to Cowes.

Last day tomorrow. Ferry across to Stony Point and then a mere 95k into Melbourne (specifically to the hotel at Carlton)

It’s a bit of a shock to the system arriving in Cowes though. Touristville! More people in one place than we’ve seen for nearly three weeks!