Jan 24

We left Cradle Mountain in what looked like a cloudy, cool, and damp day but before we had covered 5K the sun emerged and our moods elevated just as quickly. After climbing out of the park we had a 3K winding descent. We were not looking forward to the upcoming climb of about the same length but to our surprise we enjoyed about a 6 to 8 degree of elevation throughout so we just had to grind our way through. It was our last big hill before Dave and Amanda leave in Launceston the following day. We had to alter our route for the afternoon because of fires and smoke. We were still seeing helicopters bucketing water overhead. The afternoon ride was great – winding country roads through little villages with more and more farms. We were moving out of the heavy forest and into pastureland. The smoke was thick – the trees along the upper side of the lane had burned in the last couple of days. Barry tells us that they remain alive but can take years to recover. This little country lane was easily the home of the most road kill we have seen on the trip. It was crazy. Mostly wallabies. We didn’t clear the smoke until we cresred the small hill into Deloraine, our home for the night. After cleaning up we headed down into town for a drink before dinner. A local pub with four chairs outside in the shade was perfect as we reminisced about the days ride. A burley beer-bellied old boy shuffled out of the bar and leaned up against the wall just below our table. Slow in his movements, He fumbled with a set of papers and a pouch of tobacco while trying to keep the filter pursed in his lips. The paper dropped from his hand and while trying to catch it the filter shot out of his lips towards me. I picked up the filter as he struggled to bend down to retrieve the cig papers. “Thanks, mate. I appreciate it,” he said. That led us into a pleasant conversation and we teased him about his phone ringing. She found you, we said, there goes your afternoon here. He was a regular. Ruddy complected, he was tattooed along both arms. His hip obviously bothered and when I asked him about it he said he was waiting for the government to pay for a replacement. Despite appearances I think he was younger than Barry and I. He’d had a hard life. We left our new friend heading back to his favorite chair. His wife would come to pick him up later.

I asked Dave if he found himself, as a doctor, diagnosing people as he observed them casually. He said yes, with his training and experience, it was almost second nature to pick up on certain things.

We moved down the street to a very good meal in a little cafe/pub. The food in Tassie, even in the smallest villages, is really well prepared. Gourmet cooking is obviously part of the culture and we are loving it.

Jan 25

Dave and Amanda will leave this morning after breakfast. They pick up a car here in Launceston to explore the East Coast of Tassie then are on to Melbourne to visit a friend of Amanda’s.
We will miss them big time. It’s been great having them along on this part of the ride!

Sent from my iPad

Jan 22 – Jan 23

We left Strahan early knowing that we had a tough section with 1900 meters of climbing. The morning was beautiful with wonderful descents in the thick forest and mountains flashing by as we sped along the roadway. There are fires burning all through this part of Tassie which has lent some haze in the vistas. The trees are tall and closely line the road which makes taking landscape photos difficult. The Tassies could help us tourists along by establishing viewpoints. Can’t complain much about this countryside though as it is spectacular. When we do come to the ascents they are steep and long. Barry and I have been riding ahead, then finding a good lunch spot to wait for Barry and Amanda. Amanda is doing great but these long rides and big ascents do leave her knackered (as our Aussie, Barry says).

The climb up to Roseberry was steep and sharp but after 107K and a lot of steep climbing we arrived in this friendly little mining town.

The next morning we turned off of our course northward and headed to Cradle Mountain, an Australian National Park which is world renowned. Again, our route, though very beautiful and heavily wooded, is tough with a couple of big climbs and a long one of 14 percent grade just before the park. We climbed 1800 meters in just 67k of riding which is an indication of our mountainous surroundings. Dave and Amanda spotted a Kangaroo during the ride and got a couple of nice photos. We all saw Wombats and Achidnas along the Tarmac. Wombats are chunky vegetarians which look sort of like a fat Beaver without the tail. Achidnas are Spiny Anteaters and are small. I will try to post some photos when I figure out this Wifi connection from my camera to my iPad. It’s being stubborn today. Most of the animals we see are road kill since they are nocturnal and easy for cars to hit along these curvy mountain roads. It’s great to see some moving around on their own accord.

