As is customary for our last blog post for a ride, we are sitting at Launceston airport reflecting on the highlights, challenges and lessons learned over the last couple of weeks. 

We both agree Tassie is magnificent- it was every bit as wonderful as we had heard and more. And we picked a fabulous time to go- while the weather was variable, tourist numbers were low so we often had these magnificent unspoilt places to ourselves.

The numbers:

Total distance travelled: 780.9km (we thought about riding around the block to make it up to the 800 but have you seen the hills in Hobart?!).

Total distance travelled on foot pushing bike: estimate 20, felt like 50.

Time in the saddle: 65hrs, 57mins (ouch)

Mechanical failures: amazingly none- not even a flat tyre!

Biggest thrill: flying down the 10kms from Eaglehawk Neck to Dunalley without turning the pedals once (at a PB speed of 80km/hr)

Biggest challenge: hands down the logging trucks, with the wind a close second. 

Best view: ahhh this is a tough one.  Wineglass Bay neck in neck with the Devil’s kitchen and Bruny Island coastline – But every single day brought breathtaking scenery.

What we have learned:

• our physical limits – and how to push past them 
• we still don’t mind riding in the rain, but are less fond of wind
• sometimes  it’s the unexpected places that you want to spend more time in- so flexibility is the key
• It’s fun spending time with our extended family (but we knew that already)
• It’s OK to accept a ride sometimes – 780 km is still a long way.

Signing of until next time…….

Once In Hobart the green machine was set aside in favour of exploring on foot initially – then car. We had three busy days trying to see as much of this beautiful city and surrounds as possible.
We are staying in Battery Point in an old stables conversion so we’re right in the thick of the history, art and harbour centre and we both agree- we could live here!!!!

Day 1 was spent mostly on foot- trawling the Salamanca Art Centre and surrounds. We met up with cousins Jenny and Ray who took us for a beautiful lunch at the Mount Nelson signal station, followed by a trip down memory lane exploring Sandy Bay around my grandmothers house- which seems to have shrunk from what I remember (or I’ve grown?). The house has been rendered and become quite shabby. Those front windows with what I remembered as enormous views over the Derwent are actually quite small.

On Wednesday we picked up the rental and drove down to Bruny Island for the day. Made it to the 9.30 ferry and pretty much left no road untraveled on either North or South Bruny. Gorgeous views and dirt tracks through thick bush . Very remote with few services apparent but fabulous food/produce, which made it high on the ‘let’s visit with the bike’ scale and low on the ‘we could live here’ scale.
Magnificent coastline views at every turn…

Day 3 was as far removed from nature and wilderness as it’s possible to get- we went to MONA.

We went vis the ferry which was an experience in itself- literally riding on the sheep’s back to get there

The museum itself was an amazing experience – ranging from traditional to bizarre artworks.- and definitely challenging my definition of ‘art’.

Just the descent into the bowels of ‘The Mine’ was a challenge for me (who loves confined spaces- NOT!).

Favourite works: ‘Heartbeat (David); ‘Sump oil’ (Naomi). Most bizarre- the replication of the human digestive process (including smells) – we decided not to rerun at 2 for ‘pooping time’.

Too dark for photos of anything- and photos wouldn’t have done justice for MONA’s multi-sensory experience- but if you’re in Hobart – go!!!

Came hone via the Wursthaus- picking up supplies for our ploughman’s dinner of cheese, liverwurst, prosciutto etc. Will be so hard to return to reality!

Woke up with aching legs and mixed feelings knowing that today would be our last day on the road. Feeling quite proud of ourselves that we had got this far and just a tad nervous that something might happen to get in the way of us completing these last few kilometres.

For the first time on this trip we had a late start and a cafe breakfast- which allowed us to avoid the peak traffic of those commuting to Hobart.

Instead of taking the main highway we decided on going via Grasstree Hill (the word ‘hill’ was a total misnomer). This was a longer and much steeper route than the highway, but had much less traffic. Those cars that did pass gave us a wide berth, with a couple of beeps and waves for encouragement (we no doubt looked like we were about to explode). We would our way up that last massive hill of our journey and were chuffed that we managed it without having to get off and push- that would be right- get fit just in time for the last day!

The Pass was just beautiful with views across forests- but extremely dry. Wouldn’t want to go through here in bushfire season.

Like all other parts of our trip- the slow climb up took us an hour and the 5k descent took about 5 minutes and landed us on the outskirts of Hobart right near the banks of the Derwent.

We crossed the river on the Bowen Bridge- while busy and unpleasant it was definitely preferable to the enormous Tasman Bridge carriageway.

Once over the bridge we were able to hook up to the Inter-city cycleway

On the way through we did a short detour to visit Uncle John in Lutana- had a lovely time sitting in the sun on his deck sharing gossip about family.

Then back on the cycle-way all the way to Salamanca Place. Was quite a feeling rolling into the port knowing all the hills and miles we’d traversed to get there.

