Tasmania. St Helens to Scottsdale

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St Helens to Scottsdale.
After leaving our bags at reception for our friendly post delivery man we left St Helens heading up into the hills to see our first bit of wildlife which was a wedge tailed eagle resting high up in the trees. We kept on climbing, and climbing, and climbing until after a short descent we came to a small filling station and cafe at Willows Road House, where a big dog with its head hanging out of a Ute almost devoured me for elevenses. A coffee and a biscuit later and it was not long after this that it started to drizzle gently and worsened as we gained altitude. We resorted to rain gear, which we only discarded just before lunch at the Artist Cafe in Derby. By this time the sun was blazing and sun cream was out. Several of the group reported that they had seen and echidna and a wombat so they were very happy. Following this stop the terrain was what we may call, 'severely undulating'. I stopped at one stage to spin my wheels by hand, thinking that my brakes were on, only to realise that what I thought was a descent was actually a 3% ascent. Some roads can be very deceiving, or was I beginning to hallucinate? However, after many ups and downs and listening to the noisy timber lorries going past we arrived at the town at the top of a big hill which is called Scottsdale and the Lords Hotel on the corner of the Main Street. The timber lorries are the big ugly American designed monsters like the Macks, Internationals and Whites with a big bonnet sticking out three miles and vision obscured by exhaust and induction pipes. Animals. Why are they still making these ancient relics of WWII design? The modern under cab engine mounted models are just as powerful, quieter, better for driver comfort and easier to drive. A no brainer and more cycle friendly. I sometimes wonder if these blunderbuss drivers have any idea how wide,or long, their outfit is? I think they obtain a licence to drive them and turn in to zombies. I used to drive one of these things, but not the ugly sort. Ranting over temporarily.
The hotel is basic with no en suite rooms but adequate and a good evening meal being served. I expect a lot of tramping up and down the corridors during the night hunting for toilets.

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