It was a bit strange setting off this morning without Brian and knowing we wouldn’t meet the Chinaman. We last saw the latter at the Purple Possum Cafe buying Tasmanian honey for his student friends in Sydney but wasn’t sure if it was allowed into NSW. He was ending his cycling in St Helens.
Today we left the sea and coast and headed inland. We won’t see it again for about four days when we reach Stanley. A short day of cycling today so a leisurely start and slow peddling. After fuelling up with Powerade at the IGA St Helens we departed just as they were setting up for the Saturday market.
The climate on the East Coast is usually warm and dry despite their recent experience of a “rain bomb”. So the farms are generally brown and arid and run sheep. Now that we are heading into the north the farms are lush and green and run cows. So fittingly our destination is Pyrengana near a cheese factory where there is free tasting of cloth-bound cheddar. The factory also has a cafe called the Holy Cow Cafe. I had been looking forward to this place all trip as last time I had a drink of Rhu Bru, a delicious rhubarb drink. Sadly they were out of stock so had to settle for coffee and large cow pat cookies.
Our accommodation is half a km along the road from the cafe at the St Columbia Falls Hotel, also known as the Pub in the Paddock. This is a heritage hotel from about 1880 and is still pretty original, but thankfully not in the bathroom facilities. We have gone from huge 2 bedroom apartments in Bicheno and St Helens to a tiny bedroom with facilities at the end of the passage, shared with 6 other rooms. We are the only occupants here tonight though.
From the pub there is a 10km ride to the St Columbia Falls, the second highest in Tasmania at 90 metres. The road up through the Pyrengana Valley is one of the best on the trip, the creek and forest of eucalyptus, myrtle and sassafras is magical. The forest has changed from mainly eucalyptus with sparse undergrowth to mixed species with dense undergrowth and lots of fern. The falls were about a 10 min walk in from the road through cool rainforest.
We are just lounging around the hotel and at various times we have had groups of about a dozen or more dirt bikers, quad bikers and Harley Davidsons turn up. They all strip off helmets, gloves and jackets and head straight to the bar for a pint. After half an hour of banter, laughter and horse play they are back on their machines and after much loud revving of engines they are gone. Peace and quiet returns.
The star attraction at the Pub in the Paddock is Priscilla the beer drinking pig. There are bottles of beer already lined up for the patrons to feed the monstrous pig. We decided to keep well away.
For dinner in the pub we had Roo cakes with gravy and vegetables followed by home made plum pudding with caramel and brandy sauce. Now that is good cycling tucker.
It’s a bit strange at the pub tonight, all the staff and the owner have locked up and gone. Leaving just us in an empty pub in an empty paddock. A bit spooky. I just hope Priscilla doesn’t want a beer in the middle of the night.
PS no wifi for the last three nights so these are a bit behind.