Day 794 – Australia – VIC [Violet Town to Winton]

12/08/22

39.5km

  From Violet Town (Victoria) to Winton (Victoria)

Australia

A fall in the river, 5km backtracking and a tired finish – but good weather!

That’s how the run started

The morning started with a little adventure. Google Maps was sending me on country dust roads all the way to Benalla, north of the Hume highway. I was only about 5km or so away from Violet Town when I reached a dead-end. The road was flooded with a river branch that got too heavy with the past days rain. I assessed if I could cross, but it was above knee-deep and at least 6m long. I could not see the bottom of it.

Artsy Benalla

I backtracked to a another side road 1km or so thinking I could get around. However I got faced with the same stream. I proded the water with a stick of wood and estimated it was about knee-deep again. I decided to go for it. One step, two… and then ziiiiiiiiipppp! I slipped on the muddy bottom and ended waist-deep in the freezing water. I did let out a few expletives! I was totally frozen, shoes, feet, legs, butt and tummy. I was not very pleased to have to walk back all the way to where my path, earlier this morning, approached Hume Highway. I started the GPS again as I reached this point.

Glad it was over!

Then it was about 10km on the Highway. Loads of traffic, but a wide shoulder to run on and I saw signs that indicated bikes were allowed on the road. So not too bad. I was glad when I got off of it at Baddaginnie, and then it was country roads all the way to Benalla. A nice little town with loads of street art and a beautiful botanical garden (I spotted a magnificent monkey-puzzle tree, the like of which I used to see frequently in South America). Then it was a plod to Winton, as I was quite tired by that time.

Tonight we bush-camp in a semi-organised camp north of Benalla. No powered site therefore no electricity. I hope the temperatures don’t drop too much at night!

Enjoy the video of today’s run:

Part 1: https://www.relive.cc/view/vXvL2zxE476

Part 2: https://www.relive.cc/view/vQvxnXgkY96

Check my daily run GPS data on or

Here is the map of today’s run: