Hear about Gillian's experience taking on our Dirty Valda route back in September, a gravel bikepacking route from Melbourne to Adelaide along the most scenic rides we could find!
With no cycling events planned for September, the Dirty Valda event felt like the perfect opportunity to explore more of Australia by bike and to escape my day to day life for a few days. I was also excited about being able to catch the train back from Adelaide when I was done- train travel certainly beats trying to find a bike box on the day of a flight!
So having determined that the route didn’t have much elevation and having (mis)read April’s ride description as ‘easy,’ I booked the Thursday train giving myself five days for the 1200 kilometre ride from Melbourne to Adelaide. I prepared myself for what I thought would be a leisurely bikepacking adventure from Melbourne to Adelaide, even spending time thinking about how I would spend my time in Adelaide once I got there.
Suffice to say that I got the leisurely part entirely wrong! (And yes, I take full responsibility for this- I should have read April’s ride blog in its entirety!)
Day 1 - Melbourne Town Hall to Castlemaine (206 km)
I arrived at Melbourne’s GPO at 6.17am to discover no-one else there. I didn’t think this was particularly strange- who else would be silly enough to commit to riding 1200 kilometres in the middle of September? Thankfully, I then checked the map to discover that I was in the wrong place - I should have been at the Town Hall. I quickly cycled through Bourke Street mall to discover a group of other similarly attired riders - I was not alone (for now at least)!
At 6.22am, with little fanfare the ride began. We wound our way through the CBD onto the bike paths of Melbourne’s inner and then outer west. I chatted to my fellow riders about tracking Lael Wilcox in the dark during her ‘‘Around the world ride’ and cycling infrastructure.The anxieties I had felt about doing the ride and preparing for it melted away - I had found my people!
We cycled through industrial areas, outer suburbs and then into the dry and open grasslands that surround Melbourne. By Bacchus Marsh most of the riders had dispersed and I was with four others. After a quick service station iced coffee- a drink that is delicious when cycling but unpalatable at all other times, I was very much alone which is how it would stay for the next 1200 kilometres!
Outside Bacchus Marsh I encountered the first big climb of the day, the sun was out and as I pushed my bike up the final stretch I began to realise that the ride probably wasn’t going to be as easy as I had assumed….
A gravel descent followed and later that day I found myself amongst the greenery of Lerderderg State Park on single track that weaved its way through the forest. While slow-going the surrounding forest was beautiful although the lingering fear of snakes that New Zealand has instilled in me is difficult to shake….
Later that afternoon I arrived in the quaint town of Blackwood, I stopped for a coffee before cycling the 15 kilometres easy kilometres into Daylesford. I had thought that Dayeslford would be the perfect lunch stop but it was 4pm and Bendigo was 100 kilometres away!
Outside of Daylesford I joined the Dry Diggings Track which would take me on winding single track through the forest, the final 60 kilometres to Castlemaine. I spent the afternoon alternating between walking and cycling to avoid the rocks and tree branches. This became steadily more difficult as the light began to fade. I arrived in Castlemaine at 9pm and despite having planned to cycle to Bendigo I headed straight to the campground and set up my bivvy- it had been a long day!
Day 2 - Castlemaine to Murrabit (301 km)
The following day brought with it an easier section of the Goldfields Track so I spent the morning thinking about all the places that I could have camped had I cycled a little further the night before.
I arrived in Bendigo in time for breakfast at Out of order- a bagel shop that does very good gluten free bagels. And everything tastes good after a day spent eating muesli bars even as I write this I’m contemplating going to Bendigo just so I can eat another one!
After breakfast I returned to the route, cycling through the dry and gravelly expanse of the Greater Bendigo National Park to arrive in Echuca late in the afternoon. The evening was spent winding my way along the Murray River Trails- these trails are probably beautiful but it was difficult to tell in the dark! I spent the night in Murrabit.
