Tuesday, May 21, 2013

21 May - Sale, Swing Bridge and riding on dirt


Not great weather today but good enough for a quick ride. Rode to Sale via Glengarry and had a sandwich lunch in Sale. Then back on the Beemer and on to the Sth Gippsland Highway and past the old Sale Swing Bridge.

This wrought iron structure, built in 1883 across the Thomson river was the first movable bridge built in Victoria. Its function was to allow steamers, which had travelled up the Gippsland Lakes to enter the port of Sale. Much of the machinery installed in the gold mining town of Walhalla travelled via this route. In its heyday, the bridge opened up to 20 times per day. Today it opens on Saturday's and Sundays between 3 and 4pm. Found a short video (below) of the bridge opening.

The lower seat on the Beemer has made my riding a lot more confident and I was keen to try a stretch of dirt road. Turned off the Sth Gippsland highway at Stradbroke to take the 11km dirt road which ends up in Gormandale. All went well and after a short but pleasant ride I reached home at 1:30.

Total Distance 136 km.

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