Launceston

A rest day!  so started a little slowly, having a great breakfast before teaming up with my generous host for a brisk walk up the Gorge - so glad I wasn't riding up to the path!  It was steep!  At the first lookout one gets a glimpse at the mighty scale of this gorge - it looks wild and wonderful...  would have been good to have had my camera, but doh!!  that's back at the digs...  but amazing what these phone cameras can do... just please don't drop it!
once we got to the bottom of the rather steep and somewhat gravelly path, I was on my own to wander around at my own pace.  Civilisation had reached this area with lawns and rock walls and well maintained pathways, rocky steps and looking all somewhat controlled.
My 1966 memory of this gorge is sooo misty, but I vaguely remember the terror of crossing the suspension bridge...  maybe this time there wasn't a mob of silly schoolkids trying to scare others by bouncing on the bridge, because it felt really safe and easy to cross...  The pavilion on the other side is surrounded by rhododendrons all in full flower, pinks, magenta, purple and white!  Beautiful!!  weird to have peacocks strutting around adding a feeling of Indian tea plantations...  Devonshire Coffee and scones went down a treat, tho a tad disappointed that it was served on single use plates and in disposable coffee cup...  surely they could manage a small dishwasher in the cafe???
so back to town walking along the other side of the Gorge - it truly is a magnificent place, awe-inspiring really.
I swung by my room and grabbed my camera and went down town.  Its great to see all the old buildings being used as shops and offices.  no high rise - Myer being the highest building in town, excluding the spires on the several churches around.  One street reminded me of Flinders St East, but wasn't quite as sleazy...  so I spent the afternoon just walking up and around and back again the rather beautiful little town.
my hosts gave me some very useful advice on the next leg of my journey back to Devonport, so I have decided to make 2 more stops - so short days only and Not Too Hilly - I believe!  and only spend an afternoon to look around Devonport before ending this adventure on Sat morning when I catch the Spirit of Tasmania, back to the mainland...

Suspension Bridge - or chair lift option - thanks I'll take the bridge

Rhododendrons overpoweringly beautiful

at a theme park.... bit weird

a beautiful street with beautiful cottages

Flinders St East surely -  but not as sleazy!

Just made it to Launceston, with a little help!

The weather has been so kind to me…  sure a couple of wet days and always cold to start off, but when I checked on Hennie in the morning her temp was 1…  and I had been so comfy inside with the heater on at 20… 

stopped for a coffee in Avoca - to thank the owner for the tip about St Pauls Cabins. I shared the table 2 motorbike riders - father and son - who were doing a quick circuit of the island trying to keep away from main roads too - so I tipped them off about the Old Coach Road, which they agreed would be an interesting ride… 

The coffee shop guy confirmed that the detour onto the Nile road would be fine, but there was about 20km of highway first - and it was so busy and so many just scraping closely by - but having said that, there were also a lot that gave me lots of room - but most don't worry about the "if safe to do so"  bit of the rule…  luckily no accidents today!

I rode into Conara planning to buy some water, but there are no shops there - but a nice little park made  a good lunch stop.  A caravan turned up so I strolled over and asked if he could spare a bottle of water and he willingly topped it up.  But a rest stop without a loo???  Ah well, back on the bike again.

In less than 2km I turned off onto Glen Esk Rd and instantly peace and quiet.  A nice sealed road led down past a flowering crop of canola!!  Flashback time!  So this is a farming area - large farms - scary looking signs threatening death and destruction if one were to venture onto their property - I must google Vaucluse and see what they're growing - is this the legal heroin company? 

My dislike for farmlands was further added to today.  Because yes, head wind (I know its mine turn now but!!) and cleared lands means unimpeded winds - not the worst wind I have had to ride into, but nevertheless, tiring.  Huge irrigation sprinklers danced across the paddocks, while in others there were sheep and cattle grazing.  The sheep tend to freak out when I ride past, but a whole herd of soon-to-be-hamburgers came galloping up to talk with me…  not sure what brand of cattle but they had such cute floppy hairdos…  they decided to gallop along with me until they came to a fence… 

So no big hills today, but just up and down, up and down….  There was a section of gravel, but easy to ride and only about 8km - and then after crossing the Nile River I got onto a straight road that went on and on and on…  and head wind and getting near the 80km and still it went on - going up and over a couple of bumps but every onwards in a straight line.  Nearly fell off when I came to the gentle corner!

