Hobart, Finished, 1300km
Well, here I am, done. Longest distance in a day 125km, top speed 73kph.
Where to start.
Well I left Devonport on the Bus to Cradle mountain and rode to Roseberry a mining town and camped in the caravan park. My front break cable snapped before the massive decent down Mt Murchison and my cable cutters were shit and so frayed the spare cable so I couldn't tread it. A back break thrilling decent down the mountain occured, my stopping distance was probably 150 meters and with the break on was going about 40km but I'm writing to you now so it went OK. Roseberry was shit but I met two (seperate) German couples who were touring and staying in the park and so got cable cutters from them. The park was shit, expensive and I had to put $10 in the dryer and still ended up packing damp clothes.
Left Roseberry and rode to Stran which was I nice ride. Again I stayed in the van park and booked a cruise on the Gordon river. I ate Wallaby steak at a resturant and drank Cascade Pale Ale. It rained all night and I dragged by self out in the morning in full wet weather gear for the cruise. Amazing forest was seen on the boat trip and the best bit was cause it was raining I was the only person out on the deck for most of the trip with the families, poms and tour groups sitting inside looking at the rain on the windows. Got back (6hrs later) and found my tent had packed in in the wind and rain so upped sticks for the back packers where I had a dorm for myself and dryed everything with the heater.
Solid days ride to the Collingwood river in the Franklin-Gordan national park. Rode through massive hills to Queenstown and the campground in the park was full of LOTR forest and heaps of mossies.
Next day rode to Lake St Clair national park where the rangers locked up my bike and I ventured into the wilderness for a 3 day hike. On day two I reached pine valley (more LOTR forest) and it was raining hard. This meant that most overland track walkers had stayed out of the valley as it is a 4hr+ return side trip. In the hut was me, a geologist from Sale via the pillbera and my Salvation - two Germans Dom and Tom.
Tom had been in Melbourne doing some weird masters equivilent for his enginnering degree and Dom had come to bring him home, Dom being a Chemistry student in Studgart (sp?). The geologist went for a walk to the acropoliss (big mountain) and before I new it Dom and Tom had brought out a feast of food (relief from my standard of lentils and cous-cous) which included bags of gummi (Dom being a candy fiend). I ducked out to the toilet and when I returned spliffs were being smoked and they had begun to play D&D. These were my kind of people. As the afternoon turned to night they made a massive feast for dinner and brought out their (iso-tonic Sports Beverages) - a case of BEER.
Woke up hungover and said fairwell (they had to walk 8hrs to get the car home) and I walked up the Acroppolis and then to a hut which was full of wanker but also 2 young French Backpackers who I talked with.
Walked out (I had ran out of food so it was an epic 5hr trek) and camped at Fergy's paddock on the edge of the park.
Rode the next day 125km to Mt Field national park. Was going to ride to Ouse (87km) but when I got there I decided it was the shittest town I had been to yet and fuck me if I was gunna camp there. Got to Mt field and met to bike tourers from Sydney and drank Milo with them. Woke at 6:30 (to avoid paying for the camp site, I only had $6.35 left and the sites cost $8. Did some walks in the park and then legged it to Hobart.
So here I am, done. Sorting out the cancophany of objects now and going to clean my bike before I go to the Cascade Brewery and some Museums etc. I'm staying with Mathew's mother Julie who is fantastic and I meet my Family tomorrow night at the airport.
More soon, stay well, Peace
H
Where to start.
Well I left Devonport on the Bus to Cradle mountain and rode to Roseberry a mining town and camped in the caravan park. My front break cable snapped before the massive decent down Mt Murchison and my cable cutters were shit and so frayed the spare cable so I couldn't tread it. A back break thrilling decent down the mountain occured, my stopping distance was probably 150 meters and with the break on was going about 40km but I'm writing to you now so it went OK. Roseberry was shit but I met two (seperate) German couples who were touring and staying in the park and so got cable cutters from them. The park was shit, expensive and I had to put $10 in the dryer and still ended up packing damp clothes.
Left Roseberry and rode to Stran which was I nice ride. Again I stayed in the van park and booked a cruise on the Gordon river. I ate Wallaby steak at a resturant and drank Cascade Pale Ale. It rained all night and I dragged by self out in the morning in full wet weather gear for the cruise. Amazing forest was seen on the boat trip and the best bit was cause it was raining I was the only person out on the deck for most of the trip with the families, poms and tour groups sitting inside looking at the rain on the windows. Got back (6hrs later) and found my tent had packed in in the wind and rain so upped sticks for the back packers where I had a dorm for myself and dryed everything with the heater.
Solid days ride to the Collingwood river in the Franklin-Gordan national park. Rode through massive hills to Queenstown and the campground in the park was full of LOTR forest and heaps of mossies.
Next day rode to Lake St Clair national park where the rangers locked up my bike and I ventured into the wilderness for a 3 day hike. On day two I reached pine valley (more LOTR forest) and it was raining hard. This meant that most overland track walkers had stayed out of the valley as it is a 4hr+ return side trip. In the hut was me, a geologist from Sale via the pillbera and my Salvation - two Germans Dom and Tom.
Tom had been in Melbourne doing some weird masters equivilent for his enginnering degree and Dom had come to bring him home, Dom being a Chemistry student in Studgart (sp?). The geologist went for a walk to the acropoliss (big mountain) and before I new it Dom and Tom had brought out a feast of food (relief from my standard of lentils and cous-cous) which included bags of gummi (Dom being a candy fiend). I ducked out to the toilet and when I returned spliffs were being smoked and they had begun to play D&D. These were my kind of people. As the afternoon turned to night they made a massive feast for dinner and brought out their (iso-tonic Sports Beverages) - a case of BEER.
Woke up hungover and said fairwell (they had to walk 8hrs to get the car home) and I walked up the Acroppolis and then to a hut which was full of wanker but also 2 young French Backpackers who I talked with.
Walked out (I had ran out of food so it was an epic 5hr trek) and camped at Fergy's paddock on the edge of the park.
Rode the next day 125km to Mt Field national park. Was going to ride to Ouse (87km) but when I got there I decided it was the shittest town I had been to yet and fuck me if I was gunna camp there. Got to Mt field and met to bike tourers from Sydney and drank Milo with them. Woke at 6:30 (to avoid paying for the camp site, I only had $6.35 left and the sites cost $8. Did some walks in the park and then legged it to Hobart.
So here I am, done. Sorting out the cancophany of objects now and going to clean my bike before I go to the Cascade Brewery and some Museums etc. I'm staying with Mathew's mother Julie who is fantastic and I meet my Family tomorrow night at the airport.
More soon, stay well, Peace
H
posted by Angel Ironhead at 9:59 am
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