Sunday Picnic

After the solid day of riding on Saturday, our Sunday adventure was much more tranquil. We packed up beer and sandwiches and rode out to visit the National Arboretum. 

Phil with our bikes at the top of Dairy Farmers Hill. Canberra city in the background.

Ten years ago this photo would have shown a forest of pines down below Phil. But 2003 brought the worst fires Canberra has ever seen. Five deaths, hundreds of houses lost, countless hectares of bush and plantation pine burnt out.

We also lost a big chunk of our mountain bike tracks at Stromlo.

Within three years the Stromlo mountain bike tracks were up and running and plans underway for an ambitious arboretum to replace the forestry plantation that once flanked the western edge of the lake.

This year, 2013 the centenary of Canberra, the Arboretum is open and the trees are growing.

View from the Arboretum west towards Stromlo.

Sculpture atop Dairy Farmers

A tasty local beer enjoyed in the shade of  some of the only trees that survived the fires.

Phil's trusty steed...Betty, do you recognise the saddle?

My old faithful!

Looking forward to repeating this trip with our Catalan friends!