We are staying in a fabulously located apartment in an old stables building in Kelly Street Battery Point. Not sure how we will reconcile our ‘we can no longer eat everything we see’ policy with all the incredible eateries around here- we might just have to get on the bike again….

Left Dunnalley round 9am. Opted for a route starting on the coast and then working its way up the Carlton River rather than going along the very busy Arthur highway. This made for a much hillier trip but also more picturesque.

Along the river was a mix of farming, beach/bush batches and expensive waterfront properties complete with boat ramps and the boats to go with them. Very few of these towns had shops or facilities though.

At about 11 we took a short detour into Dodges Ferry where a local told us there was a bakery. With coffees and shepherds pie under our belts we set off to face the next challenge.

While we aimed for backroads inevitably the closer one gets to the ‘big smoke’ the bigger the roads and the faster the traffic. After a relentless 3km of the busiest traffic we’ve seen so far as we approached Sorrell, we decided we needed a plan B. We stopped at the Golden Arches which had all the things we needed to steady our nerves- carbs, salt and bathrooms!

After poring over our maps we plotted out a quieter although more circuitous (and inevitably hilly) route- meaning we arrived at Richmond tired but safe and sane.

Arrived at the bridge round 2.30. With the superb weather the grass called our names and we laid on the riverbank mesmerised by the view and the quiet for about an hour. Then the biggest challenge of all- getting back up on our feet!

Richmond is just gorgeous – after dinner at the local pub we went for an evening stroll- had the whole town to ourselves, with Water birds out on mass, feeding and preening and the evening reflections working their magic.

It seems unbelievable but tomorrow is our last day of riding. We’re a bit nervous about what ‘joys’ the traffic will hold for us as we head into Hobart, but we’ve asked around and think we have the best route mapped out….. stay tuned…..

Yesterday we did the first stage of the final leg of our journey up to Hobart.

As Port Arthur is on a peninsula the only way out was the way we cane in, but it was a very different ride to the one we had done two days earlier.

We left in a fine misty rain- just enough to require jackets but not heavy enough to be a problem for us- this kept our faces cool as we climbed the big hills out- although our rain coats soon became steam boxes making us wetter on the inside than out, so we eventually ditched them.

Being a Saturday and travelling outbound we missed most of the tourist traffic. Because we were travelling on the coast side of the road we were able to stop safely and enjoy the views which we had had to pass by on the way there. It also gave us a chance to check out the realestate signs and do a bit of dreaming.

Unusual letterboxes seem to be a’thing’ down here- perhaps it’s how people signpost their houses on this endless highway.

It wasn’t until we coasted down the long hills (some up to 9 km long) that we realised why we had found the trip in so punishing. Apart from the trip up through Eaglehawk Neck it was a pretty easy ride until the last kilometre when gale force headwinds kicked in.

We arrived in Dunalley mid afternoon happy to curl up and binge watch ‘The Crown’ on Netflix (the first TV we’ve watched in three weeks!) while the wind buffeted our little cabin (the same one we stayed in on the way down) – leaving only to walk to the pub for dinner.

Spent our layover day at the Port Arthur Historical site today. Cycled down there for the 9am opening determined to pack in as much of the 100 acre site as we could. This included an introductory walking tour; a boat tour including a stop over at the Isle of the Dead – which bears the graves of some 900 convicts alongside soldiers and their families; and finally the ‘’Escape’ tour- with tales of various escape attempts – well embellished with cannibalism and other equally gory exploits.

The guides were all characters – very knowledgeable and clearly getting a lot of fun out of what they do. The site itself has been well preserved with the ruins of old buildings now enveloped by beautiful gardens.

As you enter you’re given the identity of a convict (on a card) who you can find out about as you go- a really engaging way of learning about the history.

Heading back to Dunalley tomorrow taking the path of least gills (we hope).

A big ride today. Although the distance wasn’t huge (51km) the hills were and at 31 degrees it was the hottest and probably the hardest day we’ve had.

Set off before 8am stopping 8k down (or should I say directly up) the road at Murdunna General Store for coffee. Tiny unobtrusive store but a treasure trove of interesting fresh foods. We came away armed with freshly made sandwiches for our picnic lunch and two extra litres of water to replace what we’d drunk climbing the hill to get there.

Most of the ride was through bush land, and we were grateful of the shade from the big gums.

As has been the case all through this trip, big hills = fabulous scenery and today was no exception. First scenic detour was at Pirates Bay, just before Eaglehawk Neck to see the Tessilated Pavement

Once over the neck we climbed (aka pushed) up to the Blow Hole and the Devils Kitchen. Riding through the bush to get to these amazing structures made us think of the convicts on whose backs the roads had been forged.

The Coast down here is totally different to what we’ve been following down the east coast. Craggy, rugged cliffs being pelted by thunderous seas.

Almost every tourist attraction no matter how remote has its own ‘fish and chip van’. Couldn’t resist the scallops – but again had to (literally) fight off the gulls.