Day 3 - Murrabit to Red Cliffs (275 km)
The next day brought with it a relatively easy 50 kilometres into Swan Hill where I stopped for breakfast, admired yet another excellent bridge across the Murray River and visited the giant vibrantly painted Murray River cod.
The next 90 kilometres to the ‘bustling metropolis’ (April’s words) of Manangatang brought sections of sand, corrugations and dry landscapes dotted with wheat silos and a beating sun. So, by the time I arrived in Manangatang I was incredibly hot, sweaty, smeared with sunscreen and slowly losing the will to live. I found myself a seat in town’s main street, consumed a diverse array of snacks and chatted to the locals as they walked past. Just as I was about to leave I was surprised to see another cyclist who looked equally broken - I felt reassured by this development and with a fresh coat of sunscreen I headed out to tackle what I hoped wouldn’t be more sand.
There was more sand. 18 kilometres of it. I pushed my bike, tried unsuccessfully to find areas of bush that were slightly more rideable and then reached some sort of acceptance that the remainder of the afternoon would be spent walking and contemplating the choices that I had made! At least the day was cooling off as the sun sunk lower in the sky!
Halfway down the track, a surprised looking farmer stopped his car to ask what I was doing. He offered me a beer and suggested that I take the next left to avoid the rest of the sand. I didn’t have the energy to explain to him that I had to stay on the course. He drove off and I carried on.
The sand was followed by bitumen and then more Murray River trails- again these were probably beautiful but it was very dark!
Later that night I stopped at Red Cliffs caravan park and treated myself to a very long and a very hot shower.
Day 4 - Red Cliffs to Blanchetown (291 km)
The day began with a short ride into Mildura, with a brief and unnecessary but delicious stop for coffee and breakfast at Nash Lane. Sometimes I wonder whether I enjoy bikepacking purely because of the breakfast and cake opportunities - not particularly intrepid I know!
After breakfast I stocked up on groceries in Merbein in preparation for the next 133 kilometres through the Murray Sunset National Park.Cycling into the park brought with it a sense of trepidation- the flat expansive landscape and the big sky above made me feel as though I was very (very) far from everywhere. But after cycling into the park I soon saw the Park Ranger and some other motorists which made me feel slightly more at ease!
As I cycled through the dry landscape I saw wild emus (extremely difficult to photograph) and contemplated how nice it would be to be in the park at night time to see the night sky. I was quickly jolted out of these thoughts when a snake went under my front tyre- thankfully it was already dead!
This dry and expansive landscape was followed by orchards and then the lush river and holiday town of Renmark. The afternoon and evening brought relatively easy gravel roads and I began to think about a hot shower in Blanchetown. From my quick internet search of Blanchetown I was anticipating more holiday town vibes instead I was met by two closed caravan parks. Having cycled from one closed park to the other, both of which were in serious states of disrepair I found a hidden spot to set up my bivvy for the night.
Day 5 - Blanchetown to Adelaide (226 km)
I felt a sense of foreboding about what I hoped would be my final day of cycling - there was a lot of climbing required to achieve the route’s elevation! I also had a significant headwind to contend. Soon the open fields speckled with gumtrees and crumbling sandstone houses provided a welcome distraction, although probably too much of a distraction as I missed a turn and had to go back adding at least 10 kilometres to my route.
After the detour, I tackled Pipeline Road and then soon found myself in the foothills of Adelaide. I cycled through the cute town of Tanunda and soon found myself winding through lush vineyards- how nice Adelaide is! These positive feelings continued even when the cycle trail gave way to fire and farm tracks - it was lush and green and I was getting closer!
Well sort of, I soon found myself navigating the last part of the ride in the dark and after a brief moment of panic the lights of Adelaide came into view! A final section of single track was followed by a sealed descent and a sprint through the deserted streets of Adelaide.
I had made it!
I took a quick photo of my bike in front of Whippets Workshop and then headed to my hotel knowing that I would be able to make it in time for my train the following day.
Yet another epic adventure - thanks Curve!
If this has inspired you to try out the Dirty Valda this year or whenever you fancy a challenge, check out more details HERE!