By then I was getting pooped and decided that I would make Evandale my stop for the night.  I was about to book a room, when I got a phone call and the offer of a lift into Launceston, so I decided to go with that - I just knew that last 20k would take me more than 2 hrs and already it was 6pm… 

But Evandale is a wonderful little town - historic buildings everywhere being used and looked after - but so very English.  So I rode around a bit, took some photos and went back to the main road to wait. 

So 85km battle ended in a 20 min drive into Launceston - more hills!!  But a wonderful host and life begins to feel a lot better after a shower, a glass of red and good food…  good night!

St Pauls Cabin - very cosy and warm

Hennie welcomes the morning sun after 1C night!!

Goodbye cosy Cabin

Lodge's paddock ??

Ben Lomond I believe

Canola again!!

Mop-haired hamburgers!  too cute to eat!

Love an avenue of trees when there's a head wind

Made it to Evandale after a long straight road into headwind....  pooped!

To Avoca or thereabouts

So Ms Google said there's a short cut to Avoca from Bicheno - I love short cuts…  so packed up Hennie and we headed northwards to the turn off - but why is there a sign saying No Through Road?  Mmmm  maybe I should ask - so I flag down a 4WD that looks a bit local - and am assured that there is no way thru….  Lots of different tracks, but all ending and apart from a very rough hiking trail - not for cycling along…  either go up to St Marys - 90km - or back down the highway to Cranbrook and then turn right onto Old Coach Road…  70km….  Yeah, but there's Cherry Tree Hill in the way….  Do I have to go back over that?  Well I can have a coffee at the Pondering Frog again…  He also assured me that I had done the right thing and pointed out on the map, just where I had to turn…

So back on the road again…  and sure enough, the hill was still there and although it was a more gentle climb this way, the traffic was pretty heavy and 2 did try to kill me, but they just missed by inches….  Grrrr….  I couldn't wait to get off this main road.

Suddenly I was in the peace and quiet of the country side.  A decent gravel road and once again birds twittering were back on the radar - I do love getting away from the traffic.  there was a nice little creek, which made a lovely lunch spot and to fill up my water bottle.  A local dropped by to fill up one of his water containers - he's been camped 'out the back' for the past 30 years and this water hadn't hurt him, says he…. 

 But I am getting sick of hills…  and there was another one to climb, just kept going up and up…  so with a bit of biking and a bit of hiking…  but it did took me a long time…  The weather has continued to be kind - after a blue sky morning, fluffy white clouds appeared and by the end of the day had morphed into large scary cumulus.  But all bluff!

It is still an interesting ride…  huge gums trees that have escaped the axe - plus casuarina and a multitude of other trees.  Heaps of twittering, mainly from blue wrens and grey fantails, but I did see a huge wedge-tail eagle sitting in a field.  It decided I was a bit dodgy looking so took flight..  Of course not the right lens on my camera…  and I saw 3 echidnas - shuffling along until they sensed me and then would try and burrow and hide…   had a chat with a car full of coppers - and also a guy who was coming back from Avoca after giving a performance of his pet snakes… 

Eventually I passed thru a small almost deserted town - Royal George I guess - but no one was about…  just as I was leaving another 4wd drove up and so I checked with him whether I was still on track for the St Pauls Cabins…   yep just another 3 kms…  (have been advised that this is "real Deliverance" country and I did get that feel sorta…  but nothing scary really… 

Perseverance is a wonderful thing - and almost exactly 12km from Avoca I saw the sign for the cabins and turned into the driveway.  End of the day in sight.  I was shown my cabin - a little rundown looking and sitting all forlorn in the paddock with one other.  But really beautiful and well set up inside - timber lined, peaked roof, big bathroom, two bedrooms and very neat and tidy open plan living space.  After I assured the owner that there was everything I needed, handed over my money and no thanks, I am too tired to sit down and share a sip of port, he went on his way and I cleaned up, made an instant pasta meal with toast n cheese and settled back for some Dr Martin on TV with a nice glass of Diamond Beach red!

