On Wednesday night, after checking out the weather forecast and finding it was going to be mainly fine for the next few days, I figured a ride was in order.
Okay I thought, I’ll combine that with a plasma donation at Traralgon, around 65 minutes ride away. Fortunately for me I had no trouble getting an appointment for around lunch time so I didn’t need an early start.

It was a little fresh but I figured it was warm enough to wear my Summer jacket and gloves, something I started to regret later in the day…

All went smoothly with the donation so by around 2.15pm I was out the door, prepared to head for home. 
Cruising past the Royal Exchange Hotel (the location of our last RTE) I made a “spur of the moment” decision to go home the long way.

I quickly refueled the ST (just in case) and turned in the direction of Yarram…

By the time I got to Loy Yang I had a change of plans and instead turned off and headed for Balook and the Tarra/Bulga National Park.
After having a blast riding the “twisties” I soon arrived at the Visitor Centre to find it deserted.
Not to worry, I really didn’t have time to wander around the park anyhow…

Riding past the Inline Café at Balook, I couldn’t help thinking it may be a good place to hold a future RTE.
(Mostly pies, sangas & wraps according to their menu but might make a nice change from our usual pub meals)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/57VbPotUyAzT8WhW7

After a few k’s traveling along the Grand Ridge Road I turned off onto the Tarra Valley Road…something I had second thoughts over, after encountering remedial work going on at the intersection.
Luckily it wasn’t as bad as I first thought and after a few hundred metres of gravelly slush I was back on a sealed road, albeit a very, very narrow and damp road…

My next stop was for a quick photo of the surrounding rainforest although a photo doesn’t really do it justice!
Not long after, I arrived at the Tarra Valley Picnic Area…
A few photos and I was again on my way, my next stop was at Tarra Falls, just a short ride down the road.

Yet more photos and then a quick wander down to the Falls which, unfortunately didn’t have a great amount of water flowing…oh well!

By now I was sick of pulling my gloves on and off to take pics…but thankfully that was it with the photos for a while.
Traveling through Devon North I was still deciding which way to go…will I go through Yarram or travel the back roads and come out further along the South Gippsland Highway?
As it was now too late to stop at the Bakery in Yarram, the back roads won out!

Arriving at Welshpool I decided to make the short detour to Port Welshpool to check out the Long Jetty.
After a few more photos it was back on the bike…

I had been thinking about another detour to visit Agnes Falls but with darkness not too far away I decided that would have to wait for another ride.

A brief stop-off at Foster for a drink, a stretch and a phone-call to Sue (as she had been expecting me home much earlier) and I was again back on the road, thankful for my heated grips as it was starting to get a bit nippy.
I’m thinking it may be time to drag out the winter gear! 

Anyhow, the rest of the ride was uneventful and I arrived home just on dark…

All in all, a great afternoon!   






















                                         The afternoon's Route

Put it anyway you like 👍🤓