Lake St. Clair to Wayatinah Lagoon (3 April 2009)

I very well intended to cycle the 132k's to Mt. Field National Park. Alarm went off at 7 and yep, there was no way I was getting out of my tent that early. When I finally got all my gear packed up and ready to go at 9:30, the thunder and hail started. "Nice day for a bike ride," I said to a man on the way to the bathroom. "Motorbike?" "Haha, no, push bike. Rain is okay, but hail, not so good." By 10 it had let up a bit and as I was leaving the visitor center a young Taiwanese guy stopped me, asking all about the bike and informing me that he'd wanted to travel Tasmana by bike too. Three of his friends came over, took my picture, and gave me lots of thumbs up! Good thing, because my physical energy was severely flat. it was hot in my raincoat, but raining enough that I kept it on. My legs just didn't want to move. Every inch up sent me below 10k/hr. After hitting some much needed downhill, I finally got into a rhythm, knowing I definitely wasn't getting to Mt. Field National Park today. At 30k, I stopped at a small shelter to have first lunch. There was graffiti everywhere and I was feeling very blah when, to my surprise, a campervan made a u-turn and pulled into the lot beside me. "Would you like a cup of tea, little lady?" Ron and Lola!! Yes! And two tim tams, thank you! I wasn't expecting to see them again. They pointed out a few campgrounds in the next 50k that they were thinking of staying at, so I said maybe I would see them there. After a glorious downhill sprint, I saw them pulled in next to the Nive River, filling up on water. I told them I didn't need another tea, but they poured me one anyway. They said there was a caravan park 16k past Terraleah, they could pay for a site there and I could "be family" and put my tent up next to them. That would put me at 70k for the day, a suitable distance, so I agreed to meet them there. I left them to begin the mega climb up towards Terraleah. No granny gear, but plenty of cursing. They tooted their horn as they passed and I grimaced and gave a miniscule wave. And after some serious undulating terrain, I was at Wayatinah Lagoon. Had a hot shower and stretched by the lagoon, and was filled up with chips, apple juice, and Lola's delicious veggie risoto. mmm! I don't think Ron and Lola will be so eager to invite more cyclists to stay with them, now that they've seen firsthand how much we eat! Ron and Lola are pretty hilarious. Filling in each other's sentences, with Ron being a bit louder. Quite the characters!

Lake St. Clair to Wayatinah Lagoon
Total K's: 71.60
Avg Spd: 18.4 k/hr
Max Spd: 56 k/hr
Time on bike: 3:53
KM scary hill rating: 2/7