When we arrived at our cabin in the park Barry elected to get a rest, have a beer and check out where we could find a well deserved good meal. Amanda was really tired but determined to have a hike in the park where we could have great views of the lakes and mountain sides. Her number two goal on this trip was to see a Platapus (number one is to snuggle a Koala in her arms). The Koala snuggle was not about to happen in this part of Tassie so we were looking for Platapus once again. Amanda had had enough of her bike for the day, so over to the Park Headquarters we hoofed to get our passes and catch a shuttle bus for the 6k ride down to Dove Lake where the roadway ends. We had chosen (actually Amanda) a 3.5k hike up to Cradle Lake and back along an wildlife area where we hoped to find the elusive Platapus. The walk was said to be a three hour affair but we were counting on our fitness to make it in two since that was all the time we had to make the last shuttle bus back to where Barry was quenching his thirst. This is rugged country but sections of the trail were boardwalked to protect against erosion and make it easier for folks to saunter along. We took some photos of scenic Dove lake then headed up the sharply pitched trail along two small lakes (Wombat and Lilla) where we found great photo opportunities. We also discovered a Wombat along the trail who cooperated very nicely for our cameras. The sun was out after a mostly cloudy day and thoughts of our tough cycling day were put aside. Cradle Lake itself was nestled below the rock towers of Cradle Mountain and beautifully flat and still. There is an old boathouse located at the far end of the waters – no boats in sight. Our cameras were clicking away as we swung back around the rocky high terrain on down to the tussock humped open meadow heading back to our shuttle stop. We were well within our time frame despite taking our time with photos.

It was on this stretch where we were surprised by a number of Wombats trundling along next to the walkway. Pretty cool. Then we came to a small slow moving creek with deep under banks that got our Amanda excited. Perfect habitat for that elusive Platapus which might as well be extinct as far as we could tell. We peered hopefully long both sides of the walkway then Dave and I started to move away in surrender when suddenly Amanda yelled out “there’s one!” Dave and I turned and caught the ripple, brown haired body and light colored bill just before it disappeared back into the dark waters. The sun was in our faces making good photos impossible. We caught one more view before he moved back under the embankment. Wow! Amanda’s day was complete and so was ours.

We enjoyed a good meal and a glass of wine to celebrate the day, then had a nice chat with a young woman from Pittsburgh who had pitched a tent near our cabin the night before. She had a PH.D. in statistical computer analysis for the medical field. She had saved up vacation time to take a month long trip here in Tassie. Off we went to our cabins knowing the sand man would catch us early this evening. Sent from my iPad

Jan 21

This morning we trotted on down the hill to the harbor for breakfast. It’s our first day off from cycling and we’ve planned a cruise up the Gordon River. The boat, a double decker 100 foot cruiser with an additional viewing platform on top, is named Lady Jane Franklin. Just three years old, the engines were quiet and the boat traveled very smoothly as we moved out into the harbor. Macquarie Harbor is the second largest harbor in Australia and at 20 miles long and five wide, it is six times larger than Sydney Harbor. We headed out Hell’s Gate, the narrow entrance to the harbor just for a feel for what a ship may endure in rough seas. It was a nice calm day for us but the reefs on each side still cause short chop. Gliding back in we headed up towards the Gordon. This ship cruised around 55 knots so we moved right along except when viewing specific aspects of life.

