It got really cold last night but with a down jacket on and in my sleeping bag I was ok. My sleeping bag is rated to 10 degrees for 'comfort' and it was under 3 overnight. I also had a silk liner which adds a few degrees for little weight. I crashed by 8 and didn't get up till 7 so that's a decent night's rest 😛
It was a chilly start packing up though, my movements carefully watched by a friendly wallaby. I had a good chat with him/her. As you do when travelling solo.
Deciding to give the lodge a miss (it looked great but more for couples or the retired!) and rode 5km to the Hungry Wombat Cafe up the road...this was great! Best coffee of the trip so far, a yummy breakfast roll and a good pie. ( Yes, pie for breakfast, don't judge me!!).
After procrastinating there for quite some time and catching up with my wife online, I finally moved on with the outside temperature now reaching the stratospheric heights of 8 degrees. Some misty, sleety showers were around, but the glimpses of the semi alpine plateau were still sensational.
There was a bit of nasty traffic on the A road though and for the first time on this trip I felt in danger when a big truck was roaring up behind me. I caught it in time in my rear view mirror as there was a smaller truck coming the other way...no room to overtake for either vehicle...thankfull for thick tyres I pulled in to the gravel shoulder to try and get out of the way of both trucks, but in the end that wasn't needed as the truck behind me saw the danger and breaked rather than overtake. I must say I will never intentionally tour without a rear view mirror. They are a more valuable piece of safety equipment than a helmet IMO as I have ranted on here before about this.
Soon it was time to depart the main road, I turned off down Marlborough Rd and pulled in to the tiny store at Bronte Park for another coffee. It's a very basic shop with fishing gear, a few soft drinks and a few basic takeaways. As I sat out the front nursing my coffee and trying to stay warm, an elderly-ish pair of old ladies joined me with their gorgeous 2 dogs. One was a huge Rotweiler and incredibly friendly and gentle. Apparently both are rescue dogs. I ended up chatting to these warm strangers for a good half hour whilst patting their dogs.
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| Climbing north from Bronte Park |
Eventually I got going again, and the B road here quickly turns to metal, and starts climbing fairly steadily. This section of the ride is part of the Tasmania Trail, it's quite a long climb, a bit more than expected and in places a very bumpy ride. [Disclaimer: I am a very average gravel rider at best!]. There was more great scenery, changing, from bush with big tall gum trees to some very dry looking stunted alpine trees and then opening up to a windswept plateau with alpine grasses with small lakes at the top. The road is pretty shoddy in this last part and I came off at low speed trying to climb a steep section where some newly laid gravel was too thick for my tires to grab...and I am riding a gravel bike! It could also be true that I suck on gravel.
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| Exposed alpine plateau near Meina |
More sleet/rain in this last bit and I do believe the temp dropped further, so when Meina emerged I was cold and happy to stop. Originally I had planned to either keeping going east a bit and then vere north and camp at a designated site by the lakes, or, turn onto Highland Lake road and camp stealth style after knocking off a bit more distance. But the weather forecast has it dropping below zero here tonight, and I'm just not kitted out for that. So took I the soft option of a hotel here, and I am writing this next to an open fire. I have been eating dinners from my supplies most nights but will enjoy some fresh food tonight.
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| Hearty Country Hotel Food |
Tomorrow I need to cover the 125ish km to Devonport for my evening ferry. Looks like about 700m up and 1500m down as I leave the plateau. The cold will be the challenge, I won't leave too early to give the roads a chance to de ice, and will also take it pretty slow on the downhills.
It will be the last day! And this seems almost a shame...I am just starting to get used to riding back to back each day...such is the nature of these things. But I am looking forward to getting back to my awesome wife and our cats. 🐈
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