arriving in Historic Richmond

It looked a bit grim, weather-wise - when I pulled back the curtains...  there'd been some wind and a few spots of rain overnight, but although only 11, it was still dry and the wind was still coming from the west!!  Amazing...
I knew there was a ridge to cover, which started as soon as I left Bonnie Brae House and a grind of 6km took me an hour - the last 2km onto the gravel road, which was a more direct and shorter route to Richmond.  I thought that the whole day would be on gravel road and that was OK...  most cycle trails are loose gravel which are much harder to ride than this hard packed gravel road...  so all was well.
At the first section of the road, I thought I was riding through the Adelaide Hills - bare hills with a few gum trees down in the gullies - some sheep and cows munching away on the green grass. 
the country then changed into thicker forest in the Pelham Wet Forest reserve - the weather suddenly got colder and felt like it will rain any minute - the wind shook the trees - OK I think, now its time for the weather to get to me - but the clouds blew away and the sun came out again and all was well in the world again!!  Yay!!
Most of today was going downhill, with a few ups in between, but the arrival of a sealed road certainly made things look even rosier!! 
Now we cycling through rich country - horsey country - stables and trotting tracks....  suddenly I was approaching the outskirts of Brighton - well, good place to have lunch I think... found a cafe and got a egg burger and chips to help me going the last 30km. 
Back on the road again and after nearly being hit by a bogan in a cheap black car, I was arriving into wine country - rows of grapes on both sides of the road...  but no cellar doors so ever onwards... 
Arrival in Richmond felt like arriving into another country - well, I haven't been to England, but I have been to Sweden and with the birch trees and chestnut trees with black birds bouncing around felt like I was definitely not in Australia.  But then the blue gums certainly did not look like they were in the right place either.
Well, most people know about Richmond, its saturated in Tasmanian history and the old buildings certainly reflect this.
So tomorrow I will be cycling over the old bridge - then ever onwards to the east coast!

Downhill to Hamilton

Beautiful blue skies - can't believe that!  But dark grey cumulus clouds were clumping together and looking ominous out the other window…  the wind was blowing - but could it possibly be a tailey???  Fingers crossed.  Dropped into the café for a proper coffee and some toasted fruit loaf, then puffed on my way up the hill past the huge pipeline to get back onto Lyell Highway, then even more puff once onto the highway.

But then there was the downhill - oooohhhh so beautiful and oooooh so long!  Swooping through beautiful forests, down, down and down - a cyclist's dream…  but one always wakes up and the road levels out again and then into the rolling hills again.  Slowly grinding up one side, sailing down the other! 

Biggest trouble today was the traffic - after the Show holiday on Thursday saw a major exit from the city to the bush - all manner of utes with swags, kayak, surf boards???, plus caravans, boats - you name it - sales have been good for outdoor gear just lately!!  I must say that the majority of motorists were kind - just 3 frightened the devil out of me - but I have survived…. 

I thought I would try another gravel road experience, after yesterday's great ride…  so turned off to Wayatinah and headed up to more huge pipelines.  Highlight of the day??  A beautiful Scarlet robin sat on the pipeline and showed off his beauty - wow!!!

A bit of a climb into town - found the public toilets, but no life at the shop - Sunday was not on the list of opening hours…  never mind, I used their tables and had my own picnic, then continued along the gravel road.  I continued onto the gravel road down to a nice wide creek (Nive Creek actually) and around the corner was a sign - Road Closed due to Bridge being out - OK….  Would have been nice to have read that up at the top of the dirt road, but never mind.  Turn around and puff back to the highway and the yokel traffic….

How come the weather is being so kind to me??  Tail wind and those angry clouds got blown somewhere else - the blue sky just streaked with high level stratus and a few fluffy white cumulus to make it all look so very British.  It looks like the forests and wilderness has now been left behind and its now farmlands with cows and sheep and am sure that was a pig sty somewhere not far away.

I arrived in Hamilton and decided against asking about accomm at the Hamilton Inn - Rollingstone Pub doesn't need any competition - so rode on along the main street and checked out the Fennel Café, but their room was gone, "try Jacksons"  so I did and here I am in very comfortable splendour - beautiful old house that can be rented out to a family gathering (wish it was closer to Brisbane Em!!) or a bedroom/bathroom at a time.  No-one else here so far so keeping fingers crossed… 

Another day, done and dusted!  With sunshine and lollipops!!

