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Oh no! VBC bakery is closing down … today. I’ve been getting bread from here for decades, first as Le Petite Pain, then VBC after a redecoration and rebranding. Out standard weekend fresh bread all those years and now we’ll have to change. One more small business closes, Oakleigh shops slides closer to a cafe-only Greek-theme park Overcast, 12°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 4m/s from N - by Klimat

Cold fingers, Reynauds numb on the ends. Recent rain has meant that there’s fungi everywhere in the grass alongside the path Somewhere near the Oakleigh pool I passed an elderly gent who I see every couple of weeks. He walks with a stick and is cautious, and a little unsteady on his feet. He also walks a very large solid golden labrador, and to keep his hands free, has its lead tied to the belt of his pants

Dodge the wheely bins in Clayton. More importantly, dodge the garbage truck and the drivers overtaking it on my side of the road. Other than that, very little traffic, very few people. I think everyone has decided on a four day week Overcast, 12 °C, Feels like 11 °C, Humidity 90 %, Wind 2 m/s from WNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Down through Boyd Park and along the creek to the wetlands, then back up through Carnegie and along the Djerring Trail. Amazingly, the big red truck that never moves … the truck that has been parked at the end of Boyd Park for some years … well today it has gone. Who knows if it shall return Lots of mud, lots of fungi, lots of autumn leaves Overcast, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat

A loop around the suburbs, entertained myself by trying for exactly 10 ㎞. Who knows if I did; the Garmin measured it at 10.02 ㎞ then upload to Strava which says 10.01 ㎞ or Ride With GPS rounds it off to 10 ㎞ The rebuilt section of the Scotchmans Creek Trail from Cole Crescent to the Warrigal Road bridge is open, the slimy leaves on the Atkinson Street bike lane have not been cleared up, but the dangerously recessed electrical pit cover has at least now got “temporary” bollards around it so you…

Today I discovered that if a large black dog bounds out of the bushes directly in front of me, and I yell “DOG!” in my loud outside voice to warn the cyclist behind me as I swerve, that the jogging earphone-wearing dog owner 5m away will leap half a metre into the air and then turn and scream abuse. The big “Dogs must be on lead” signs on the path, the council leash law, all of these don’t apply to this particular dog … apparently

Thick fog this morning, thickest of the past week, and surprisingly, it only seemed to appear after 7.15. Riding along the Djerring Trail the trains were looming up out of the mist, traffic on Warrigal Road could be heard but not seen. As usual on the foggy mornings, the sun started to be visible somewhere just after Huntingdale station and it had all cleared up by Clayton Road Mainly clear, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 92%, Wind 3m/s from E - by Klimat

Sometime this afternoon it must have poured with rain! It was dry at lunch, is warm and humid now, but everything is dripping wet and there are big pools of water everywhere. Huge clouds of tiny flies too, I am so glad I have finally got my glasses and clear lenses fixed into my routine so that they are with me for the commutes home One scary bike lane moment, the wonderful new “separated bike lane” in Oakleigh has large deciduous trees over it, and while the road is kept clear of leaves by…

I’m getting more and more tempted to spend an hour or two walking the length of the path from Oakleigh to Clayton and filling a massive sack or two with the rubbish that the council refuse to pick up. It really is becoming a “rubbish ride” Overcast, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 94%, Wind 3m/s from ENE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

The late morning was all mine so I headed out on the shiny bike to hunt for some urban gravelly bits, first port of call was down to Karkarook Lake and a partial lap, then a glance at the maps showed how to join up with the path down towards Braeside Park. Unfortunately once I got down there I met some barricades and road works, so a detour was called for …

The same as almost every Saturday, up to the shops, first the fish shop – one of two – then the bakery, always the same one. Then its home for breakfast Overcast, 9°C, Feels like 8°C, Humidity 78%, Wind 1m/s from ENE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

No beers after work today, just straight home along the bike path. The sun was still out shining brightly so I put on the sunglasses with their darker lenses, then of course got to the creek trail and turned left and not only did the temperature drop what felt like five degrees but it immediately gloomy. Debated stopping to swap over the lenses but couldn’t be bothered, rode home alternating between half-closed eyes for insects or trying to see through the sunglasses

