Day 1 Devonport to Launceston-72 kms

We were woken at about 6.30 am after a good night of sleep courtesy of a calm crossing after a shower and getting in to our riding gear it was off to the reception area on the ferry to meet the rest of our team making the ride to Launceston 

After a discussion regarding meeting arrangements Phil

Rob Abdy and myself made our way to the Ute to drive off the boat

The trip off was delayed with a large group of motorcyclists who were on the ferry traveling to Tasmania... many of the riders were seniors doing the ride like the movie a few years ago....forgotten the name but many of you will remember it!!!

The funny thing about getting off the boat was a female rider 

lost balance and fell off the bike... quite frankly the bike was huge and she was struggling to hold it up when it was stationary 

After traveling off the ferry it was on to a cafe selected by Phil for breakfast...great to have a coffee and bacon and egg sandwich to start the day 

It was my turn to drive the first 15 kms out of Devonport which was quite a climb...

The country was mainly vegetable farming with what seemed to be a lot of potatoe farms

After swapping the Ute for the bike it was on to Frankford for morning tea at the Blue Barn Cafe... this was the halfway point of today’s ride and we had good coffee and cakes for morning tea . The ladies at the cafe were delightful and we were treated to a lovely bowl of blueberries grown locally on their farm

After morning tea it was on to complete the climb to begin a lovely descent to the Tamar River valley ... the country here was very much pine plantations with a lot of forestry 

We passed the turn off to Beaconsfield which was the scene of a mine disaster a few years ago

The ride to Exeter for lunch was about 25 kms and lunch at the Exeter Bakery was good although a big breakfast and morning tea meant that the lunch was a light one!!

After lunch we were treated to a very picturesque ride along the Tamar River aided by a tail wind so the 25 kms to Launceston was quite fast... often hitting speeds of over 45 kms per hour 

We arrived at the backpackers hotel in Launceston at about 2.30 pm and were met by the guys traveling by plane from Melbourne for the ride... good to see them all 

We now have our full compliment of 12 for the rest of the ride

The weather today has been very good for riding although for some parts we have had to have an extra layer to stay warm 

Looking forward to dinner in Launceston and an early night ahead of tomorrow’s ride

Now for the photos

The ride out of Devonport... Frank and Des leading the way!!

Morning tea at Frankford

.... at the Blue Barn

.... and lunch at the Exeter Bakery

The Tamar River and Valley ....very pretty

Abdy could not resist the blackberries!!!

Home for the night at Launceston!!

Day 8- travel by car to Devonport

Day 8- travel by car to Devonport

Today we had a laying start to the day after the big dinner last evening

I was up at around 7.30 am and met a few hardy souls who made a short walk to Salimander Wharf to visit the markets 

The whole setup there was quite outstanding and there were many stalls selling all kinds of clothing, souvenirs, jewellery and food. We managed to find a cafe where I had eggs on toast with bacon and tomato together with the obligatory coffee.... great start to the day!!

After breakfast Phil and I went to the Hobart Giant bike shop to get 5 bike boxes to pack bikes to transport them to Devonport. Phil did a great job of loading all 13 of our bikes plus the other odds and sods of luggage on to the Ute despite having a lot of advice from many of us....

After loading everything up Phil, Des and myself said our good-byes to the other 10 guys who were traveling back to Melbourne by plane and began our trip back to Devonport 

The route we took was quite spectacular as we traveled through the Central Plateau region of Tasmania alongside the  Great Lake. The area seemed to have been ravaged by bushfires in recent years and is in the high country which gets snow in winter. There seems to be a lot of country holiday shacks which might be used by folk in the cities for fishing, hiking or generally for leisure.

We made several stops along the way to take photos and enjoy the wonderful scenery 

We had a stop in Deloraine for afternoon tea which was about 50 kms from Devonport. This seems to be a lovely town with a lot of well preserved buildings. Worth another visit sometime 

We arrived in Devonport at about 5.00 pm well ahead of the loading time for the Ute which allowed time for a refreshing drink and snack...

As we experienced in Melbourne the boarding process on to the ship was slowed by the extraordinary number of cars, vans, caravans and motorcycles that were making the crossing to Melbourne 

One we boarded we were able to have dinner in the bistro and have a long chat together about a lot of things

As I lie in my bunk at 11.30 pm I can reflect upon the past week and a bit of the trip...

It has been a wonderful experience and has really opened my eyes again on Tasmania as a positive place to visit ( I last holidayed her in 1969 with mum and dad and I really did not enjoy it )

I was really impressed and greatly appreciated the organising efforts byPhil in making the riding and accommodation a great and safe experience for us all

I thought we met some wonderful people along our journey and the staff at nearly all the places we visited and stayed at were most friendly and made us feel welcome 

The only negative I could say were the significant numbers of dead animals we saw on the road on our journey through the State

This is my last blog for this journey... I hope you enjoy reading another wonderful story from Wheelieharro whenever I can get the blog published 

Now for the photos.....

