Victoria and Luke rode from Bendigo to Nagambie, about 135km, in March 2022. Their route included the O’Keefe Rail Trail, and parts of Reap the Red Ridge, Golden Black Track, Ghostown Gambol, and Nagambie Meander
Day 1 – Bendigo to Heathcote – 56km
We arrived in Bendigo by train at 11.20am, and it was already hot and meant to get hotter. Earlier in the week, it had promised 22-23 degrees, but now it was saying 29, and similar for tomorrow. It was going to be a tough ride…
It was easy to navigate our way through the few small turns to the start of the O’Keefe Rail Trail, and we were quickly on our way, cruising along manicured bike paths similar to Melbourne. Pretty soon we were out onto beautifully graded gravel alongside the road, and watching a lot of cyclists coming the other way who had clearly been smart enough to start early in the morning.
Signs announcing the sites of the old railway stations rolled past quickly on the easy riding gravel, and we soon arrived in Axedale, taking well sign-posted streets to the Axedale Tavern for lunch.
The tavern has a beautiful big courtyard with lots of tables under umbrellas, and live music on a Sunday afternoon. The food was good and the portions were plentiful, leaving us actually a little too full to ride comfortably in the heat of the afternoon… be warned.
Leaving Axedale, and a quick steep hill later, we were quickly in the countryside proper – alternating patches of shady gum trees and blazing hot fields of flat yellow farmland. Heads down, we powered through the heat, cheered on by screeching sulphur-crested cockatoos, and suddenly popped out beside Lake Eppalock. A beautiful, but strange sight, coated in bright green plant matter and flooding bare, reaching trees.
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To continue and read the full ride report use this link – Review: GABCY South East – Victoria and Luke
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Nix-Tracks 