Cold and foggy, winter gloves and long sleeve jersey today. The fog lifted by about Clayton, much as it seems to most other foggy mornings, then just cold and clear for the rest of the ride in. Down to around 3.6°C near Huntingdale station, a bit warmer either end! Overcast, 7°C, Feels like 5°C, Humidity 93%, Wind 1m/s from NNE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Up the Djerring Trail to Cauflield, back down the Djerring Trail to home. There are sculptures at Carnegie, Murrumbeena and Hughesdale stations of the three letter railway codes for each station, for Caulfield I had to look up online Overcast, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 75%, Wind 1m/s from S - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

New pair of shoes from Snowgum have barely been worn, but one of the laces loops has come unstitched. Drizzly rain and I was going to drive there, but the traffic was so bad at school pickup o’clock that it was easier to jump on the #fixie and ride. Misty grey, wet slippery roads Drizzle, 14°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 4m/s from SW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Yay, I remembered to bring my sunnies, and to change the lenses over to the yellow ones so I could both see and not receive an eye-full of evening insects Mainly clear, 15°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 6m/s from SW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

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Tuesday special, the ute stopped across the bike path crossing. Not once, but twice. Clayton road bumper-to-bumper traffic, our crossing light goes green as does the side road, bloke in ute plants his foot to get around the corner ahead of all the bikes & pedestrians and succeeds only in blocking the entire path then stopping across it. Myself and one other rode up to his driver door and sat there, pointing up at the crossing light until he backed up and let us and the people behind all through

A bit gloomy, a bit of light rain, too dark for the sunglasses and I’d forgotten to bring the clear lenses so I took them off … and promptly received an eyeful of tiny insects from the swarms near the creek. Most uncomfortable and made for much blinking and squinting the rest of the way home Light drizzle, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 84%, Wind 3m/s from S - by Klimat

Another commute in the light fog and dampness Overcast, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 99%, Wind 2m/s from E - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

A quiet grey wet melancholy Sunday afternoon, light rain falling and paths almost empty. A very pleasant spin out to the Dandenong Showgrounds and back, the gloom and rain emphasised the mix of smells from the myriad cafes and markets at each of Springvale, Noble Park and Yarraman. Foods and scents from Laos, Cambodia, several Chinese provinces, Vietnam and Greece, and I’m sure I’ve missed a few As usual the rubbish dumped along the trail is discouraging, the councils often claim it is “railway…

Saturday. Shopping. Bread. Fish. Overcast, 16°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 68%, Wind 5m/s from NNE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Stayed back after work for a while for a beer and some conversation, then left in the dark and since I was getting hungry, headed straight home on the short route. A surprising – and frightening – number of uni. students out on bikes near Monash. All in black, none with lights, four of seven riding on the left side of the road, two riding the wrong way up the road and one on the footpath

Another lovely day in paradise … or what passes for it in sunny autumnal Melbourne. Another spin down the Djerring Trail to Clayton and a climb up Kanooka Grove to Monash. Spent the time waiting for the Dandenong Road crossing lights idly watching as a single detached pedal and crank were repeatedly driven over and flicked left and right and, eventually, too far off along the road to be quickly grabbed when I crossed.

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Well you can ignore that weather summary below, it was another glorious sunny afternoon with no wind. So after spent far too many hours last night working, today I pulled the pin at 2.30㏘ and went out for a ride. Up to Wattle Park, to the land of concrete roads, leafy suburbia, private schools and more Teslas than you can poke a stick at. Amusingly, I found roads with names “Through Road” and “Orange Grove”

A lovely sunny afternoon so I thought I’d head over to Packer Park for a couple of laps of the velodrome on the #fixie, I’ve not been there for months … well it was not to be, the velodrome is closed for resurfacing A meander around the park instead, then follow the Rosstown Rail Trail across to the railway, back up to Caulfield, and the Djerring Trail home Clear sky, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 2m/s from SE - by Klimat

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I should have recorded it, we could hear it from inside the kitchen and it wasn’t at all fazed by us poking around trying to figure out where it was coming from

Came home early and working at home for the afternoon. A gloriously still warm and sunny afternoon and took the short route home, which was a shame, would have been an excellent day to ride off into the forest and come home at sundown– but not after, because my headlight was still non-functional until I got home, found a pin and poked the reset button, restoring the #Cycliq to operation