As we were walking along the cliff tops we came across this little fella- bold as brass and totally un-deterred by us he continued fossicking for his dinner.

Arrived at the Port Arthur holiday Park round 4.30 this afternoon- our 50k ride had taken over 8 hours to complete! With schoolies in residence it looks like we’re in for a noisy couple of nights.

Today we began the journey inland and south towards Port Arthur. The road out of Orford initially followed the Prosser River- a narrow highway with rock face on one side (complete with Wire caging & warnings about rock falls) and the steep river embankment on the other.

Left Orford round 7.45 hoping to beat the tourist traffic and to get to Buckland (20k out) before the logging trucks got underway. Our tactic worked and the first (and only) logging truck rolled past us at 9am just as we reached the Buckland roadhouse where we stopped for a well earned coffee.

From here we turned off the main highway heading up into the hills- the upside was no trucks and almost no cars – the downside (other than the obvious- hills) was that this was gravel road all the way.

we did the first 7km on foot pushing the bike up the very steep hill- as the bike couldn’t hold the road in the gravel. We were puffing like steam trains but managed to resist the urge to turn back. We will certainly have ballerina shaped calves at the end of all this!

Once at the top the profile became more undulating and we were able to ride – mind you the puffing continued and the relentless sun required some creative thinking

We rode mostly through bush land with some farming (cattle mostly) and logging. Saw our first snake today – sunning itself on the road- naturally gave it a wide berth.

We remain astounded by the sheer volume of road kill- still haven’t seen a single live furry creature but literally hundreds of dead ones. Quite a four dimensional experience on push bike – assaulted by the smell and the inevitable haze of flies as we go by- ERK.

Did a short detour to Copping to visit the Lowry cousins – lovely to have a dose of family and share stories. After our 50k gravel slog, when Robert offered to load the tandem in the back of his Ute and drive us the last 9k to Dunnalley the temptation was too much for us- after all, how could we offend him by denying his kind offer?

Dunnalley is the gateway to Port Arthur. We are staying in a cute little colorbond cottage with huge windows looking south- we are now sitting here in the dark hoping to get a glimpse of the southern lights.

David had to prise me away from our little cottage this morning – such a reality check to climb back on the old girl with loaded panniers.

We got a whole 1.7km down the road before having to stop- one of our panniers had fallen off. As tempting as it was to jettison it (especially as it was the one containing David’s clothes), we strapped it back on and pushed on.

It was a long hard slog today. The first 10k was quite beautiful- right by the beach with fabulous views across to Freycinet.

Once we got past the shelter of the peninsula it was full on southerly head winds- so what should have been a gently undulating ride became a slog uphill and down. We tried not to check the distance too often but inevitably it ended up being the distance equivalent of ‘a watched pot never boils’. We’d think we had ridden at least 10k only to find we had done 3!

Once the road headed inland scenery was sparse- dry paddocks many with skinny sheep. We stopped a couple of times to re-fuel and stretch but roads were narrow and places to pull over were few and far between.

At the 50k mark Triabunna emerged like an oasis. A beautiful seaside town – the main gateway to Maria Island so full of people coming and going. Even though only a few k’s from our final destination we stopped for quite a while there- first to sample the famous fish and chips from ‘The Fish Van’ . Apparently people drive up from Hobart just to get these F&Cs – which were certainly good- and the seagulls agreed! We then felt compelled to sample the wares from ‘The Coffee Van’ and ‘The Ice-cream Van’. After all this comfort eating were well fortified to complete our journey.

Arrived in Orford round 4 – pretty tired. Orford is on the Prosser River inlet. Not much in the way of a township here (other than the pub where we are staying and an IGA) but lots of houses going right down to the rover with private moorings.

We took a late afternoon walk to buy the makings for tomorrow’s lunch and stretch our creaky limbs. Tomorrow we head to Dunalley – mostly on gravel so will be an interesting day.

Definitely an early night for us tonight- hang on- one of us is already asleep!

Had a lazy day today mindful that Swansea is our last rest spot until the end of the ride – although our perceptions have definitely altered when a 30k ride constitutes a rest day!

After eggs on toast cooked by David’s fair hands our first stop was in town for a look around the galleries and ‘real’ coffee’.

Swansea is a beautiful little town- lots of original buildings with waterfront views. A real sense of community here. And great cafes!

After our look around- and a few small purchases 😀 we headed north towards the wineries.
Again the countryside was dry as a chip- such a contrast to other areas we’ve been travelling through.

The promise of wine and lunch with a view drew us in.

And the view was worthy- and the food amazing- sharing plates of cured wagu, cod roe, and duck terrine- we did it tough. After a small tasting (we don’t drink and ride) we left with a bottle of bubbly stuffed in our pannier – and lets just say there will be a small delivery arriving at my workplace before I do.

Arrived back late afternoon to fresh scones, baked by our hosts, waiting for us on our bench- this is the life!!!!

Tomorrow we head to Orford – with a 70k ride ahead of us scones will be a distant memory.