Seasonal Ride Series

One of the many things I like about riding unsealed roads is it forces me to be more aware of different micro-environments, and the impact of weather patterns on the ground, plants and animals in those environments.

The GABCY Seasonal Ride Series is a set of monthly rides that are in harmony with local weather patterns and natural environments. The rides are in different locations around the GABCY Network. The aim is to showcase the most suitable and scenic time to ride in each location, as well as show the wide variety of rides available across the GABCY Network.

Indigenous seasonal information is from the Gariwerd calendar which is the closest publicly available match to the GABCY region.

August

July and August correlate to the indigenous season of Larneuk – nesting bird season; the wettest time of the year marked by dramatic weather changes and high rivers.

For GABCY cyclists it is the last month of winter; it is still cold and much of the soil is wet, or sticky mud on sodden clay tracks. Rushworth Ironbark forest is an exception; its thin layer of sandy soil along rolling slopes drains and dries quickly. The forest provides shelter from cold winds, and the late winter wattles are in full spectacular bloom. This 47km loop is an ideal ride for August – Wattle Day Ride – Rushworth

2022 – We rode the route on 3rd September 2022. Wattle was on the wane; lots of golden wattle but ausfelds wattle had finished. Still a great day. Tracks in great condition – smooth and dry. Some wildflower bushes were in bloom. Although there was a cold 20 km/hr southerly blowing it was calm in the shelter of the forest. In future, it would be better to do this ride in the last weeks of August to get peak wattle gold. Some pics from the ride are below:

September

September to November correlates to the indigenous season of Petyan – wildflower season; marked by tempestuous weather, warmer days and the bush bursting into life. It is also the time for murrnong (yam daisies).

For GABCY cyclists it is the start of spring; the days are getting longer and mornings are warmer. Weather remains highly variable. Gravel roads drain well and are usually rideable even in the wet, but clay roads and tracks are usually still too sodden to ride. The dominant features on rides are lush green fields of the new season’s cereal and fodder crops. Particularly the brilliant yellow fields of flowering canola. This ride is an ideal ride for September – Cornella Canola Roller – the route passes alongside many fields of canola, and also has scenic climbs of Mt.Camel Range ridgeline so riders can look out over the patchwork of colourful fields.

2022 – We rode the route on 23 September 2022. A great ride, gravel roads were in good condition and lots of canola in bright flower. The clay tracks were sodden so the route avoided them. Rain for last 10 km including final climb of Chinamans Bend was a slight dampener. This date was the perfect timing though; by the following weekend canola fields were more patchy with flowers breaking down. Some pics from the ride are below.

Local Knowledge – What does this sign mean?

So what does ‘dry weather’ mean? It means dry ground. In winter that requires about a month without significant rain. In high summer it requires about 3 days without significant rain.

For more information about understanding different road conditions in the GABCY Network – see Local Knowledge – Roads & Tracks.

October

September to November correlates to the indigenous season of Petyan – wildflower season; marked by tempestuous weather, warmer days and the bush bursting into life. It is also the time for murrnong (yam daisies).

For GABCY cyclists it is the middle of spring; the equinox has passed, and the return of daylight savings time indicates that longer, warmer days are approaching. Weather remains highly variable, which makes planning rides difficult. Gravel roads drain well and are usually rideable even in the wet, but clay roads and tracks are usually still too sodden to ride. An ideal and reliable ride for late October is Gobarup Grass Trees and Wildflowers – the local wildflowers are in peak bloom, and the thin sandy topsoil and gravel tracks on the rolling hills of the Rushworth forest drain well even when it is wet and boggy elsewhere.

2022 – The ride was scheduled for 29/10/22. However, because of extensive rain and floods across northern Victoria, the ride was cancelled – see All The Rivers Flood.

November

September to November correlates to the indigenous season of Petyan – wildflower season; marked by tempestuous weather, warmer days and the bush bursting into life. It is also the time for murrnong (yam daisies).

For GABCY cyclists it is the last month of spring; the weather is more predictable, with warmer days and more hours of daylight. Roads start to dry out and many clay roads become rideable. Grapevines are in full, bright, green leaf. Although you still need to research current conditions and plan accordingly, there are more route options. An ideal and reliable ride for November is Red Ridge Ride – Heathcote Wineries Tour.

2022 – The ride was held 26 November 2022. Some pics below –

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December and Following Months

Usually in Summer, this seasonal ride series would focus on rivers and river tracks. However, in the summer of 2022/23 the national parks along rivers remain closed due to flood impact, and may stay closed into autumn of 2023.

Accordingly, this series is suspended until I can get more certainty about access to national parks and reserves.

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