Temp: 14-14 degC Distance: Walk: Cycled: Last night we discussed doing an early morning ride: the same one that Gunther did as a seven year old kid on a fixed speed, ladies bike that was 10 times too big for him. To make matters worse, the road was gravel and heavily corrugated. We were all looking forward to this ride as the road is now bitumen, still with the same undulating hills though. Unfortunately, the weather was not being very kind to us and it was still raining and cold when we were ready to ride. So, instead, we went for a drive. First stop was a few km up the road at Tarra Falls, which although quite small were nonetheless quite spectacular. Further up the road was the Tarra Valley National Park where we did a walk out to the Cyathea Falls (we though we were going to see the suspension bridge but were in a totally different area!!). The walk through the rainforest was amazing - tree ferns, huge gum and beech trees, and babbling brooks. When we made it back to the start, we re-read the information board and knew we we in the wrong location to see the suspension bridge. Back into the vehicle and off to the Tarra-Bulga Picnic Area, from which the walk to the suspension bridge was only 280m. Gunther said it did not look the same as it did 50 years ago; it has probably been upgraded and made safe enough to satisfy the bunny-huggers who have not heard of Darwin's Theory! Anyway, it was a nice walk, even though the walk back on the other side of the creek was all UPHILL!! But, is was 80m shorter - allegedly! By that stage we were all hanging out for mornos, so back into the vehicle and it was off to Traralgon. We stopped at the first "coffee" sign we saw which just happened to Coffee Corner which doubled as a coffee shop/cafe as well as a drive thru coffee shop. It was almost lunch time by this stage and the specials included coffee and toasties or coffee and a muffin. We opted for one muffin to share and two coffee/toastie combos. We were all well satiated. It was then onto Yallourn North to see a house that Greg spent a number of Christmases and special family occasions in with his ex-wife. He could not remember the exact number and street name so we just cruised. Although we did not find it, we had a nice tour through the village. It was then another hour's drive home along a different route to see other stuff. We saw a big timber plant and a huge coal power plant - one of four in the region. Upon arrival at home, we had a snooze. Then Wendy went for a ride with G&Y to do the school run route (Greg opted out due to his hand still being a bite sore). It was a 13km round trip and was almost all downhill on the way to the bus stop, and uphill on the way home. Wendy said she understood what it may have been Ike for Gunther riding on a corrugated, gravel road as she had ridden a few as a youngster growing up in ZImbabwe. Dinner preparation was followed by pre-dinner drinks in the middle of the park, and a few other residents joined us. It was really cold, so we all ate inside, followed by teeth, showers and bed, snuggled up under the blankets (lucky Wendy decided to throw a few blankets under the bed for "just in case"!!)