Loading the Ute 

All loaded up and ready to go!!!

A lovely view of the Great Lake

Another view of the lake and the Ute 

Coming down from the high country

A drink and wedges at a cafe near the Devonport terminal

An interesting photo of a passenger in one of the nearby mobile homes at the ferry terminal... the guys said it was his wife who could not answer back!!!

Day 8- travel by car to Devonport

Today we had a laying start to the day after the big dinner last evening

I was up at around 7.30 am and met a few hardy souls who made a short walk to Salimander Wharf to visit the markets 

The whole setup there was quite outstanding and there were many stalls selling all kinds of clothing, souvenirs, jewellery and food. We managed to find a cafe where I had eggs on toast with bacon and tomato together with the obligatory coffee.... great start to the day!!

After breakfast Phil and I went to the Hobart Giant bike shop to get 5 bike boxes to pack bikes to transport them to Devonport. Phil did a great job of loading all 13 of our bikes plus the other odds and sods of luggage on to the Ute despite having a lot of advice from many of us....

After loading everything up Phil, Des and myself said our good-byes to the other 10 guys who were traveling back to Melbourne by plane and began our trip back to Devonport 

The route we took was quite spectacular as we traveled through the Central Plateau region of Tasmania alongside the  Great Lake. The area seemed to have been ravaged by bushfires in recent years and is in the high country which gets snow in winter. There seems to be a lot of country holiday shacks which might be used by folk in the cities for fishing, hiking or generally for leisure.

We made several stops along the way to take photos and enjoy the wonderful scenery 

We had a stop in Deloraine for afternoon tea which was about 50 kms from Devonport. This seems to be a lovely town with a lot of well preserved buildings. Worth another visit sometime 

We arrived in Devonport at about 5.00 pm well ahead of the loading time for the Ute which allowed time for a refreshing drink and snack...

As we experienced in Melbourne the boarding process on to the ship was slowed by the extraordinary number of cars, vans, caravans and motorcycles that were making the crossing to Melbourne 

One we boarded we were able to have dinner in the bistro and have a long chat together about a lot of things

As I lie in my bunk at 11.30 pm I can reflect upon the past week and a bit of the trip...

It has been a wonderful experience and has really opened my eyes again on Tasmania as a positive place to visit ( I last holidayed her in 1969 with mum and dad and I really did not enjoy it )

I was really impressed and greatly appreciated the organising efforts byPhil in making the riding and accommodation a great and safe experience for us all

I thought we met some wonderful people along our journey and the staff at nearly all the places we visited and stayed at were most friendly and made us feel welcome 

The only negative I could say were the significant numbers of dead animals we saw on the road on our journey through the State

This is my last blog for this journey... I hope you enjoy reading another wonderful story from Wheelieharro whenever I can get the blog published 

Now for the photos.....

Loading the Ute 

All loaded up and ready to go!!!

A lovely view of the Great Lake 

Another view of the lake and the Ute 

Coming down from the high country 

A drink and wedges at a cafe near the Devonport terminal 

An interesting photo of a passenger in one of the nearby mobile homes at the ferry terminal... the guys said it was his wife who could not answer back!!!

Day 7- Richmond to Hobart- 30 kms

Once again we had a “later start “ to the day from Richmond with us all up for breakfast by 8.00am and on the road at 9.00am

The ride to to coffee was about 200 metres which was exhausting and was called so we could catch up on coffee for the day ahead of a big climb up grass tree hill!

It was beside the point that we wanted to fuel up to match Gary who had already had 2 coffees before we left the hotel....

The coffee was great as we braced for another day of riding in to a brisk headwind... luckily the sun was shining .

The first few kms were pleasant as we made our way to the start of the 5 km climb which had an average gradient of 5 pc

The road surface was good although there was a lot of road kill to avoid. The climb to the top was great in that I could get in to a lovely rhythm which after starting at the rear of the group enabled me to pass quite a number the guys. 

Reaching the top we regrouped for the descent which was auxhilirating with wonderful views of the outer suburbs of Hobart and the Derwent River

After negotiating the cross of the river it was on the bike path to the city which was fortunately with a lovely tail wind... the first real tail wind for 3 days 

Arriving at the youth hostel at about midday we unpacked the Ute and had a shower for the afternoon of exploring the city of Hobart 

Stephen, Frank. Ellio and myself opted to go to MONA for the afternoon by ferry.... a great choice!

