TOWNS are like people.
Some are modest, shy even, hiding their history well away from visitors.
Others, however, are bursting with pride and will take every opportunity to tell their story.
Dunolly belongs firmly in the latter camp.
You know how people increasingly say: "That story is gold."
Well, Dunolly's story is gold, literally.
As part of Victoria's Golden Triangle, Dunolly was built on the precious metal, and most famously claims the Welcome Stranger nugget, discovered in 1869, as its own. (Even if the nugget, the biggest ever found at 2332 ounces, or 66kg, was found at nearby Moliagul.)
The reason I tell you this was Dunolly was the lunch stop in today's seventh, and penultimate, stage of the Great Victorian Bike Ride.
The 80km ride took us through the heart of the Golden Triangle from Wedderburn to Maryborough.
The country changed from the open cropping country of yesterday to rolling hills that were once alive with fossickers panning through gravel and mud.
Gone also were the headwinds, producing a perfect day for riding.
The day kicked off with the rogue zipper at it again, although a minute earlier than yesterday. The clock said 5.54am as I rolled over on my deflated lilo at the sound of the tent zipper.
On the road at 7, the first stop was 30km down the road at Rheola, where the local ladies did a roaring trade in scones and tea, and the CFA sausages were a-sizzling.
One woman was ambitiously offering jars of chutney for sale.
A steady stream of cyclists apologetically explained they'd love to buy a jar, but couldn't bear the thought of lugging it along.
On to lunch at 58km, which consisted a panini with turkey, cranberry jam and Brie cheese. I kid you not. We ain't slumming it out here.
It was during lunch I overheard one bloke explain he had discovered fools gold as he entered Dunolly. He thought an official was indicating he should turn at an intersection. Twenty km out of town and not another cyclist in sight, he knew he was off the beaten track.
All up, a 40km detour, on an 80km leg. Ouch.
Of course, better than the scenery on these rides is the people you meet.
There's the couple from Sydney on their first Great Vic who drove to Swan Hill to start the ride. They reckoned the whole thing was "brilliant".
Another, a recently retired Dutchman with his Dutch bike, a brand I'd never heard of, which he assured me had been producing bikes since 1890.
Which is about when the gold industry in this part of the world went kaput.
Instead central Victoria can see the gold of thousands of cyclist weaving their way from town to town.
Tomorrow it's 53km on to Castlemaine, where the ride ends.
