St Helens to Weldborough: I passed...

Monday November 2, 2009, 49 km (31 miles) - Total so far: 367 km (228 miles)

My goal for today was to cross Weldborough Pass. It didn't much matter where I stopped - Scottsdale I judged too far to reach, with all the climbing on the way. Branxholm is closer but still too far. Derby was not highly recommended by the guide books and web sites I'm referencing, so I would quite satisfied to call it a day at Weldborough, where the hotel apparently offered free camping, and seemed to be well recommended.

Forecast for the day was for morning drizzle and evening rain, with light north-easterly winds. Not ideal, but what ya got...

After a meagre breakfast at the bakery, I set off from St Helens about 8:30 in cloudy but fine weather. The route allowed me no time to warm up - the climbing started only a few kilometres out of town, first through light coastal forest, then lush grazing land with cattle now instead of sheep.

I reach Pyengana after a short but sharp ascent and took the side road to the cafe at the cheese factory. There I tucked in to cheese toasties and coffee, followed by orange cake and coffee, until the proprietor urged me to stop procrastinating and get on with the climb up to the pass.

Leaving Pyengana the wind had picked up, and I had to push quite hard against it. After four kilometres the climb proper began, with seven kilometres to the pass. Once among the trees I was sheltered from the wind, but the climbing was fairly hard, with inside bends seeming to rise steeply and outside bends seeming to level out.

By now the clouds had cleared and the sun was quite fierce in the clearings. I took quite a few short stops to cool off and catch my breath, and eventually climbed above the tree line where I had to contend with the wind again.

But now the pass was in sight, and I continued with fresh vigor.

Soon after a passing motorist stopped for a chat, a veteran cyclist from Perth W.A. (apologies, I can't remember his name, even though I repeated it to myself many times on those last few kilometres). He is having cancer treatment and dreams of touring Tasmania himself sometime. Best wishes friend, I hope your dreams are fulfilled.

Arriving at the pass I shared the lone table at the lookout with some fellow travellers and had the lunch I brought from St Helens, then rolled down to Weldborough. By now my legs were feeling heavy and I decided to call a halt for the day. Still unsure about the weather I decided to take a bed in the bunkhouse, which was otherwise unoccupied. The facilities are a bit rough, but I've endured far worse.