Great Ocean Road in winter

It's the middle of winter and it is cold and wet. A couple of weeks ago I took a quick run down along the first section of the Great Ocean Road (GOR). Although it was the second week of June and was damp, it hadn't actually turned really cold like now, maybe about 15 C. My aim was to take some pics of a new memorial statue that has been set up to honour the "diggers" who eked this road out of the cliffs. These men were veterans from WW 1 and the road was a means of employment after the war and was also intended as a memorial to fallen comrades.

It's at the start of the GOR.

This is what it looks like.

This what they achieved - a cliff hugging road.

Some incredible curves!

Snapped this Duke as it went by.

Don't like this kid's footware!

I didn't venture very far along the GOR as it was a holiday weekend with lots of traffic and damp roads- not the ideal combination. (In the other side of Victoria in the Alps the ski season was opening, but lots of folks come to the beach, even in winter). I turned inland at Lorne and started climbing upwards through the bush towards Dean's Marsh. Although the road was a bit damp there was little traffic so I actually made good time. No tar snakes to contend with! I went to visit my mate Steve in Colac who owns a Norton Commando. His place is only about 75 k’s from Lorne and a magnificant ride for the most part. Unfortunately Steve wasn't home so I set off again, not really wanting to go home just yet.

Then in a moment of foolishness I traded asphalt for gravel. Not so far really - only about 20 kilometers. It was pretty slippery, but good fun actually - and after a few miles I got used to the back of the bike moving sliding about.

The road from Bambra took me back to the GOR at Airey's Inlet and then I headed home. By the time I got off the gravel the bike was filthy. Ah well a clean up job for next weekend! All in all it was a good way to spend a damp and drizzly day. I was warm and dry in my gear - I didn't aim too cover much distance, just to enjoy the ride and stop for a few pictures. I got home just as the sun was getting low in the sky and the coldness really setting in. As Wallace and Gromit would say "A grand day out".

"Four wheels move the body. Two wheels move the soul"(Anon).