We recently finished enjoying our first ever Branch Odyssey at Wangaratta and it was great.
Ten of us left Lilydale
at 10.00 AM on Friday, 11th and things went perfectly until Yarra Glen (just 10 km into the ride) where we managed to “lose” a rider. Phone calls and message didn’t help, so we rode on without him.
Road works on the Melba Hwy caused more delays and
we arrived at Yea a bit later than planned.
We met two more riders and our “lost” rider found us again.
After a brief chat and rest break we headed into the hills
and rode via Highlands
to Euroa where we stopped for lunch and a chat. We then rode the freeway to Benalla at a good “clip” with no traffic issues before heading north and visiting some of the silo art trail at
Goorambat,
Devenish
and St James.
Then it was east through some flat wheat country where a large kangaroo elevated my anxiety levels – happily no collision, it just jumped along parallel to us for a while. We enjoyed riding through the Warby Ranges (just couldn’t find a safe place to stop and take it in but it was lovely and my first ever visit) and then descended down to Wangaratta and checked into our accommodation at Painters Island Caravan Park. It was a great location with an easy walk across a footbridge into “town”.
That evening we all gathered together and enjoyed a casual BBQ while catching up with members from far and wide.
Many greetings and lies were exchanged over drinks and food before a coolish wind had us retreat.
On Saturday morning some members headed off for a ride into the north east and upper reaches of the Kiewa Valley.
Many gathered at the Aroma Deli Café where the Victoria Breakfast Club gathered for its monthly gathering to coincide with our Odyssey.
This made it both a very successful VBC and added to the Ulyssean camaraderie for the weekend.
At 11.30AM some of us then headed off on a shorter ride to explore.
We checked out the fascinating old gold dredge at Eldorado
Checked out Beechworth Gorge and the Powder Magazine
and
Stopped at Beechworth for lunch and simply because it is worth a visit.
Then it was up to Stanley. I really enjoyed the roads and scenery up that way as we passed significant orchards of walnut trees (I think) – anyway it was nice to ride past. We the rode down to the Ovens Valley and a had brief stop a Myrtleford beside an old tobacco kiln.
We then avoided many temptations to stop and rode back to base in Wangaratta via Everton, Markwood and Oxley Flats. Olives, cheese, vineyards and more all offered temptations to stop more frequently. Put simply a lovely area to explore and this was just a tiny sample.
On Saturday night it was an easy bridge walk over the Ovens River to the RSL where we all gathered for dinner and more camaraderie.
Things were kept simple but again a great night.
Sunday arrived and it was time to depart. Some of us rode up the King Valley to Whitfield and over the mountains
Mansfield for a cuppa break and broke off for visits or home at assorted locations.
We had members from as far afield as the Mallee, the south west, Echuca Branch, Albury Wodonga, Ballarat, The Grampians and assorted Melbourne based branches and more.
In short, we had great weekend and our thanks go to the organisers (both the Odyssey and the VBC) and all who came along.
John & Kris Cook