Day 82 – Tue, 19 Oct to Lang Lang

Where is Lang Lang you may ask, well it is a little N of Phillip Island on the mainland, SE of Melbourne. I am here at the Lang Lang Hotel, with Bob the publican, we are the only occupants tonight but it has been full over the weekend. He just filled me with a mixed grill that you could not jump over, literally. Thank you Bob.

Well what a day. I left Peterborough at 8am and I feel like I have been on the road all day, well I have, but what a day. I rode the GOR (Great Ocean Road) which was a huge amount of fun. I checked out all the sights along the way, but hey that is what  it is all about, see the sights, but ride the fabulous road.

 

I got to Bells Beach and missed the car parks and was heading back out again. I got about 2km down the road to the next turn and I thought, will I go back. I almost didn’t but hey I might as well as I am already here (you see I had been here before). So I did a U-turn and headed back to the car park.

I parked the bike and dismounted. I was taking my gloves off when a bike rider arrived on the other side of me. I acknowledged him and knew that another bike pulled in literally behind me (behind my back). I hadn’t turned and the guy revved his bike a couple of times. I thought what the hell is he up to.

I turned and it was Rod, yep Rod Vile, who I last saw up in Cairns all those months ago. He had been to the MotoGP, and he and the other guy, Steve were riding the GOR in an W direction. How bl..dy incredible is that. They only took the turn off to Bells Beach as a last thought. There is definitely someone out there organising all these “coincidental” meetings. Wow.

Rod, Steve & I talked for a little while and they continued W before heading home. I headed onward E, to Queenscliff (W side of Port Phillip Bay) where I caught the car ferry to Sorrento (E side). A great trip I literally paid the fare and rode straight onto the ferry, no waiting, great timing.

On the ferry I met Steve & Janet from England who had rented a bike and were doing a few days riding. He had just finished the Postie Challenge, Brisbane to Darwin. He had done a lot of riding previously and he said it was the toughest thing he had ever done. He went over the handle bars at one stage and cracked a few ribs. This didn’t stop him but hey would he do it again, and his answer was “NO”!

So I headed NE from Sorrento and ended up at this great little pub, SW of Melbourne. Not far now only a few days from home, so I’ll drop into my sons’ places on the way through. See you all soon. How was that, meeting Rod after all these months, bl..dy incredible!