Kinglake in the Mist

Saterday morning and heading for the hills for the second week in a row - that can't be right!!!

It seems it never rains but it pours in regard to getting up to ride and support the fire ravaged northern hills of Melbourne.

Last week it was 1,600 riders heading for Marysville. Apparently the best looking riders in the best looking bunch on the road were featured in the local newspaper under the story of "Riders lend a helping hand". I will try to post this.

This week it was 5 riders, just as good looking, heading from Donvale reserve straight into the hills of Warrandyte and off into the country. This is suburbia but not as we know. Firstly there are hills that need the 42/23 (or more) on one side and the 53/11 on the other - they make for an interesting warm up early on and an interest test of the legs at the end of the ride. Second there are big spaces between the houses, where the horse wader or the veg patches are - there is plenty of space out here and you certainly get that country feeling. Thirdly there are very few other cyclists, unlike the maddening crowds of Beach Road on Saterday or Sunday morning.

Past the watch for kangaroo signs of Kangaroo Ground and west down the hill to Wattle Glen - and north up the lovely little valley to Hurstbridge. Having forgotten to take the map we decided to follow the signs rather than try to loop back on the secondary road, so pushed straight on to St Andrews where the 2 main roads join. (leave something to be explored for next time). Still little sign of fire impacts and the wandering mind starts to wonder just where the fires were. The climb we were looking for started in earnest after St Andrews and the firs impacts were soon very evident. This road would have been one of the best climbs in Melb, but it took on a different context as you started to gain elevation to see the total devastation of the this valley then the next and the next - almost nothing left, and those who had not ridden Marysville the week before were struck by the house sites left as crumbled ruins. As a climb it is ideal - smooth and even and long, requiring no more than a 21 and most of it was in the 19. As we gained elevation we meet the mist, then the light rain.

Quick reeky of the coffee option (3 spotted) landed us at the one next to the bakehouse, which doubles as a video shop. Coffee was good but not great, but the veg pasties were superb (and the pies and nut slice were good too). Friendly locals too.

The drizzle had set in the descent so it was a cautious bunch that headed back down the hill - this would be wonderful in the dry. Soon we are back at St Andrews, where the tardy wanted to stop at the Market to search for a Mother Day pressie (looked interesting) but we push on heading straight south - it must be downhill right? In true Bandido spirit, like old horses, the pace for the return trip quicken and soon it was just the seldom seen KT and Kiwi flying down and up the undulations, until we found ourselves back in Kangaroo Ground. The undulation that you hadn't even noticed 80kms ago, seemed a little more substantial at this time but the Didos knocked them over with ease and panache.

Post Ride Assessment (random thoughts)

• You never depart on time as someone will always turn up late
• allow time for a flat tyre (or two)
• if you're heading to the hills, always take your jacket
• the roads and shoulders are quite narrow so it is single file for much of the way
• we started at 8:15 and made it home by 1:15 - a 7am start would probably be better as the traffic was getting heavy by the time we go back to the cars
• you could make a whole day of it if the family wanted to come up (St Andrews market?)
• there are plenty of other roads in the area to explore