Ride Report, Ardeer to Gisborne

I take as my text for today the immortal words of our beloved dear departed brother Chuck Berry:  "C'est la vie, say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell."   
                                                                                       
Steve, Big Dave and I touched down in Ardeer in the middle of the pouring rain, and after discussing options for the ride decided to play it by ear.
I chose to stick to the Western Highway to avoid the mud from construction vehicles on the back roads and we were greeted with clearing skies as we approached Bacchus Marsh. We took the Long Forest Rd in sunshine before turning right to Toolern Vale and then left onto the Gisborne Melton Rd.
A right turn at Couangalt Rd took us onto Mundy Rd and the outskirts of Sunbury before a left turn to Riddells Creek, then by way of Hamilton Rd to New Gisborne and the sneaky back roads to Macedon where we were greeted by a lone kangaroo. The weather closed in again with a noticeable drop in temperature as we approached Woodend.
We had a pleasant sojourn at Cafe Paysanne where I enjoyed a slice of rhubarb and almond cake with my coffee.

It was then that Steve dropped the bombshell that he couldn't stand rhubarb, having been raised on a diet of stale bread and rhubarb and custard in post war North East England!

We completed the loop to Bacchus Marsh by way of Trentham where it was not as cold as I had expected, bottoming out at 10 degrees. Then the sun came out and it warmed up as we made our way to Greendale and down the Pentland Hills Rd to Bacchus Marsh. Dave peeled off at Melton and Steve and I continued down the highway to Deer Park where we parted company with the temperature a balmy 17 degrees and the sky cloudy but bright.

A very enjoyable ride with the weather nowhere near as forbidding as I anticipated. Thanks to Steve and Dave for coming along.