Day 223

Date:- 23 October 2010
Distance:- 41.21 Km
Distance to Date:- 13250 Km
Start:- Torquay Foreshore Caravan Park
Finish:- Home (Leopold)
Comment:- Last night Jill and Stuart arrived in Torquay and we went across the road from the caravan park and had a nice meal of fish and chips while having a chat. We then went to another café where we all indulged in a good coffee. It was really nice catching up with Jill and Stuart.

It had started raining while we were having coffee. Jill and Stuart departed about 9.30 pm and I went back to the tent and into bed. Went to sleep listening to the rain on the tent and thinking I am going to get wet tomorrow. Awoke about 3.30 am and there was a group of people still celebrating something nearby. Back to sleep till 6 am when I got up. The fly on the tent wasn’t too wet thank goodness.

Over to the camp kitchen for breakfast, then back to the tent and packed up and on the road by 7.30 am. Rode through Torquay to Horseshoe Bend road. About a km before my next turn off a car had stopped on the side of the road and it was Pam. I stopped and we had a nice chat on the side of the road.

Back on the road again and heading for Barwon Heads via 13th beach. I had a nice tail wind (SW wind of 10 - 15 kts). Across the new bridge and I gave Stuart a ring. We had organised to meet in Barwon Heads. It so happened he was only 10 minutes behind me.

We enjoyed another coffee once in Ocean Grove, before heading down the road to Grub road then onto the Bellarine Highway. Jill had caught up to us by then and was busy taking photos. Arrived in Leopold and it was then I realized my journey was about to end. Turned into Mandlay Close up the small incline and I was home about 10.45 am.

I must thank everyone who came to welcome me home. As I said yesterday it was a happy and sad day for me. Happy that I had achieved my objective, but sad it was over. I have made a lot of new friends and I hope we continue to communicate regularly.

Tomorrow I get to Sleep in.