Tasmania. Deloraine to Miena. Great Lake

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After discussion with the Motel owner we decided to take the A5 to Miena since there was a short portion of the early minor road which was just dirt and we are already down for 20k along the lake this afternoon. Enough is enough and after all this is a holiday (you must be joking).
Due to the reputation of the climb we got away at 8.10 and soon hit the A5 with little traffic on it. After about 5 miles we started to climb and headed up through a pleasant forest. About half way up the hill was a side road down to Liffey Falls, which 5 of us hardy souls took. We should have had more sense because it was a dirt road and quite steep when we came back up and the 5 km return took me 40 mins. mostly due to the saddlebags which we declined to leave at the top since we were afraid of them being attacked by wildlife. Just as I was approaching the sealed road I saw an Echidna looking for grubs in the verge, just at the spot where America John saw a wallaby earlier. This was alive by the way and not one of the usual road kill versions we have seen over the last few days. Just about mile up the hill from the falls junction I saw another echidna at the roadside rooting about with not a care for me. They are the most docile creatures. Another 10 miles up the hill and a short walk to rest my saddle contact points it started to level out but I was still going slowly. Food was called for and I had to do my catering function amongst the flies and roadside rocks before I could carry on. Shortly the road turned to dirt for 2 kilometres and I was overjoyed when it returned to a metalled road. Alas this was short lived and it turned to dirt again all the way to our hotel in Miena. Along the way we passed lots of small communes with mostly shabby cabins, many of which looked unoccupied as we passed. Maybe they are fishermen's weekend huts, or were they the homes of Tasmanian hillbillies. Another problem with the dirt roads was the passing traffic which pebble dashed us and choked us in one swift move, never slowing from their 60 mph dash. We all seemed tired at the end of the day and grabbed a ginger beer to quench our thirst, having had to ration our water. Tomorrow is longer but mostly downhill. I can't wait.

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Photos

Above the bar at The Great Lake Hotel
Miena

Road kill
Wallaby