Day three was the actual day of the RTE and I managed to navigate my way out of my accommodation through the 'burbs and onto the freeway on memory. The mud map did come out at Hallam after I somehow steered off my planned course when the South Gippsland Highway deviated away from the main highway.
By this point it was clear that the drone wasn't going come out of the pannier in the near future so I decided to ride towards Packenham for a bit. Road closures meant that went pear shaped but I did stumbled across this in Narre Warren South. What are the chances?
I eventually ended back on the South Gippsland Highway, some of which I had traversed on the way to Wilson Promontory before crossing to Tassie in 2019. I was unsure if this was a portion I took back then until I saw a sign for Tooradin. I knew I snapped a big fish there back in 2019 and stopped for more photos of it including getting one from the other side.
Actually I got a few big things on the day (at least five). Two were bulls/cows at Caldermeade.
And a couple which in the distance I thought were man made as well until I got on the bike and they moved.
Given Jam Jerrup was a guess I made to a JD post in the "Where Is This?" thread I felt it was my duty to go in and have a look. There's not a lot there but I guess the view would have nicer if the weather wasn't Victorian.
I did make the most of it and catch some waves.
Eventually I got dumped though.
That was at Newhaven on Phillip Island. The decision to ride around the island was a last minute decision as I figured it was unlikely that the drone was going consume any of my time. I snapped a few more big things at Cowes.
The aptly named Summerlands was anything but...
Phillip Island was bigger than I envisioned. I expected there to be very little besides this race track a few Ozstocers seem to be fond of.
I'd like to go back one day when the weather is better and spend more time looking around. I didn't recall seeing much traffic riding on to the island but was gobsmacked by the line of traffic getting off it. In hindsight the last weekend of school holidays was probably not the best time to have visited. Back on the mainland I saw this sign for a lookout at Anderson. It wasn't much of a lookout. The trees blocked the view in all directions.
The wheelbarrow got a refuel and I got a caffeine boost at Wonthaggi.
Safe in the knowledge I wouldn't need fuel on the way home I moseyed on down to Cape Paterson to find I wasn't the first to arrive. Rex, Debbie and kev had beaten me there.
Lunch was good and the company excellent. If there's a rice dish on the menu I generally take it so I went for the Thai curry. I won't say it's the best curry I have had at an RTE putting Tumby Bay (Durban curry), Middleton (Sri Lankan curry) and Smythesdale (Butter Chicken) above it (in that order). No Guinness meant Heineken, but just the one.
Group photos were taken before lunch and since Rusty took tonnes of them I didn't bother. I think Chippy took a couple too. Most of the morning was drabs of drizzle but I did pour for a split second whilst we were having lunch before petering out again. After lunch I didn't stop for photos but did get stopped at an RBT in South Dudley.
I think Kev, Doug & I set a new lane splitting record.
I think I matched it.
After missing the Packenham deviation I planned to do in the morning I did it on the way home. With roadwork and the like it wasn't worth the effort and again on memory navigated my way off the freeway and back to Preston without drama.
Day three done and dusted.
