It was a very nice day. The weather here has been brisk and foggy many mornings and DJ and another mate Mick have been talking about heading to the Mt. Macedon pub for lunch for 2 months. Something has always managed to waylay our plans. Anyhow, on Thursday I was off work and my 10 yo daughter had been away for 2 nights on a school camp. They were planning on lunch at Hanging Rock so I thought what the hell...I'll surprise her and turn up in the middle of nowhere to share a picnic. DJ had other plans and couldn't tag along unfortunately.
Hanging Rock is only 60 ks north of Melbourne and accessible within 40 minutes via the freeway, but I managed to take the long way. It was 17C and just right for a spin. No extra gear required under the Tiger Angel gortex jacket, seated behind the RS fairing.
Mt. Macedon is only 10 minutes from the rock, itself perched half way up another 1000 metre hill. The township of Mt.Macedon is adorned with big houses with big gates and big gardens. Whilst having lunch, most cars that pulled up were at the luxury end of the market. The area has a number of wineries and many places to stay and eat and drink.
In 1983 the whole hill was ablaze, most of it burned out. Many congregated in the pub, as the last bastion of safety against a ferocious fireball. If you're gonna die, you may as well be pissed and amongst friends I guess! Unfortunately the pub was all boarded up...out of business. Oh well, off to the post office/milk bar/bottle shop/cafe for a pastie and coffee instead. I was disappointed not to get a big plate of hearty country made soup.
The cross survived, surrounded by burned forest. It's actually a memorial to WW1 soldiers. The road in to the cross was short, but very slippery. Much of it was green as the trees didn't quite allow the sun onto the bitumen so pathes of slippery moss were growing on the road. The usual tintop traffic didn't clean it all away either.
The view to Melbourne was very hazy, despite it being a reasonably breeezy day. You can see in the picture from 60 ks away.
Getting home was a pleasant jaunt across the flatlands north of Melbourne, interlaced with the occasional chicane built to traverse the extensive gullies interspersed thru the area. The wattle is starting to flower and parts of the countryside are yellow everywhere. Unfortunately I was enjoying the ride too much to stop too frequently for further pictures.
I hope y'all enjoyed my day off.
Cheers
Yours is a nice example!