Springtime Beauty

Melbourne enjoyed its first real taste of summer by mid-October, with perfect t-shirt weather and vibrant, green neighborhoods full of color. 

 

 

 

I spent the time focusing on career development and preparing for my next athletic event. The final training ride before my next triathlon coincided with a Rapha group ride. During the month of October, Rapha clubhouses around the world hosted One More City, a ride dedicated to raising awareness for breast cancer. The Melbourne event was a 100-km ride north of the city. It's crazy to reflect on how far I've come as a cyclist since my first 100K two months ago!

 

One sunny weekend, I went to Jack Rabbit Vineyard on the Bellarine Peninsula with Clarissa, Jess, and Kiki. It was my first proper visit to the area, though some of the roads were familiar from cycling Around the Bay the previous weekend!

 

Tom and I missed the local Oktoberfest celebrations this year, so we decided to create our own at home. He made rösti, spätzle, pretzels, and cabbage--from scratch--while I contributed German weißbier and polka music.

 

We also celebrated Tom's birthday this month with a special dinner at Farmer's Daughters followed by the musical performance of Beauty and the Beast at Her Majesty's Theatre.

 

Around the Bay

By early October, the trees had filled in, and tree pollen swirled through the air. In true Melbourne fashion, the weather remained unpredictable, quickly shifting from clear blue skies to sudden downpours.

Around the Bay is an annual cycling event, fondly known as "the ride that stops Melbourne." This year marked its 30th anniversary, offering various route options, with the classic being a 220-km ride around Port Phillip Bay. Despite being mostly flat, it’s still considered an ultra-distance challenge.

This year's event unfortunately coincided with the start of daylight saving time, meaning we lost an hour of sleep the night before. I did my best to turn in early, setting my alarm for 4am. Expecting a quiet ride to Albert Park, I was surprised to find the clubs on Church Street still buzzing. Just as I rolled into the park, it began to rain—there’s nothing like starting an endurance ride already drenched.

As I questioned my life choices, I spotted the other hardy cyclists lined up at the starting line. I jumped in with a group of women and set off at 5:30am into the dark, wet morning. Our first challenge was navigating through the city and over the West Gate Bridge. Much like Portland’s Bridge Pedal, Around the Bay offers a rare opportunity to cycle across this iconic bridge, which is normally off-limits to pedestrians and cyclists.

Given the length of the event, I did not stop to take photos

As dawn broke, the rain eased, giving way to a stunning sunrise. The stretch along the Bellarine Peninsula side of the bay is relatively uneventful, with much of it following the shoulder of the M1 highway. Battling a strong headwind, I stopped at all three aid stations, pacing myself and breaking away from the large groups. While I chatted with a few fellow riders, this was mostly a solo endeavor.

I reached Queenscliff at 10:45am—the halfway point of the ride—where lunch and my "valet bag" of fresh clothes and snacks were waiting. I boarded the 11:30am ferry for the short trip across the bay to Sorrento. The process was a bit hectic, and I quickly learned that it’s best to get in line for the ferry right away and use the crossing time to eat and change.

When I collected my bike from the ferry, I found the chain had slipped off, but I managed to fix it quickly. By then, the rain had stopped, though the wind persisted. The ride along the Mornington Peninsula was scenic and familiar. I made use of all three aid stations before finally crossing the finish line at 4:30pm.

Around the Bay is a must-do for Australian cyclists, offering plenty of unique experiences. It pushed me beyond my comfort zone, taking me farther on a bike—both in distance and time—than ever before. I definitely underestimated the challenge of an 11-hour event, and I might have enjoyed it more with better weather and company. Still a good one to tick off the bucket list!

The Grampians

The last weekend of September was a long weekend in Victoria, celebrating the AFL grand final. Since Tom and I aren't sports enthusiasts, we seized the opportunity to book a holiday in the Grampians.