The weather was perfect for the ferry ride and MONA is really something of a arts facility. The way the gallery works makes you really think about the relationship between the arts and the world around us... I want to come back and spend more time there next

The trip home by ferry was just in time for our final dinner at 6.00 pm at the pub next door to the hostel 

We had a wonderful meal and shared some of our wonderful experiences of the 7 days of riding. We also had an opportunity to thank Phil for his great organisation of the trip and for making sure we arrived safely each day

After dinner a few of us went for a walk to get an ice cream and continue our reflections not only of the day but the wonderful experiences we have had 

Now for the photos.....

Group photo at the start of the ride today 

Phil giving the days briefing.... we all listened carefully!!

At the top of the climb 

And.... the view from the top!!

The Tasman Bridge 

Ellio Stephen and Frank on the ferry to MONA

... does this ship carry the coranaviris???

The Tasman Bridge from the ferry 

My Wellington from MONA 

The drive in to MONA with the grape vines 

The walk down to the ferry at MONA with 99 steps

A guest on the ferry on the ride back to Hobart 

The final dinner.....

Day 5- Coles Bay to Orford - 83 kms

Today would be best described as a challenging day of riding!!!

We had rain and were riding in to a head wind for most of the day and although the ride could be described as flat.... we were traveling through rolling hills along the coast which made for heavy duty riding.

I am pleased the ride is over and we are in the comfort of our accomodation enjoying some warmth!

The day started out at Coles Bay with overcast sky’s belying what was to come... 

the initial ride out to the King gallery and coffee shop was broken by a short 70 metre ferry ride across a channel near Coles Bay that saved us about 70 kms of riding.... as we approached ferry the rain started and gradually increased so the ride in the ferry was in fairly constant rain!

The short trip to the coffee stop was no better really as the rain continued... the joy of getting in to some cover with coffee and lovely scones with jam and cream was appreciated by us all

With the rain continuing we re-arranged our clothing and donned several layers of protective gear to protect us from the elements 

The next shortish part of the journey through to Swansea saw the rain ease somewhat.... at Swansea we picked up our lunch and enjoyed a wonderful warm sausage roll.... Ellio and I shared a sausage roll as having 2 morning teas would be a real extravagance 

As the rain eased several of us peeled off a layer of clothing for the trip ahead which seemed reasonable at the time ....

Little did we know that odd showers would be the pattern for the remainder of the ride.

The ride ahead through to lunch at about the 60 km Mark was through rolling hills alongside the coast abutting the Frecyne peninsular.... very pretty country really 

After lunch we made the final ride in to Orford 

I was allocated the job of looking after the guys at the back of the group where we had a few “mechanical issues “ 

Steve Seymour split his tyre in to shreds.... not sure how but he could not proceed further and was picked by the Ute.

Chris Drake had a flat about 3 kms from the end of the ride and required another pick up by the Ute.... all very interesting and makes us all appreciate the value of a support system on rides like this

Arriving at our accommodation we were all astonished at the  palatial facilities of the Eastcoaster Resort!!!

Wow....the cabins are fantastic and the facilities are wonderful 

We have just had the most magnificent meal at the seafood restaurant complete with local oysters and seafood 

The complex boasts an indoor and outdoor swimming pool with sauna and gym.... Phil has really outdone himself on this!!!!

It is now 10.30 pm after a long day and after a great meal with a wonderful group of guys the traumas of the day peel in to insignificance when sharing it with others you respect

Looking forward to tomorrow when hopefully the weather might be better and we have a tail wind 

Now for the photos 

At the ferry terminal loading up 4 of us at a time 

Coffee and scones at the Kings Gallery 

Great coffee and scones to be recommended 

Getting a “few layers on” at coffee as the rain came down 

A view of the coast as we traveled 

Oops you need to be careful 

What about all these shoes tied up on the fence!!!

A wonderful shot outside our accommodation at Orford 

Wow great to have the ride behind us and an opportunity to have a warm shower to thaw out

This photo captures the beauty of nature and what you see when riding!!!

Day 4 - Bicheno to Coles Bay 42 kms plus 11 kms to the car park to Wineglass Bay track

Today we had a later start with us rising at about 7.00am for breakfast at 8.00 am and leaving for a trip around Bicheno ahead of coffee 

The trip around Bicheno brought back memories of my last holiday with mum and dad when I was doing year 12 ( called matriculation back in 1969)

The Harrison family had a holiday in September when we traveled around Tassie and stayed in Bicheno for a night.... the holiday was made better with us visiting the harbour and doing some fishing where we caught a lot of fish using orange peel as bait 

Good to see that the harbour remains much the same with a few more restaurants and seafood outlets

After the tour we had coffee in a cafe and made our way along the road to Coles Bay. The weather was warmish but every now and then we had a shower or 2 which meant that I needed a water proof jacket. Steve Seymour and I were at the back of the group at the early part of the ride but decided we should us “team riding “ to catch up.... and we did in no time at all with speeds averaging near 30 kms on the uphills and downhills... very auxiliarating riding!!!

