I managed to get a bike ride done on Wednesday when the temperature only reached 26. Yesterday the temperature was 33 and today 34. I don’t like riding when it is too hot.
In Australia was are lucky to have a good network of rail trails.
For this ride I drove the car from Metung to the Princes Highway then along Bruce Road to where it met up with the East Gippsland Rail Trail. I left the car there and rode my bike along the rail trail to the Trestle Bridge.
I did my ride in the morning so it was still quite cool and perfect for bike riding. There was not a soul around although I did see some wildlife – wallabies. The trail takes you through Colquhoun Forest which is full of beautiful gum trees.
The trail follows the path of the old railway so the gradient is never very steep. You can get the idea from the next picture.
The ride to the trestle bridge took me about an hour, it was about 14 kilometres so I did it at a leisurely pace. The trestle bridge is no longer used.
This information board gives you a bit of an idea about what was involved in its construction. If you click on the photo you can enlarge it and can read some of the print.
Just near the trestle bridge they have provided toilets for the bike riders. An interestingly shaped construction with composting toilets.
The composting toilets are great for out in the wilds.
Because I was riding on my own I then decided to turn around and head home. It was two hours on my bike by the time I got back to the car and I hadn’t packed any food. Needless to say, I was starving. Next time I will pack some food to take with me.
On the drive back to Metung I stopped at the Mountain Bike Park.
This map provides you with the various trails in Culquhoun Forest. For my next ride I will set off on the Gippsland Lakes Discovery Trail from Forestec and head towards Lakes Entrance.
Gippsland Granny 
What an amazing bridge, I don’t know how I’d have felt riding along in a train up there but it’s a very impressive construction. The toilet is really good too, are these composting toilets common things out in the countryside with you? That looks like a wonderfully peaceful trail and I was interested to note that dogs must be kept under control at all times, I wish there was more of that in the UK.
There are a few of those toilets in the High Country national parks and I guess elsewhere where there is no sewerage.
Yes it says dogs must be kept under control but I’m not sure how it is policed. 🙂
We also have some rail trails. I also don’t like riding when it is hot.
Today is a complete contrast we are having thunderstorms at the moment.