Topic: Australia
I first went to ride the Tour Down Under years ago. In brief some how I ended up with two triathletes, and a nutter who likes riding up hills. Well I’m back again, hopefully smarter, and with more mentally well balanced people. Adelaide is a nice days drive, from Melbourne. We stop at Yellow Expresso in Ballarat for breakfast, followed by plenty of stops try out some of the worlds greatest pies and vanilla slices along the Western Highway. If you don’t put on a least a kilo in carbo loading on the way there your not trying.
Our first stop is not Adelaide but Victor Harbour, a lovely little town, where the race is finishing the next day. Accommodation is at the 60’s motel in the middle of town, Maria sources dinner at the local Mexican. The next day we send Ern off to find some hills while Mick and I ride off in search of local coffee. We end up at an outside pub table five meters from the finish line. Love to stay here, but there’s work to do. Next stop Adelaide.
Tom’s Hotel is new, and two minutes walk from the market, and the race village in the middle of town. Our food guide organises dinner at the local Indian. It’s must be good, because they have bats signed by every Indian touring cricket team for the last thirty years on display. Penfolds Estate for a long breakfast. Here we meet with some of the team sponsors to get a bit of inside info. Good things can’t last forever, and I’m finally forced onto the bike, and stupidly ride up something called corkscrew road. We see the boys do their stuff, then roll backdown into town. Dinner at the market, after a bit of rehydration at race central, listening to the riders talk about the day.
I’d love to go riding the next day but I have to do breakfast with a friend. The others head off somewhere on the bikes, while I sleep in. Charlotte and I solve the world’s problems over bacon and eggs, 20 feet from the hotel. That arvo, more insights over beers at race central, then Maria sources us excelente Chinese at Gouger St.
Time to leave our home away from home Toms. Maria sensibly flies home to go partying. Ern sets off to ride up to Mount lofty. Mick and I jump in the car and drive up the hill to Crafters. It’s the last day of racing and the boys are doing a couple of different loops around the hills. This means you can get to see the race go past multiple times from different places with just a little bit of riding. Crafters has a good bakery, with a fine vanilla slice, and an excellent view of the race. Jay Vine the Aussie wins.
Mission accomplished we stop in Handoff for the biggest bratwurst I have ever seen. With our Culinary guide gone our standards drop, and it’s dim sims at Horsham on the way home.
That's all folks 007
Posted by bondrj
at 12:01 AM EADT
Updated: Sunday, 12 February 2023 4:25 PM EADT
