It’s time for the 2023 European Adventure

It’s hard to believe that a week ago I arrived in London and now I’m sitting in Cherbourg, France at the start of this year’s European Adventure.

A new discovery in London was the Regent Park Outdoor Theatre only a short walk from Baker Street Station. You can’t miss it there is a statue of Sherlock Holmes stands there.

My time in London was filled in by my sister (and cultural guide) and collecting and preparing the Mighty Breva for this year’s 3 month trip across Europe.

I took the ferry from Poole to Cherbourg. Poole is the second largest natural harbour in the world after Sydney Harbour and there are some great views sailing out on the ferry.

It was a smooth crossing to Cherbourg and it didn’t seem long till France was in site.

You do get a special welcome when you arrive in France on Bastille Day.

The small town orchestra come out to play.

And when finally gets dark around 11pm, the fireworks fill the sky.

Cherbourg is my favourite gateway port into France. It’s a charming city with a rich maritime history. Also beautiful seafood and loads of that great European moto culture!

Even in Winter -the GOR is a great ride.

Even in winter the Great Ocean Road is a great ride

The joy of a midweek ride in winter the road is pretty much empty. It allows the rider set up a rhythm on the road. Smooth riding over the damp road and around the tight corners.

With dark clouds foreboding Apollo Bay and its little fishing harbour is a welcome destination.

But it was soon into the Apollo Bay Eco Hostel and its welcoming warmth.

In Victoria that faces the Southern Ocean the weather doesn’t settle for long.

The next day was clear and calm. Perfect riding weather along a near perfect riding road.

There is a lookout at the back of Lorne there a fantastic view over the ocean.

On this day the sun was in the perfect spot to light rainbows in the spray of the breaking surf.

For me the best riding on the GOR finishes ar Airies Inlet. From the the villages but up against each other with only glimpses of the great Ocean over the houses and dunes.

The Airies Inlet Light House the last stop before heading home to Melbourne.

Hard to believe it was winter.

In Melbourne, I’m lucky enough to live by a little harbour and can take a walk on a summers day and admire the wooden boats.

The King and Ovens Valleys in North East Victoria.

The King and Ovens rivers in Victoria’s north east are central to a major gourmet region of Austraia. An area of fine wines, cheeses, other high quality produce.

The rivers with their head waters in the Australian Alps wind their way through fertile land as tributaries to the Murray River, Australia’s longest river.

It is Autumn here so the grape vines and deciduous trees add colour to the landscape.

While the night temperatures are getting cold the autumn days are still sunny and warm. This region is about 3 hours north of Melbourne with beautiful riding through the hills to get to the little cottage where I was staying.

Mount Buffalo sits at the head of the Ovens Valley and is a beautiful place for a ride and a hike. From the peak there is a spectacular view across to the Australian Alps.

The cold nights have put little snow caps on Mounts Bogong, Hotham and Feathertop.

It was beautiful hiking under a cloudless sky with beautiful views along the way.

The area has some great pubs perfect for a cold beer after a hike.

The cottage had a perfect view of the sun rising over the hills and the morning mist caught in the valley.

In the bush the old trees attract beautifully coloured birds such as the Crimson Rosella.

And the clear skies gave a perfect view of the milky way.

A perfect place to watch the stars turn.

A short trip to North West Victoria – the silo art trail

On the road to Sea Lake there is the little settlement of Nullawil with its beautifully painter silo.

This is the eastern most point on the Victorin Silo Art Trail. The trail covers around 700km of the Wimmera Mallee region and includes 13 painted silos.

As this was only a short trip I can only offer a sample of the artwork.

Nullawil

Sea Lake

Sea Lake has some beautiful street murals as well.

Heading south west from Sea Lake the village of Lascelles has the next painted silo.

Then running south there is Roseberry

Then Brim, the first of the silos to be painted and completed in 2016

The last silo on this trip was in Rupanyap.

As you can imagine this is grain growing country. Mainly wheat but also other grains and pulses.

At Murtoa, there is ‘the stick shed’. A huge grain storage shed with a floor space of 1.5 ha and the roof held up by massive poles or sticks.

There were many of these sheds built around Australia in the 1940s but this is the last surviving “stick shed”. It’s a wonderful piece of Australian national heritage.

For more information on the Victorian Silo Art Trail go to: http://siloarttrail.com

A short trip in North West Victoria – Sea Lake

Sea Lake is a small village in the Mallee Country in the North West of Victoria. It gains its name from the salt lake next to it.

It was a great opportunity to take my faithful old mighty Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 for a run.

Lake Tyrrell whose name is derived from the aboriginal word Deril which means open to the sky. It is Victoria’s largest salt lake that is believed to be formed 120,000 years ago.

The lake is a a light pink colour.