#4: [02-Mar-19]

#2: [04-Feb-06]

#1: [01-Dec-01]

07-Nov-2012 -- The story starts at 43°S 147°E and continues from 36°S 147°E.

On my bicycle trip's section between Melbourne and Sydney, I came across this confluence point around noon time of the fourth day. I had camped out at a campground in Jingellic located 30 km beeline from the confluence point.

This turned out to be my hardest day on this trip. It rained all day at a temperature around 5° C. Nevertheless I kept on cycling, since there was no real alternative activity and anyways I had to be in Sydney within 4 days. Normally, I don't mind the rain while staying dry under a huge Chinese raincoat that goes over the handlebars of my bike. But on this day, heavy winds blew the rain horizontally into my face.

On the little county road towards Tooma, I reached the nearest distance to the confluence at 1.6 km exactly where the asphalt ended and the gravel section began. I asked two cowboys who were unloading cattle from a truck if I could enter their land. They had no problem with it, but it wasn't clear whether the confluence was on their land or would belong the neighbour's farm. I continued on the main road up to a distance of 2.2 km and then took a private track steep upwards a hill. There, I met another cattle farmer on a quad-bike, whom I gave explanation about my confluence visit. He was only an employee of the farm but gave permission to enter the land in the owner's name.

I abandoned my bicycle at a distance of 1.4 km and hopped over the fence where a lot of cattle were running around. I walked across several meadows and then dropped town to the confluence, which is located 150 m from a little pond.

Interestingly, the weather god was in goodwill and let the rain stop for 5 minutes to let me take the pictures of the confluence. But then, on my way back I came across the worst storm thinkable. On top of this, there was no shelter at all. So I walked back to my bicycle, coasted down to the main road and only after cycling another hour I found shelter in a sports facility in the little village Tooma. I took a nap until the rain lessened. Then I continued the trip upwards and had to set up a lonely camp in the rainy forests again. But the next day, I crossed Kosciuszko National Park under optimal weather conditions.

CP Visit Details:

• Distance to an asphalt road: 1.6 km
• Distance to a public road: 1.6 km
• Distance to a track: 1.4 km
• Distance of bicycle parking: 1.4 km
• Time to reach CP from bicycle parking: 30 minutes
• Time at CP: 1:00 PM
• Measured height: 458 m
• Minimal distance according to GPS: 0 m
• Position accuracy at turn around: 3 m
• Topography: hilly
• Vegetation: grass, clover
• Weather: rain, 5° C (felt temperature)
• Given Name: The Rainy Pond Confluence

More pictures of the trip can found at mautz.net.

The story continues at confluence 36°S 149°E.