7 October - Apollo Bay

When we left Mount Gambier this morning the sky was overcast and it looked like it should have been raining - quite a change from yesterday. The intention was to ride to Port Fairy, a favourite destination for both of us. The ride turned out to be quite pleasant, no rain and not too cold. Our first stop was Portland for fuel and then on to Port Fairy. Port Fairy can be quite busy at times. The town hosts a range of music festival each year and with its historical buildings and great range of cafes and restaurants there is always a large number of visitors in the town. We were out of luck today, the Spring Music Festival was about to get underway and we were lucky to get a parking spot let alone a hotel room. We eventually managed to park the bikes and get some brunch, but no accommodation. As it was still early in the day and becoming quite overcast, we decided to put the rest of the day to good use and cover a few more km's. So, on to Warrnambool, Port Campbell and Apollo Bay via the Great Ocean Road.

We were lucky, the weather held out with just a few drops of rain as we passed through Lavers Hill. In Apollo Bay we found another great old pub with a cheap double room. A few of the local beers (Otway Pale Ale) whiled the afternoon away and soon it was time for an excellent dinner in the hotel. A short walk down the main street and we found excellent coffees. We returned to the hotel via the beach and the marina.

It was still quite mild and no wind whatsoever, so after a day in the saddle we were able to experience a beautiful evening to top off another excellent day. Because of the extra distance travelled today we expect to make it home by tomorrow evening.

Total Distance 371 km.