Westmeadows-Brimbank Park Ride 5/12/2010

It was a foggy morning that 6 cyclists met at Westmeadows Bakery at 9am for the ride to Brimbank Park. After brief introductions to new riders, we started on our way. The first obstacle to overcome was the M80 Ring Road works detour, which climbs up the valley wall to Gladstone Park.
We continued riding to Brimbank Park. A bit of exploration had an exulting anticlimax as we zoomed down into the valley. We could see the result of floods, with twigs and other rubbish strewn high in the fence. We could not cross the fords as they were flooded and one had a tree down across it. The cafe was closed too, so we decided to ride to Keilor Village Shops.
We climbed up to the entrance of the park and continued along the Keilor Bike Path to the Old Calder Highway and the Village, where we stopped for more than half an hour for a rest, a cuppa and a bite. There was a market being held in the village, but we didn't do any shopping.
It was decided to continue back to Westmeadows via Arundel Rd to Sharps Rd. This was a beautiful ride through a rural area, though with the hill it would be better to travel in the other direction!
The fog was lifting by now and in the distance, planes could be seen taxiing at the Melbourne Airport.
At Melrose Drive, it was suggested we ride through Gladstone Park instead of going back along the Ring Road Path, so we proceeded to Carrick Drive and made our way through that way.
On approaching Westmeadows, we discovered a meet of the FX-FJ Holden Club of Australia Melbourne Chapter Inc, so stopped to admire the 16 vehicles parked in the shade of the trees. While there, a motorbike roared along the Moonee Ponds Creek Path.
On proceeding to the Bakery, Paul lagged behind - he had a flat tyre! Luckily for Paul, it was only a short distance to the Bakery, so he walked the remaining distance. The others, in the meantime, had arrived and began a conversation with another group of local cyclists. When Paul arrived, they hurriedly departed to leave the HumeBUG cyclists to fix it!
It was a good ride, with a pleasant ride through some countryside. I'm sure we were all looking forward to having a cold shower after the ride as it was a hot day with the fog having lifted after our break at Keilor.

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