SUNDAY 17 JULY     HOME TO COLAC     200kms

We were on our way by 10am, having managed most of the preparations yesterday.

With a dismal weather forecast for the coming days, we’d abandoned the Great Ocean Road idea, and were going to head for its western end, directly. The day was cool with regular fairly heavy rain showers. Strong winds forecast to affect the coast did not impact too much on where we travelled.

We did not get far before being involved in a minor accident. We were stopped at the front of the line at traffic lights in North Croydon. When they turned green, we were slow to start off, as Truck always was on an uphill slope. John had it in low range, as was our normal practice. Apparently the driver behind us thought we were going to be faster and collided with the back bumper bar of the van; the car behind ran into his back.  Luckily for us, the bumper  was a solid structure and part of the solid Trakmaster chassis. Still, it gave us a jolt. We could see no damage to van. Exchanged details with the man who hit us and continued on our way, leaving the other two drivers to sort out their issues.

Travelled Eastlink, then through Carlton and on to the Geelong Road. Stopped at McDonald’s on the outskirts of Geelong for a coffee. Well, actually, a toilet stop – the coffee was an incidental bonus.

The Geelong Bypass road has made such a great difference for travellers, compared to what negotiating Geelong was like when we did it several times in 1998.

Took the Princes  Highway west, stopping at Winchelsea to eat the lunch I’d packed. The driving was pleasant enough, though not new territory to us. We were regularly overtaken by cars, not always in very safe places for them. It would be great when the highway was duplicated.

The Winchelsea lunch spot, by the Barwon River, was very pleasant. We walked Couey around, on her lead and she was quite at ease.

Booked into the Lake Colac Caravan Park. The powered en-suite site cost $30 for the night.

I would have given the Park a moderate assessment. The cold and wet weather didn’t do it any favours.

Being by the lake probably made it attractive in good weather. We could walk the dog on the good network of lake side paths. There was no way she was going  off lead with the tempting lake water nearby! However, she did lunge at and manage to scarf down something by the path that later made her vomit. Not in the van, fortunately! Typical cattle dog – eat first and think later.

Our tea was the chicken pieces I’d pre-cooked at home, with some vegies.

The weather wrap up for today, on TV, confirmed that aborting the Great Ocean Road route had been sensible.