After work on Thursday, we set off on a three-hour drive northwest. The traffic leaving Melbourne was horrendous, but it gradually thinned as we ventured into the countryside. As night fell, we were surprised by how little light pollution there was, even on the highway.

We arrived in Halls Gap and checked into our cozy accommodation at the Grampians Chalet. Halls Gap is nestled in the heart of Grampians National Park—a nature reserve known for its sandstone mountains, wildflowers, and wildlife. Traditionally known as Gariwerd, this region is home to the largest collection of significant Aboriginal rock art paintings and shelters in southern Australia.

On Friday morning, Tom and I left our chalet around 9 am and walked 1.5 km into the village to begin our first hike. Along the way, we spotted heaps of kangaroos, two emus, and an echidna! The day warmed up quickly, and felt even warmer in the strong sun.

The iconic Pinnacle is one of the most popular destinations in the park with scenic panoramic views. There are a number of walking options to reach the Pinnacle; we chose the 10-km loop from Halls Gap, tracking clockwise for a steeper ascent and more gradual descent. 

The first half of the loop leading to the Pinnacle was fantastic—quiet and filled with vibrant wildflowers. 

 

 

Once we reached the Pinnacle, however, we quickly realized we weren't the only ones enjoying the long weekend.

The second half of the loop becomes quite narrow in parts, which created a constant flow of hikers from both directions. I would recommend this hike during off-peak times or starting early and tracking counterclockwise to avoid the families coming from the Wonderland carpark.

 

Back in Halls Gap, we found the village bustling with activity. We stopped for lunch at Paper Scissors Rock Brew Co.

 

Afterwards, we picked up our car from the chalet and drove 40 minutes to the northern Grampians. Much of this area was affected by a bushfire in February.

Hollow Mountain features a 2-km trek that gradually climbs through a wide open gully surrounded by rocky cliffs. The path steeply ascends over rocky ledges and past wind scoured caverns to a summit with views over Mt. Stapylton Amphitheatre and the Wimmera Plains. This track was significantly quieter than the crowded Pinnacle, but we did encounter a few rock climbers.

Back at the car, we headed south, stopping along the way to check out MacKenzie Falls—one of the largest waterfalls in Victoria. Cascading year-round, the falls plunge over massive cliffs into a deep pool, creating fine sprays of rainbow mist high above a stunning gorge.

A short but steep trail leads to the base of the falls, where the scenery was enhanced by the golden hour glow. This area, too, was swarming with people.

On Saturday morning, I peeked out the window to spot a kangaroo with her joey! The little one hopped around its mother before jumping into her pouch.

 

After the excitement, Tom and I drove 40 minutes south to hike Mt. Abrupt. It was another sunny but windy day, with just a handful of people on the trail. The steep 6-km track winds through bushland and up sandstone rocks, with sections that are part of the Grampians Peaks Trail—an impressive 160-km 13-day backpacking route that traverses the park.

The summit offers 360-degree views of the Serra Range to the north and Dunkeld to the south. It's a prime spot for birdwatching, especially wedge-tailed eagles, nankeen kestrels, and peregrine falcons. 

Best hike of the trip!

Afterwards, we detoured through the southern Grampians, passing endless yellow canola fields and wind farms. We would be keen to stay in this area on future trips.

We stopped for lunch at Pomonal Estate, a family-run winery, microbrewery, cider house, and restaurant. The vegan platter was phenomenal, and we quickly agreed we would make this a mandatory visit on future trips!  

 

On the way back to Halls Gap, we stopped at the iconic Balconies. A short walk from the Reek Lookout car park provides panoramic views of Victoria Valley and the surrounding ranges—an ideal spot at sunrise and sunset. The clouds were rolling in but everyone was watching the Grand Final by then, so we had the lookout to ourselves.

Tom cooked us a pasta dinner while we watched the end of the game, a blowout win for the Brisbane Lions.

On Sunday, we woke up to the soothing sound of rain on the roof. With no signs of clearing, we decided it was time to head home to the boys. Great weekend getaway!