Very nice cottage at Bicheno Backpackers

How backpackers get around these days :)

Bewildered sheep

Nice clean cold water

climbing every upwards - still.....

Hide n seek with an echidna

have been told since, that many people would be too scared to venture up in these hills - cue Deliverance music!!!  might explain the ute full of coppers!

Bicheno Backpackers

I had a good yarn with a young guy from the Nederlands, cycling around Tassie.  He was enjoying his trip so far - but being young was managing the hills quite well!  but we both agreed that the whole trip is quite exciting and that these fancy touristy places aren't any better than some of places we see off the main road...  I wonder if he will enjoy the hills on the west coast - so far I haven't found anything on the East side to compare!  but great to talk with another cyclist!

The days start off with a blue sky but quickly the wind springs up, the clouds arrive and they drop a few splatters of rain - freezing cold of course - causing a sudden halt to cycling and a digging around for waterproof pants and gloves...  bluddy glove fingers!!  but by then the rain has stopped and the sun is trying to shine again...  I think the temperature plummets by about 10 degrees and then rises again up to 14...  but hey!  the right clothing!!  it all works.

so another short day - 52km - am really enjoying these short days - I just pootle along, stop for photos, check out the birds - today's first was a Yellow-throated Honeyeater.  Such a bright yellow throat too...  and golden-green back feathers...  really pretty!

So Bicheno backpackers aren't the usual backpackers...  I am ensconced in a 3-bedroom cottage - 2 other girls here.  nice clean kitchen and bathroom... very comfy!  all for $60!!!  pfffff to those $450/night resorts!

There's a blowhole here on the coast - but the tide wasn't right or something and I have to admit I have seen much better.  but the rocks covered with the orange algae are quite beautiful...  Bicheno is a really nice little town and in good weather reckon it would be a really nice place to stay a few days - but I am moving on tomorrow!  Can't believe that I have only a week left...  time flies!

checking out the foreshore of Coles Bay

The Hazards

weird fungus growing on the side of the road

Bicheno's blow hole - it was freezing cold too!

this rock formation reminded of some cartoon character floating
in the ocean

Pretending to be pretentious - with the rest of Coles Bay

I have this thing about touristy places - I think someone with some money decides to make some more and then works on making something special...

having said that, yes, the Hazards are spectacular and so are the beaches - but the way the businesses swan around there, for instance the accommodation prices are outrageous!  but I eventually found a room at the YHA for $80...  a bare but cosy bunk room that I didn't have to share!  the kitchen was really clean and lounge was cosy and the shower was piping hot!  I even managed to get the TV working even tho there was no remote!!  even tho it was bluddy cold, the doona was sooo toasty and warm, so I really enjoyed my stay there...

the ride to the Bay was another fairly easy day - not so hilly except for Cherry Tree Hill.  62km.  I had a very friendly and tasty Devonshire Tea at the Pondering Frog - he gave me lots of information about Coles Bay and also Bicheno.

Still the wind comes from behind - I love it - but know for sure - surely!!  that things will change...

the road into Coles Bay is really thickly forested after one gets past the Wineglass Bay Winery that is for sale - the rows of vines are all dead and I saw a turkey with 3 or 4 chicks poking around the sticks...  in the scrub, the little birds tweeting - there are so many Superb Blue Wrens - so cute twitching around - as well as the Grey Fantails - then the raucous Yellow Wattlebirds adding to the mix.  There are still plenty I cannot identify...  and then I saw a couple of echidnas - too close to the road, but like most, they took no notice of me!

Once I unloaded Hennie at the YHA, I thought I would go for a ride around the bay, but the weather had turned - and the wind had picked and the rain was a tweak about freezing - I rode about 50m but turned around and skedaddled back to the cosy room!
but I did venture down to the Tavern and found Mushroom Filo parcels and a red wine - plus a really yummy Pear & Rhubard crumble to finish up...  much nicer than baked beans and toast!!

from the top of Cherry Tree Hill

old shed in dry paddock, looked more like Sth Aust than Tasmania

Great place to stop for devonshire tea - scones and tea yummy

don't think much wine is going to come out of here

another echidna that just doesn't want to know

The Hazards