Today we planned about 100k, and came close. Jim and Patricia are determined to do 1000k on this tour, so they were preparing to leave around 7:30 and Irena and I would follow later to join them. I forget the rest of the plan (like true Newkirks, our plans change until they are DONE!!!). Anyway, two more tubes ‘died’ being pumped up (that makes about 10 now…), which delayed them until 9:30, so JEBIGA – we loaded up all the bikes (now that we have THAT figured out!), and Jim dropped us ‘gills’ (as he calls us) about 23k from Apollo Bay. Check out our get-out-of-town route up that hill!!! —->>>>

Actually, he lied :)! We had a fantastic ride down from the mountains into Apollo Bay, then puttered around there for a bit. Pat and I dumped our bikes on a dune and got our feet in the Great Southern Ocean finally, and then the four of us rode out about 10k, mostly on a flat road following right along the ocean for a good way (not up that wicked hill!). Irena then turned around and rode back to the car to get groceries and meet us around the Wye River. Then the hills began again as we curved around the fingers of the ridges poking out into the sea. But we were fast by now, after 10 days into the wind, and Irena got stuck in traffic so we didn’t meet up until almost to our destination for the day in Anglesea. We got a great photo under the GOR sign, but were very sad Irena was not with us in it. When we met up, we drove a little further into Torquay (home of RipCurl), and found a lovely beach house for the night.

For me it was the most all-around enjoyable day of riding so far – it was fairly fast and not particularly difficult (mostly gentle up and down with a few surprise long climbs). The scenery was just fantastic – we were almost always right next to, or right above the surf, going around fjord-like bends on finger-peninsulas. And we had a lovely wide shoulder all the way so we felt ‘safe’, NO WIND, a partly cloudy sky, and my favorite temperature – about 65 degrees. I got in a little over 50 miles for a running total of 484! – my goal is 500 miles, which I will reach tomorrow so I am very happy.

Tomorrow is our *last* day – so hard to believe it is almost over. Anwar and Marty are meeting us in Melbourne tomorrow evening.