Betten On Bike: DAY 15 - 5TH MARCH 2015 - STRAHAN TO DERWENT BRIDGE

Day 15 – 5^th March 2015 Strahan to Derwent Bridge

Cycling Stats: 128kms

Cycling Speed: 23.5

Extremely gusty cold winds and heavy showers overnight so today’s ride did not bode well.

Walter was however determined as this was one ride in the trip that really fascinated and appealed to him. Gill was a bit concerned as she had had numerous people advise that this was a very tricky road to pull a caravan up.

The outcome – Walter would ride solo and he was sure that once he left the coast the winds would not prevail and be as strong. So I waved him off at 7.15 in the cold wet morning but he was happy to be riding again after a 2 day break.

He tells me that he climbed to a height of 820mtrs above sea level and climbed a total of 2,161 metres and that Derwent Bridge, our destination today is 771 metres above sea level.

We had discussed meeting at Queenstown but Steve, Gill & I arrived a little later than anticipated and so I knew that Walter had gone on because there had been showers along the way and so his stop would have been a short one. Steve & Gill needed fuel so I told them I would keep going.

I caught up with him about 15kms past Queenstown – what a devastated bare landscape to travel through but in a sense the starkness of the natural rocky outcrops and dramatic rock cliffs create a lunar and surreal atmosphere. Walter commented later that it reminded him of parts of the mountainous Norwegian landscape.

Walter said he had a tough day of riding – rain, sunshine, rain, sunshine, sleet and when I looked at my temperature gauge 2 degrees but he said it was ever so rewarding and probably his second favourite ride ever, after The Kimberleys.

A highlight was passing King William Mountain 1429 mtrs high and snow covered.

I met Steve & Gill at Nelson Falls 5kms after catching up with Walter. Gill & I did the short 20 minute walk to the falls – beautiful.

I headed on up the road straight afterwards to see how Walter was going as the rain was coming down fairly hard at this stage and the temperature was dropping. He was cold but said he was enjoying the climbs.

Checked into the Derwent Bridge Wilderness Hotel – it was very good. After a bit of recovery time we set off to see The Wall – an art exhibition of a long wall of carved huon pine figures depicting the history of this part of the Central Highlands – extraordinary intricate detail in each of the large timber carvings. The work is not finished and that in fact makes it all the more interesting as the hand sketches are there to see and many of the figures on the wall are not quite finished. The fine detail is present in around 80% of a piece and for the viewer the process of the art in its developing stages is on show and this in itself is quite fascinating. Well worth visiting. No photography is allowed however.

Next, a visit to Lake St Clair – bitterly cold as we walked down to the viewing platform to see the lake and later Walter & I walked to the jetty. Walter said he had fond memories of the last time he was here, 5 years ago when he did the Overland Track with Henry & Kees, our friends from The Netherlands.

Great dinner at The Derwent Bridge Wilderness Hotel – feels like being in a ski lodge – big open fires, hearty meals and great conversation.