Day 323, Monday, 15 February, 2010

Distance travelled – 67.6 km
Avg speed – 17.4 kph
Max speed – 42.5 kph

Bicheno to Fingal

Yesterday after looking at the 7 day weather forecast for the North East we decided to head inland in search of drier weather rather than follow our original plan to ride through the North East corner of Tasmania. Our new route will now take us up Elephant Pass to the coal-mining village of Fingal before continuing on to Campbell Town and then on to Launceston.

The change to include Elephant Pass in our route brought back memories of my trip in 1978. As we left Hobart 32 years ago we were swamped with stories about this awesome hill in front of us called Elephant Pass. Each story added to the height of this horror hill so much so that we became excellent procrastinators doing everything to delay the inevitable climb. The name of the hill just added to the growing myth. Back then we stopped to pick blackberries at the bottom before we could find no reason to delay any longer. As it turned out our mental picture of the unrideable hill helped us complete the climb as we all expected something worse around the next corner. In 1978 the climb up Mt Elephant Road to Elephant Pass turned out to be a strenuous dawdle.

So it was with some weird form of curiosity that I found myself looking forward to the 10km climb this morning. How accurate was my memory about this climb and could the 50 year old Mark climb as easily as the 18 year old Mark? Denise on the other hand had heard all the stories over the years so was not as enthusiastic.

In 2010 the verdict is that the climb is not that hard at all and nothing like the hills we encountered on the west coast of Tasmania. Denise was first to the top………but I did stop to take some photos.

Zoom into the map and use the 'Satellite' layer to see our new location.

Starting the climb to Elephant Pass, the sign reads "Caution. Narrow and winding road for next 10km. Passing is restricted and subject to 'Backing Up'". As it turned out there was very little traffic on the road.

Denise Half way up Mt Elephant

Mark arriving at the top of Elephant Pass. To those who think we are always stopping at cafes we did not stop at the Pancake Barn.

New friends we met for lunch

Visitor information shelter in St Marys

Just outside St Mary on the road to Fingal

An old colonial 'mansion' just outside St Marys

The main street of Fingal. We stayed the night in the Fingal Hotel, (right) on the second floor, fourth window from left

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