For a while I’ve been looking at the weather forecasts for the state of Victoria and I need some advice from Melbourne friends, or other weather boffins.

It seems to me that most high pressure systems pass to the south of Australia.  That means during a high, the predominant wind will be from the east.  Only a low pressure system would provide a westerly wind along the south coast of Australia.  Obviously if the high was further north then the south coast would get a westerly.

Why does this matter?  We will be biking from Cowes on Philip Island to Bairnsdale before heading up the Snowy River to Jindabyne.  If the predominant wind along the south coast is an easterly, we’ll be biking 450km into a headwind.

I’ve read that the predominant weather in Bass Straight is a westerly.  I’m confused.

So can any of you confirm the predominant wind in Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsular, Gippsland or anywhere along the south coast?

I got chair envy.

I read a number of blogs of other cycle tourers on the website www.crazyguyonabike.com.  A cyclists I’ve been following got a chair, a lightweight camping chair.  One of the things that I get sick of after months of camping is always sitting on the ground.  Sometimes after a hard day’s biking you just want to recline.

So I looked into them and found the Alite Designs Monarch Chair.  The lightest off-the-ground chair I could find in the world.  The unique thing about the Alite Monarch is that it only has two legs.  It’s kind of like permanently swinging on a chair, something we all got told off for at school.  Your legs act as the balance for the chair with little effort invloved.

Remarkably comfortable, light, compact and portable.  I hope mine lasts as I’m near the top of the recommended weight range.