FRIDAY 23 JANUARY     HAMILTON

We were up earlier this morning. It was a pleasantly warm day.

Drove to the Post Office and collected our mail, which had come in. The arrangement is that K bundles it and then forwards it in one big envelope.

Also bought rolls for lunch. Back at the van, put the mail bag aside to go through later, made up the rolls.

We moved the towball from van frame to Truck, which necessitated taking the hitch receiver off Truck and inserting a normal towball holding receiver. Then put the bikes on the back of Truck. Whilst this process was fiddly, it was a lot easier than trying to load bikes on top of the roof rack – and a lot better for the bikes!

Drove up into the southern Grampians, using the route that used to be my main one when I lived in these parts: Strathkellar Road, Victoria Point Road, Bullawin Track to the Glenelg River Road, in the central valley of the Grampians National Park. We passed the Strachans camp area at the site of the old timber mill, then took the Sawmill Track, looking for somewhere suitable to have our lunch, then maybe go for a ride from.

Stopped at the Ingleton Springs picnic area and ate lunch by the Springs. Explored around the Springs area.

Then unloaded the bikes and rode a circuit, across the Syphon Track to the Victoria River Road, down that to Red Hill Road, along that to the Sawmill Track and back to the start. The circuit we thus did was 15.2kms, and we crossed the Glenelg River – really just a creek at those points – twice.

We could have comfortably – and enjoyably – ridden further, as it was mostly reasonably good gravel road surfaces, but were aware that we were booked in for night bowls for which we needed to be on time and not too tired! In parts, the surface was rather bumpy, and John felt that in his hip. But, overall, it was a great ride. It was wonderful to get out cycling in the bush proper. I was so pleased to get back to the Grampians!

Retraced the same route back to Hamilton.

We did not feel like an early tea before bowls, which was really a twilight session, at the Hamilton Club. We played three 8-end games, 24 ends in all. We won 1 game, drew 1 and lost 1. All good practice I guess.

Tea was very late – more like supper – toasted hot cross buns; I had been surprised to find these buns already on sale at the supermarket.

We both slept well after a rather tiring day – on top of bowls and cycling, John drove a total of 142kms today, some of it on the quite rough Bullawin Track.