One of my objectives while on long service leave is to get fitter by riding 1000 km on my bike. This page is dedicated to recording my progress.

Wednesday 14th April (My Birthday)  82km – Sub Total 82km

Dromana to Lwr Templestowe

This day was dedicated to my first serious ride for a while. The aim was to get from Dromana, where I was staying with my Grandmother to my parents place in Lower Templestowe where my car was waiting for me.

I took the picturesque Esplanade road along the coast as far as Mornington, then Nepean Hwy, the full extent of Warrigal Rd, Union Rd, Eastern Fwy track then High st. All up 82 km.

At the 65k mark in Burwood I hit a pain barrier that made we question if I was physically capable of such an achievement, but after pushing through the pain, I felt reasonable good by the end.

Thursday  15th April  32km – Sub Total 114km

Lower Templestowe to Blackburn (via East Link Trail)

After a lovely brunch for my birthday with my sister Fiona and some friends (Kate, Ruth Benjamin and their kids) in Alphinton, the aim was to push on back to Dromana after leaving my car at Lower Templestowe. I decided to try out the East Link Trail and by teh time I hit Ringwood I was exhausted. The section of trail that runs through the Mullem Mullem reserve is really slow & steep. I decided to rise to Canterbury Rd and then head home to Blackburn.

Friday  16th April  75km – Sub Total 189km

Blackburn to Mornington

A beautiful day to be on the bike. I did a bit of research and noticed that the East Link Trail ends at Dandenong near Yarram Station but appears to join another track that goes all the way to the Nepean Hwy. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find that other track so relyed on my sense of direction to get through the suburbs of Nobel Park, Westall etc and finally find the Nepean Hwy at Edeihvale (after doing a few unnecessary km). After getting through Frankston I just reached the outskirts of Mornington and got a puncher. Sadly I manadled to break teh value of my one and only new tube and my repair job of my old tube didn’t hold. With time running out (I wanted to see Talana play basketball at 4.45) I called Nan in Dromana and asked her to come and rescue me.

Here are some of the images of this adventure.

Tuesday 20th April – Dromana to Blackburn 84km – Sub Total 273km

My longest ever ride. Carrying my computer didn’t help and that final Canturbry Rd hill after getting off the Eastlink Trial was a killer. I managed to find the Dandenong Creek Trail at Patterson Lakes and followed it to the East Link Trial. Some new images

Friday 23rd April – Blackburn to Dromana 87km Sub Total 360km

This ride began at 9am after dropping my daughter at school. I decided to take the Eastlink Trail again but avoid the Dandenong Creek Trail. Instead, I waved my may southward via Chandler Rd to Springvale Rd then hit the Nepean Hwy. With the wind at my back, I found myself cruising between 30 & 40kph along the Nepean to Frankston. I slowed down considerable through the hills of Frankston, Mt Eliza & Mornington. The Esplanade was beautiful but also slow with lots of hills and the onset of rain. However, I was very pleased to make it to Dromana by 1pm, 87km in 4hrs.

The plan of attack

I need to change my original plans as I promised my Grandmother that I would redo her kitchen & bathroom floors. This will mean that I may not reach my target by the end of leave. However, this will encourage me to carry on the challenge when I get back to work with some winter rides to school and some weekend rides.