Soon we came to a group of fish farm pods. There were 16 of these mesh covered pens each holding about 40,000 fish which grow to about 11 pounds each in 18 months. They raise salmon and sea trout here. We saw several other farms as we moved up towards the Gordon. The little town of Strahan had now disappeared from view. We are in rainforest now and the dense lush vegetation receives over 16 feet of rainfall each year. It was raining lightly to begin our cruise but soon let up. The Huon Pine found along the Gordon grow at a rate of only 1 mm in girth per year. This extremely slow rate makes this species very strong. Our guide pointed out one he said was about 500 years old.  He also said there are trees over 3000 years old along this river. Logging was once the basis of the economy in this sparsely populated area but now it is a World Heritage site and largely protected. As we slowly cruised along this winding slow moving river, the lushness and density of the rain forest covering the steep hills and mountains was quietly amazing. We saw a sailboat and a couple of adventurous kayakers plying the waters but that was all. The air here has been tested and found to be the cleanest in the world. The fresh water coming from the Gordon lays on top of the sea water entering the harbor through Hell’s Gate.

On our return we stopped at the former Sarah Island Penal Colony. Infamous for its brutality, this colony began in the early 1820’s. It was here that the triple cat o’nine tails was developed. This cruel lash was used frequently and incorporated small lead pellets to tear open men’s backs when whipped. There was an average of about 500 convicts and prison personnel living here during the twelve years of operation and many attempted escapes, very few successful. One famous prisoner, Alexander Pierce, escaped three times taking a fellow convict with him on each occasion. When it was discovered that he was killing and canabalizing his partners, Pierce was hanged. After some fallen Huon Pine washed up on the island, the prison personnel started building boats using convict labor on this small island. This enterprise grew rapidly, eventually becoming the most productive shipyard in the Southern Hemisphere. Administrative problems led to the colony’s closure but not without one last great story. The 10 convicts remaining who were completing the last ship built here commandeered it and sailed 8000 miles to Chile where they lived for several years till four where discovered and brought back to England for hanging. The other six lived out their lives as free men.

We returned to the wharf and spent the rest of the day relaxing in the sunshine that had burned away the misty clouds of the morning.

Sent from my iPad

Sent from my iPad

Jan 21

Today was a day we had been waiting for – for several reasons. It was our longest day and a source of concern for Amanda. All of these days are distances much greater than any she has cycled before. We had changed our itinerary to include a day off in Strahan to take a cruise on the Gordon River. To do so we had to add mileage prior to getting there – hence a 127K day today. We also knew we would be heading into the rainforest which we all had been looking foreward to.

What a glorious morning it was. We flew down long ascents and wound our way through beautiful dense lush forests. The K’s zipped by and the weather was perfect. Mountains would appear on our right and as we came around another S-turn we found more on our left. The tree canopies rose high, lichen and vines filled in the spaces and huge tree ferns covered the base with wonderful color and texture. So many hues of green that you needed no other color. It was 89K to Queenstown and Barry and I got there in 4 plus hours despite many stops for photographs on my part. There was a fairly significant climb before Queenstown then a steep sharp series of turns into the town.
We went ahead and had lunch, then waited for Dave and Amanda. Since there was a couple of turns to find the cafe I decided to go back to the first intersection so they wouldn’t miss us. After some time Barry came down too – we were both a little concerned that something may have happened. We decided that Barry would head out on our last 40K to Strahan and I would wait. He was just leaving when here biked up the two of them. It turned out that a big fly similar to our horsefly had landed on her neck during a descent, bit her several times then found it’s way down her back inside her shirt. In trying to stop and deal with the damn insect at the same time, Amanda couldn’t get her foot out of the bike clip in time and fell down. Dave could see what was happening, came up beside her and tried to stop her fall. In the process both went down. Though neither was badly hurt, they did each end up with big bruises. It didn’t dampen their spirits though as they were gushing about the mornings ride. We still had the last rolling ride into Strahan but the big ride was now behind us.

We found ourselves in great accommodations with separate cabins and everything you would want in a bustling little seaside town.

