Ride #1: Border Run

This isn't the Echuca / Moama border sign, but you get the point.

Melbourne - Echuca - Melbourne

• When: 29 - 30 Sep 2012. I'll be leaving Brunswick at 6am (we can arrange meeting spots on the way out if needed)
• What: Melbourne - Echuca - Melbourne
• How far: Day 1 - 233km, Day 2 - 242km
• Terrain: A lot of flat, quiet bitumen roads, a few dirt roads and perhaps a river crossing?
• Climbing: Not much on this one. Less than 2,500m in total
• Why: I'm waiting for my a new mountain bike to arrive, so I figured I'd make the September ride doable on a commuter bike (I'll be riding my single speed Surly Steamroller)
• Route Maps: Day 1 - Melbourne to Echuca. Day 2 - Echuca to Melbourne
• Disclaimer: No doubt, we'll vary from the route from time to time when the roads I've planned to ride, do not in fact exist

What to expect

This ride is going to be pretty tame. It'll be a nice, safe way to try out bikepacking without getting too far off the beaten track.

If  riding to the border and back in a weekend on some quiet roads (a lot of bitumen but some dirt roads and maybe a river crossing as well?) sound like fun, then this adventure could be one for you. If you're looking for 500km of fast flowing singletrack, this ride is definitely not for you

I've uploaded some draft gpx files to MapMyRide (Day 1 - Melbourne to Echuca & Day 2 - Echuca to Melbourne), but to give you the general idea the route will track more or less directly to Echuca following as many dirt roads as possible. I'll make sure we cover some different roads on the way home. Unfortunately it looks like there will be quite a bit of bitumen.

I'm thinking that a few beers and dinner in Echuca could work well before camping along the Murray a few kilometres out of town - perhaps here?  We'll get up early on Sunday and head back to Melbourne stopping to resupply at towns along the way.

Let me know if you're keen. Check back here for updates.