Day 4 Poatina to Miena 31 December 2022
61.4km in a time of 5.18.15 with an average speed 11.57km/h max at 55.16km/h. Elevation 1154 and descent of 631m. Start at 6.19am.Max 31°C day in Poatina, cooler in Miena though.
On the last day of the year I woke up at 5.30am, quick breakfast of the most awful gluten free rice bubbles bought from the local shop and cups of tea. Even spoonfulls of sugar could not change the taste. As I depart at 6.19am I see the 10 cyclists are camped on the lawns outside the Chalet, and are allowed to use the facilities which is great and the 4 cyclists from Melbourne are getting their bikes out of the same cage as mine.
It’s a nice cool morning, heat on its way throughout the day. The first 2-3km was generally flat but then the steep climb up was lots of walking and not so much riding. I got caught up by one of the cyclists of 4 from Melbourne and we walked together for some time. When I caught up with them the night before one of them asked how long it would take me and I replied 9 days was the plan at roughly 50km a day. 9 days wow he replied. I didn’t know whether I had planned for enough days or not after that. They had hired Bombtrack bikes and bags from Melbourne and were in Tasmania for 14 days but hoped to be in Hobart by today. Now I knew that my 9 days compared to their 3 days was both a good estimate and their total underestimate.
Finally I reach the top and say farewell to my fellow walker as he waits for his 3 other Melbournians to reach the top. I keep going with some speed but come across the highest hill to climb. I was unfortunately told about this my Melbourne friend to my disappointment.
The knee felt better after some icing using my drink bottles in the freezer part of the fridge yesterday, but by the time I drink from them the ice has melted and they are just cool water. I changed the way I walked up the hill which has helped any reoccurrence.
The Trail tells you to turn off the fast main highway down a dirt road then right to follow the power lines on a rocky, rocky road. I thought of staying on the main highway to catch up on lost time The most speed I got was 12km/h and it just bounces you around due to the size of the rocks. I go past the campground avoiding a kangaroo and stop at the Flintstones- Arthurs Lake roadhouse for morning tea. 2 Poweraides, chocolate bar, small hot chips, can of coke fills the stomach at 10.00 and I don’t need lunch at all this day. At 11.00 am I go back past the campground to follow the pipeline from Arthurs Lake to the Great Lake. Another walk uphill but as I follow the open flume I know its all downhill from here, as the water flows downhill. Im a little sheltered from the wind which is picking up and I see my first echidna for the trip searching for ants. Later on I see a kangaroo swimming across the ditch and a snake. I stop to have a muesli bar and for the only time put my buff in the cool water to refresh myself. I keep forgetting to do it before and after but today it is really worth it as the heat of the day is building. I realise Ive lost my sunscreen tube between the roadhouse and the highway to Miena. The wind is getting stronger at times is a headwind following the Great Lake. I get a puncture just before I hit the highway to Miena. It turns out it is from my previous puncture in the back wheel so Im trying to insert a bigger rubber plug in the same hole which turns out harder to do on a flate tyre. So with a bit of pumping up the tyre I manage to get it in and the tyre stays up for the rest of the trip. I did buy a new tyre for the rear before I left but the Darwin bike shops were too busy prior to Christmas to change it.
Once on the main road it is 11km to Miena plus 3km more to the Great Lake Hotel. $220 for the last room and has a supermarket next door (open between 7am and 7pm). It is just too windy for a tent and as I meet the 4 from Melbourne who left just after me they mention it is New Years Eve so they are splashing out. So in style I have dinner at the restaurant at 6.30pm and asleep by 9.45pm. The room has a fridge, bowls and cutlery, toaster, bread supplied (not GF), bathroom, towels and kettle and a king size bed.