Sent from my iPad

Jan 19

Today our goal is Derwent Bridge. It lies 107k’s to the northeast. There are forest fires
Sweeping through various parts of Tassie and the resultant smoke has obscured the
Mountains as we move closer to the dense rainforests of the west. We are also gaining
In altitude. Baz and I have been battle tested in the Andes during our four and a half
Month bike ride down the length of South America last year. Huge days of climbing in heat, cold, snow and rain leave you mentally tough if not physically ready for long hard periods of cycling. This past experience gives us a different perspective than most other riders.

Dave is a very strong cyclist who has spent a lot of time on the bike both summer and winter. The advent of the fat tire bike has made cycling a year round sport for so many more people like him and he loves being on the bike. Amanda, however, has very little bike experience. She is a marathon runner and a very good athlete but the hours she spent on the trainer for this trip cannot prepare you totally for the days we are putting in.
The two big climbs of the day and overall climbing total of 1900 meters make a tough
Hard day for any cyclist but for Amanda it was huge. Her knees were giving her a lot of pain on the hills, the time on the saddle was long, and the energy required was very
Draining. She was forced to push her bike up a lot of the hills. Not many novice cyclist would have gotten through this day but she persevered through it all. She’s one tough Lady.

We met a delightful young French woman pedaling today. She was loaded down with
Heavy panniers both front and back and a sleeping bag strapped on the fender. As Barry and I were waiting on the side of the road for Dave and Amanda, Justine pulled in to chat. We discovered that she was 23 years old and taking a year off following her college and resultant job as a surveyor. Now she wasn’t sure if she was going to go back to her job. She had biked both islands in NZ, was riding around Tassie now, and then heading to Southeast Asia. She had an open, airy attitude that drew us in and was moving about the same speed as as our group at this point so we had several opportunities to visit during the afternoon.

The countryside was changing from farms and rolling hills to herding country and more frequent mountains. More pockets of woods were interspersed in the still parched yellow hillsides. I heard but couldn’t see flocks of parrots in the trees. They fill the air with a cacophony of raucous chatter. This sound is but a brief interlude as we rush past on two wheels. The air was hot today making our efforts even more taxing.

Arriving at our accommodations in the little town of Derwent Bridge, we were pleasantly
Surprised to find nice comfortable rooms and a large beautiful dining area. Described as a pub hotel, the Wilderness Hotel turned out gourmet meals and a had a full bar lounge. As soon as we found our room, Barry and I hustled down to the bar. He grabbed a cold beer and I got a couple of soft drinks. As we sat chatting Barry asked if
I knew there was liquor in my drinks. I had just drained the lime flavored fluid only to now see that it was 5 percent vodka. Not my choice after a hard day ‘s cycling. I saved the second which Dave chugged down upon his arrival. Sitting in the high ceilinged
Dining room after ordering dinner we were pleasantly surprised by Justine who announced that she found herself bored so pedaled on up to join us. She used our room’s shower then joined us for drinks. A nice way to end our day.

I haven’t posted any photos since I purposely left my computer in Hobart due to the siza and weight. The process of using Wifi to transfer them to my iPad is a little laborious but I hope to accomplish that soon. Sent from my iPad

Jan 18, 2015

This morning we rose early, had a great little breakfast of Spanish omelets and toast, and then pedaled on down to the Hobart harbor where we picked up the bike trail leading us out of town. We all had pared down to the barest minimum of clothing and gear to keep our weight down. Barry was using panniers mounted on his rear bike rack while Dave, Amanda and I were using the new ultralight bag system developed by a small company named Revelate. The largest of these bags is waterproof and fits inside a holster mounted behind the seat post. It seems to work well but requires that the owner be happy with less. We felt that need. The bike trail is 15K long and eliminates the traffic problems for bikers trying to leave the city proper. We then hopped onto the A10 – the main highway leading north and west. 83k of riding today with about a 20k hill climb leading to the small town of Hamilton, our goal for the day.

