Apart from loving them, he also loves cycling around Benalla.
He always brings two of his three bikes and uses them according to the time he has or where he plans to ride.
He has a road, mountain and gravel bike and says there are perfect conditions around Benalla for using all of them.
Goorambat veterans receive funding
His secret weapon is a Strava app, which shows walking or cycling routes with expected timings.
This is the go-to app for those who are fit, want to be or are competitively active.
The routes he especially enjoys using his road bike are out along the Samaria Rd as far as possible or turning towards Tatong or Swanpool and back again because it is safe riding.
Or a quick zip around the Reef Hills (they need a little tidying up!).
Matt heads back to France
He uses his gravel bike to head for Lake Mokoan along the channel, particularly enjoying being up on the aqueduct or does he mean dam wall?
This ride can be made as long as he wishes if he roams around Winton Wetland reserve or stops at Mokoan Hub and Cafe. Others can even stay out there.
Another route is joining the 100 km Murray to Mountain Rail Trail from Wangaratta to Bright via Milawa and Myrtleford or detouring to Beechworth, Stanley and Mount Beauty.
He could go on to also join the High Country trail along Lake Hume to Corryong crossing the spectacular 600m Sandy Creek Bridge.
Suicide prevention for veterans
There are endless combinations and detours and beautiful countryside that changes with the seasons.
Not being a cyclist I am happy to almost freewheel from Beechworth to Everton Station and join the backup crew, if there is one, for a thermos coffee.
My new friend is an experienced cyclist who is known to regularly organise groups to follow the Tour de France.
For him to say that he is very happy to cycle in our region is quite a compliment.
Pen pals unite
He has friends who put their bike on the train from Melbourne or Sydney to join him here.
All the routes mentioned above are day trips for him, also riding home to Melbourne via Bonnie Doon and the Yarra Valley which he loves even if he has to abstain and only drink water.
He gave me one warning, magpies in September!
His advice is don't ride then because neither he nor his friends have found a foolproof method for deflecting their bombing.
We golfers have noticed that magpies like some people better than others, but for cyclists, don't bank on it.
- Suzie Pearce
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