Pedalling down to Tarraleah

After heaps of rain and wind in the night, the day dawned bright blue skies and only a gentle breeze!  How good is that! 

Major hassle when Hennie fell over while I was loading her and snapped the stand…  totally! 

Anyways, we will survive - brekky at the café was a bit boring - I mean instant coffee???   

So on the road!  Now this is what cycling holidays are all about - the open road, preferably without much traffic - gently rolling hills, more down than up (can it be possible!!)  wind from behind!!  Am I dreaming???  But no, its all true!

It was a great ride - looping down from the mountain, past the button grass fields into the blue gum forests. 

It was only a 50km ride - but I thought I would try a short cut away from the highway and when the turnoff came up, I tested the gravel road - it was nice and solid and not soft after all that rain, so toot toot and away we go. 

I really enjoyed riding along all by myself - only saw a couple of cars for the whole of the last 20km…  first past some old farmlands, then into plantations of blue gums and pine trees…  the road dipped down to creeks and then climbed up again, but I made all the climbs ever so slowly!  Nice to be just on my own in great weather. 

Really enjoyed the whole ride…  suddenly I was back on the highway and pedaling alongside huge pipelines leading into the hydro stations at Tarraleah…  this is the area that the book 'One hand clapping' is based (must read that again)  and the town very proud of its history of struggle and all things hydro. 

But its such a pretty little town.  No-one actually lives here, it's a resort with all the house set up for renting There's camp ground, abig fancy Lodge on the top of the hill, with beautiful cherry (I think) blossoms plus the cabins and various other accommodation.  There's a café and the Highlander Arms restaurant - was not impressed - trying to be big city but failing…  I mean no vego on the menu - chef can do parmesan polenta with ratatouille - boring and no taste of parmesan and the chocolate cake?  A few tasty crumbs and a couple of blue berries does not a dessert make!  Came back to my cabin and made a milo and finished off my biscuits!!  And $34 less I my pocket…..

But anyways, my cabin is really comfy and spacious and all's well that ends well…  or one would think! 

Strolling around at Lake St Clair

The day started out with blue skies and although a chilly wind picked up during the day, the sky remained blue with some streaky clouds.

The 5km ride out to the Lake was easy - I spotted a little wallaby hunched up in a spot of sunlight - I could totally relate to how it was feeling.

On arrival at the Lake, I signed in with my Visitors Pass and headed to the café for coffee and an apple danish…  very nice.

Then off for the walk.  I followed the Indigenous route first, which led through button grass and swampy lands…  then it climbed up a little to overlook a swift running creek. 

I managed to track down a Crescent honeyeater that was peeping away as well as plenty of Brown Thornbills.  The black currawongs were holding a parliamentary session, shouting and carrying on as all politicians do…  the Yellow wattlebirds put their 2bobs worth in,  but otherwise I didn't see any other birds.  I was really hoping to see Pink Robins, but nothing. 

I followed the path out the lake at Platypus Point.  Wow, the wind had really came up now and was so cold and fierce…  the lake's surface was cut up with white caps right across its surface.  No ferry ride for me today! 

And no platypus either - they were rather cleverly just hiding away in their burrows. 

It was an easy walk - about 5km - through huge old trees, new ones trying to get their years up and around the skeletons of the trees destroyed in the fierce bushfires of 1965.  I cut back to the centre from Fergy's Paddock along a not-often-used path, not the one I was looking for, but all good. 

Collected my key to the backpacker room and checked out the very nice hot shower, even tho I could have ridden over to it and earned another km or 2 for my tally!    Must find that head lamp before I go to bed tonight!

All in all, a really lovely day - just footling along, not in any rush - checking the flowers, berries, birds and hoping to see something different! 

But tomorrow back to pedalling - Hennie and me are going to be doing some bush bashing maybe - depending on the weather and dirt road -  to Tarraleah!

And I managed to catch a photo of a quoll - see next blog!!