Our ride today follows the Derwent River which empties into the bay in Hobart. Big rolling hills appear to cascade on down to the river banks. These banks are lined with large mature deciduous trees creating shade and greenery. The hills themselves are very dry now in the summer months here. Yellow and parched they nonetheless are populated with many vineyards and orchards as well as a few scattered large shade trees. The river has that deep dark swollen look and moves with great power. When we reached the hill section of our ride, the temp had risen to 33 C (92 F). With no shade, that type of heat just drains cyclists trying to climb. I stopped several times to cool off and rehydrate. We are very cognizant of the sun here with less ozone protection to block the harmful rays – you must reapply sunscreen often.

We are staying in a small cottage originally built by convicts in the mid 1800’s using sandstone. Very comfortable and homey, this little abode was a pleasant relief to us tired and hot bikers. Our host told us of an opportunity to view platypuses in a slow moving creek just below the cabin. These strange creatures are sort of like a cross between a duck and an otter and yet even much more. We crept hopefully down to the creek at dusk and took up stations waiting for the tell- tale ripple under the water accompanied by a bill just above and a couple of white spots behind. Luck wasn’t on our side tonight despite our patience and we hiked back up the hill to our cabin, crawled under the covers, and didn’t wait long for the sand man to take us away.

Sent from my iPad

January 15, 2016

I arrived at the Hobart airport early afternoon with expectations of having to deal with more logistical problems in getting out of the airport and finding my way to our accommodations at our B&B with duffle and bike box in tow. Instead, I met my buddy Barry in the baggage area, dragged our stuff out the door onto the street to the friendly Airporter Shuttle and were dropped off 1/2 block from the Gattonside Heritage Inn. I had arrived in Sydney early that morning from Dallas on the longest non-stop commercial flight in the world – 8577 miles and 17 hours long. I had had thoughts of being cramped in a cold window seat with little leg room and a snorer and maybe a crying baby nearby for this seemingly endless flight but happily I found myself with two empty seats next to me. Hallellulah! I stretched out in luxury and found myself enjoying a good movie, a pleasant time with my book and a nice long sleep. The connection in Sydney went smoothly and the airport in Hobart I ended up in was so small that there was only one baggage carrousel and our transportation sat waiting within vision just outside the door.

I had met Barry a year and a half ago during our Andes bike ride down the length of South America. It was a group ride of over 7000 miles and four and a half months long. We had become good friends with all the mutual experiences shared along the way. He is what you might refer to as a stand up guy. Genuine, honest and fun loving, this Aussie loves to tip a beer yet is a very organized traveler. His three boys had all graduated from school, Barry had retired at age 57, and his wife Trish was gracious enough to give him the freedom to venture out on these long bike adventures. Our trip here in Tassie will be 3 weeks long and include the circumference of this beautiful island just south of the Australian mainland. Two longtime friends of mine, Dave Taylor and his wife Amanda, will be joining us for the first half of our adventure, then they move on to Melbourne for a visit there. Dave is an emergency doctor and his wife works for a large firm in the health insurance industry. They have a home in Duluth. Dave and I have a long history of cross country skiing together and share many mutual friends. He is quite an athlete. Amanda is also very athletic but this will be her first biking trip.

Hobart is a robust port city which has retained its quaint flavor. It was founded in the early 1800’s when England was looking for a place to transport convicts and determined that Tasmania and Australia were perfect for this purpose. Much of the infrastructure in Tassie was built on the backs of these convicts including the beautiful period homes and commercial buildings that still dominate the architecture here. Despite being 13 degrees latitude further north from Antarctica than Punta Arenas and Ushuaia in South America, it is still a launching point for many people heading to the bottom of the world. Many of the boats we see in the harbor here serve that purpose. What we don’t see any trace of is also significant. The story of the fate of the aborigines here in Tassie after Europeans arrived is a sad one. The last full blooded aborigine died in the 1870’s.

Today we are going to put our bikes together and go for a little shake down ride. Temps are expected to be a pleasant 24 degrees C. Blue skies. It’s now 5 am and I have enjoyed a seven hour sleep despite the significant jet lag. Hobart is 17 hours ahead of Minneapolis.