Lake St. Clair National Park (2 April 2009)

"Anyone who spends much time touring knows that during a tour, your emotions run the gamut. As one cyclist wrote, your emotions can 'descend to limitless depression and ascend to boundless joy...' Alone in the Tirolian part of Austria, after climbing Flexen Pass...my spirits kicked into overdrive. For the next couple of hours, I followed the river downstream, singing, screaming, crying - a flood of emotion... Three days later, on a park bench in Vienna, feeling desperately alone, crying, my Oakley's hiding my eyes." -Dean Randall from Adventure Cyclist Magazine

Hmm, yes. While I could quote that quite accurately for my day to day life, I can particularly relate to it for bicycle touring. And so I hit a low. Bawling my little eyes out in the confines of my tent for my morning at Lake St. Clair. Once I cleared my system, I set off for a day hike to Shadow and Forgotten Lakes. The ten-mile loop hike seriously kicked my ass! Them aint cyclin' muscles you be using to hike up hills! But I saw two echidnas! A tiny, 'adolescent' one and a big, rotund one chowing down on ants. And I was serenaded by crescent honeyeaters, several times! So despite some physical exhaustion, the hike was wonderful and helped clear my head.

fresh wombat poo!! but no wombat :(

shadow lake lunch spot

Queenstown to Lake St. Clair (1 April 2009)

If you would like to be an eco-cyclist's hero for at least a day, potentially a life time, you need only follow these 10 steps:

1) Offer to carry 3/4 of their gear to their destination (which is on your planned route, so no extra petrol/miles are being wasted) to make the hills less daunting and the long, yet stunningly beautiful journey ahead lighter and more carefree.

Half way up the windy, steep climb from Queenstown. A little tired.

2)Find the eco-cyclist in a waterfall walk parking lot on your way to your destination and offer them a hug on arrival, a raspberry muffin, a nice chat, and a hug upon departure.

3)Let the eco-cyclist ride on ahead of you as you "go to the toilet," and as you pass them going up the start of a hill, slow down, giving them plenty of space, and shout something like, "keep an eye out at stream crossings...!" Then speed away, leaving them with a curious grin plastered on their face and ideas dancing in their head for the duration of the current hill.

4)Make them pass several creeks, finding nothing. This allows anticipation to build.

5)At a prominent river crossing (ie: Collingwood) leave a sign such as this one:

"Caution: Exhilarated, joyous, curious cyclist passing through. Wombats beware!"

6)At a beautiful mountain lookout, tie a brightly colored plastic bag (to be re-used!) to a signpost. Leave a small gift and relevant comment. For example: "You've been seeing the hives everywhere, now enjoy the product of their labour." For extra points, throw in a tea towel with their favorite Australian marsupial all over it. This makes them feel understood and valued since, at least someone read all the long blog entries with random wombat references that they write.

7)Before the start of a 9.5km climb that is VERY steady, though yes, not brutal, leave another bag with a chocolate, choc. chip muffin to energize them for the next 1+ hour they will spend pedaling at 7-10km's per hour up the mountain pass.

8)Consult with "wombatsRus" in order to leave cardboard signs along the hill, encouraging the rider along the way. For example: "Go Kelsey! OK, so I lied, but its only a couple more bends now. (But it did give you a nice rush of endorphins, dinnit?") Even if the eco-cyclist realizes they missed a sign along the way, they will feel motivated and amazed at your generosity and kindness (not to mention creativity!) and will be sure to appreciate the view at the top.


9)You might think your work is done, but, for an extra bonus, the eco-cyclist, now with a keen eye for all things attached to sign posts, will stop at signs left by complete strangers and follow their advice - thinking the note is from you. This undoubtedly leads to good things, like seeing an amazing view of the Derwent River and being offered a cup of tea and cookies by a lovely couple camping nearby, thus reviving their depleted energy stores and allowing them to make it happily (though with an uncomfortably full bladder) to their resting spot.

Ron and Lola!

10)And of course, make sure you've followed through with your promise to deliver their stuff. And if you decide to leave a lovely note and a container full of chocolates in their bag, you are guaranteed to have made the eco-cyclist's day, 100x over.

THANK YOU, DIANNE!!!

And a special thanks to the group that gave me a handful of gummy worms at Nelson Falls!

Queenstown to Lake St. Clair
Total K's: 95.19
Avg Spd: 15.8 k/hr
Max Spd: 48 k/hr
Time on bike: 6:00
KM scary hill rating: 3/7