Here is a great article by guest author Karen Henley, who has recently completed the 25 km option in the Melbourne Around the Bay Event:
I have a few rides on my Ride Bucket list, one being Melbourne Around the Bay, offering various distances around Port Phillip Bay. Some routes take the riders over the West Gate Bridge on a lane closed for the event, while the longer rides incorporate a trip on the ferry across the mouth of the bay. After much thought, Wayne and I decided to start with the shorter 25 km family ride. Our aim was to check things out and possibly do a longer ride in the future.
This year was the 25th running of the event. As a bonus, our jersey was included in the registration fee. We took advantage of a special early bird price. Registration for the ride, accommodation, and time off work were organised well before the event, leaving plenty of time to get excited.
Getting to the Start of the Melbourne Around the Bay
The time finally arrived. We loaded the bikes onto the car and headed off to Melbourne early Friday morning. Taking it easy, we arrived late afternoon. The next day we did a bit of exploring. In particular, we investigated the best way to get into the city for the ride, did trial rides to the railway station (for timing) and topped up our Myki cards (the Melbourne equivalent to Adelaide’s Metrocard). Being a Sunday, trains would only run every hour and I had calculated that to get into the city for the eight o’clock ride start, we would have to catch the 6:20 train. Oh no….so early!
The day arrived and the alarm rang out at 5 am. Although it was quite dark, it was surprisingly easy to get up and moving, because of the excitement. It was still dark when we left for our ride to the station. I was glad of the bright lights we had on our bikes, although the roads were very quiet.
We arrived at Regent Station in plenty of time: 6 am for the 6:20 train. As we waited, several cyclists arrived dressed in the same jersey as ours. This was a big event. The train arrived. We got on to see other cyclists who had boarded at earlier stations. At each station more cyclists and bikes got on – very squeezy.
When we arrived at Flinders Street Station, everyone spilled out and headed across the bridge to the other side of the Yarra River. As we crossed the bridge, we looked to the east to see the sun rising over the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), an awesome sight.
We were met by a volunteer, who was sending riders to the correct starting areas. The 25, 50 and 100 km rides were all starting from Alexandra Gardens. We watched the other rides leave. There were so many riders!
Our Ride Begins
Then it was our turn to form up. In the announcements, I heard them say that there were over 800 children riding today. I spoke with other riders around me. One guy was doing the 25 km ride as support, while his adult son did the 100. Another had worked night shift and had only had a few hours sleep, but wouldn’t miss the ride. His aim was to eventually do ‘the big one’.
Finally it was our turn to roll out. The Gardens roads had been shut to the public since 4 am, so they were almost vehicle free (apart from a couple of parked cars that must have been there all night). We rode through the Gardens past the Shrine of Remembrance to the first turn around point and eventually back through the starting arch. There were so many riders of all ages and experience, we had to be extremely cautious.
From here we headed through to the coast in a designated closed lane passing under some of the freeways. I could hear my GPS losing coverage and reconnecting. When we reached the coast, one whole side of a divided road was closed off for us.
There was some nice vehicles out for a Sunday drive on the other side. At one stage we were moving faster than the Lamborghini travelling in the adjacent lane!
It was an easy ride along the coast with a slight tailwind. I was hoping the forecasters had gotten it wrong, as they were predicting strong northerly winds mid-morning. If they were right, it wouldn’t be such a nice ride back.
We stopped a few times to enjoy the view and take photos, playing hopscotch with others who passed us and then we would pass them. I noticed Luna Park off to one side as we skirted past the back of it and decided to make a detour on the way back to take a photo or two.
Elwood Park
It wasn’t long before we were being ushered off the road into Elwood Park for our rest and refreshment stop. There were so many bikes (and people) already there. We took the time to get off the bikes and rest and refuel. There was a father wanting to do some running adjustments to his son’s bike, so I lent him my multi-tool. Everyone was so friendly.
Returning in a Head Wind
We finally had to begin the return trip. The wind had sprung up as predicted, so we were not looking forward to it. We had no reason to rush back, so decided to take our time and not push ourselves.
We stopped as required, including the detour to visit the front entrance to Luna Park. The wind was strong, so strong that once or twice the gusts caught me off guard and pushed me sideways. Later I was speaking to a friend who had done the 50 km ride. He said the same of his return ride over the West Gate Bridge.
I was pleased to reach the end of the ride along the coast and to start to head back towards the city. The traffic had gotten thicker, but we were still separated in a lane of our own. The ride marshals on every corner cheered us on or gave us a wave as we rode by.
Once or twice we got split up at the traffic lights, but we managed to regroup in time to ride the last kilometer and cross the finish line together. Everyone who finished a ride got a medal placed around their neck as they pulled up past the finish line. I felt like a real winner, but I think it was the organizers who were the real winners.
It was such an enjoyable, well organised ride. Now, even though it has been ticked off my Bucket List, I think I will do the Melbourne Around the Bay Ride again. Maybe we will repeat the 25 km or perhaps a longer ride.
Earlier this year, Karen and Wayne participated in the Mini Coast to Coast event on the Encounter Bikeway. The Melbourne Bayside Cycling Trail is a bike path following the coastline of Port Phillip Bay from the south-eastern suburb of Seaford to just beyond the Westgate Bridge in Port Melbourne.
