7 Apr 2023
Jeremy and I took the train to Wodonga from Southern Cross, and lucky us, there was a booking error that meant the train was overbooked. Since we entered the train last so we could strap our bikes in without holding people up, that meant that we ended up sitting on the floor for the 3.5 hours to Wodonga. We arrived at 10:30.
The forecast was not good for the day, a thunderstorm was on its way. But when we got off the train it was still dry so we were pleasantly surprised. We found the trail easily and took in some great views on the way to Tallangatta, where we were staying the night. There were lots of benches in strategic places to make for scenic rest stops, so if you ride this trail, I would recommend that when you feel like a break you just keep riding until you see the next bench!
The ride was very cruisy, without rain, and the surface was good, mostly compact gravel. There was a stretch of about one kilometre somewhere around 10kms in where there was quite a bit of trail damage and we got a bit worried that the trail condition was worse than we thought it was going to be, especially after my experience last weekend! But a local happened to stop to check on the damage at the same time and assured us this was the only bad bit of the trail.
We stopped quite a few times to read some of the plaques about the trail history, and as we were reading the one at the end of the Sandy Creek Trestle Bridge, we heard a faint thunder rumble. We looked behind us to be greeted with a mass of almost black clouds that were clearly already pissing down on the mountains behind us. We quickly got back on our bikes to get those last 8kms in before the storm reached us, hearing a couple of rumbles on our way.
We reached the gate of the Tallangatta Showgrounds at 2:45 just as the clouds above us became worry-ingly dark. We tried to quickly set up our tents before the rain but just as I unfurled my tent inner it started bucketing! I went as quick as I could but still got a puddle in my tent. Jeremy's tent was a single wall so he didn't have the same problem. I mopped up what I could from my tent and then we stood under the cover of the toilet block listening to the thunder and watching puddles form all over the field. The rain radar showed there should be a break in about half an hour so we waited it out before having a hearty lunch at the fish and chippie that was open on this Good Friday. I had a plain burger, two perfect potato cakes (with chicken salt of course!), and a dim sim. Jeremy had a burger with the lot and two corn jacks. We both rate the Tallangatta fish and chip shop!
I found at this point that a bolt had wriggled its way out of my rear rack. Luckily, some other bikepackers came to the fish and chip shop at the same time and one them had a spare bolt to give me! I will have to remember to add that to my repair kit in the future. Luck has been in our favour so far this trip. The strongest rainbow I've ever seen in my life also appeared as we ate.
We got back to the campsite and into our toasty sleeping bags as another bit of the storm passed over us, but it didn't last very long and otherwise just showered a couple of times throughout the night.
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