Great Ocean Road cycle - Day Two

I hereby appoint myself President of the 'Change the name of Lavers Hill to Lavers Mountain' committee, after spending the better part of an hour cycling up to said village. Day Two started at Port Campbell with rain and south-west winds. Not even the joy-riding helicopters were taking off! After a quick photo-op at Loch Ard Gorge and the Twelve Apostles, it was a left-turn inland and a twenty-kilometre climb to Lavers Mountain (yes, I know).

Hills don't attract mist, mountains do, okay! After a slog through the rain and mist, I had a delicious lentil burger and signed up most of the townfolk to my new committee - it seems the locals prefer the idea of a mountain home.

It was still raining, but I didn't care. Downhill all the way to Apollo Bay, I assumed. Oops. Downhill was fun, even in the wet. Thankfully the four-wheel-drives kept their distance. From Glenaire to Hordern Vale was a serene cycle through a sheep-meadow valley. And then another long climb to just above Apollo Bay. My Garmin was telling me I'd climbed 1,477 metres today, my knees were saying 'double it, Buddy.'

After ninety-seven kilometres, the rain stopped, the sun came out and Apollo Bay welcomed me with the toot of a truck horn... although he could have been warning me to get out of the way. I waved happily. The apartment manager wondered why I was so wet when I checked in? I smiled, 'It's always raining on Lavers Mountain.'