We arrived at the accommodation at Coles Bay at about midday and as the rooms were not ready made our way to the cafe for lunch 

After lunch our rooms were ready and we unpacked the Ute and readied ourselves for a ride to the Wineglass Bay wall....  What we all thought was a flat ride turned out to be quite hilly with us recording a climb of over 200 metres for the 10 km ride to the track and back...

The walk to the Wineglass Bay lookout was interesting with a lot of tourists doing the walk of about 1.5 kms with a climb of about 250 metres... the view at the top was really stunning and well worth the walk!!!!

On the way back to the accommodation we managed to spy an ice cream shop to enjoy a well earned treat 

The dinner tonight was another of Ellio’s master chef occasions with very capable assistance from Dave Little

The food was great and the night was one to remember complete with a guest from the United Kingdom on the final leg of a trip around the world 

Sitting here tonight at 10.15 doing this blog gives me a great perspective on the trip so far and it has been great 

We are indeed fortunate to have Phil in leading us on this adventure and everyone is very thankful for this

I am looking forward to the next few days of our adventures 

Now for the photos 

The Harbour at Bicheno.... brings back memories of 1969!

Coffee in Bicheno with the boy’s 

A view across the water near Coles Bay

Up the walking track to Wineglass bay lookout 

At the top with the boys and Wineglass Bay in the background 

Phil stayed in the car park doing his blog while we trekked 

Home for the night 

Test

Day 3- Ross to Bicheno - 104 kms

Today was planned to be our biggest day for the whole ride both in terms of distance traveled and metres climbed so we made an early start.... up at 6.00 am and ready for breakfast at 6.30 and on the road by around 7.30....

All a good start to the day, particularly as we could refresh with coffee after a short ride to Campbell Town where we picked up our sandwiches for lunch.... great coffee again!

After coffee it was on to the Bicheno road which had a very big climb of about 8 kms with an average gradient of about 5pc. I made a comment to Rob Baker that the climb looked okay when we surveyed the mountains ahead.... silly me as the climb was really quite difficult and we all felt quite good having put this behind us. 

The next 15 kms were broken with a second morning tea courtesy of “chef Phil” who boiled the billy for coffee and tea. After refreshments it was on again for another 2 km climb to the top of the mountain ranges at about 640 metres....wow were we glad this had been completed safely and in good time!

Then.... we had the most magnificent descent for about 18 kms to the main eastern road along the coast. We were achieving speeds well over 50 kph for a lot of the time on a good road surface. Dave Little boasted that he saw his Garmin had reached 67 kph for some of the ride...well done Dave!

We then stopped for lunch at Cranbrook outside a lovely Church. The sandwiches, coffee and tea were gobbled up quick smart after a great morning of riding

It was here that I learned that a very dear friend and former work colleague, Phil Picking had passed away on Sunday... Phil was a very good friend to many and supported me greatly during my AECOM days and will be missed by many of the folk who were at AECOM at the time.... RIP Phil

After lunch we the made the final trek to Bicheno.... this was not without a misstep.... several guys missed the turnoff through to Glen Galan road and continued along the main highway... Dave Bonnet sent them back to the lunch site to begin the ride again not realising the Glen Galan road rejoined the highway a short distance along the way.... bugger!

Well I waited for the 3 intrepid riders who had the misfortune to miss the turn off.... they were a bit grumpy!!

This was eased a bit as there was a short sharp climb after I met them....

The next 20 odd kms to Bicheno were fairly hard riding as we had a head wind and at about the 100 km Mark we had another short shag limb in to Bicheno 

We arrived shortly after 3.00 pm after a good day of riding with everyone pleased with completing over 100kms and over 1100 metres of climbing 

The weather today was ideal with temps around 18 degrees and overcast 

I am looking forward to dinner as the ride has made me somewhat famished 

I want to say something about the “ road kill “ we are seeing and smelling as we ride here in Tasmania... “road kill” is Aussie for dead animals which have been struck by cars or trucks....

We are seeing a lot of this as we ride.... yesterday I counted 97 dead animals lying on or at the side of the roads. The animals we are seeing include kangaroos, possums, foxes and even snakes....

Now for the photos.....

Deals had a flat courtesy of a thorn.... we think

Des changing his tube...

Morning tea near the top of the second climb... 

The road to the top!!

At the top.... hooray!!!!!!

Towards the end of the big descent.... I failed to stop earlier to take a photo of the country.... silly me!

At the turnoff after the thrilling descent we regrouped!

Home for night in Bicheno 

Day 2-Launceston to Ross 85 kms

The day started at about 6.30 am with a quick shave and shower and then breakfast at the backpackers hotel.the rooms were very comfortable and I had a wonderful night of sleep.... as I was sharing the room with Rob I hope that my snoring did not keep him awake... I must admit he looked a bit groggy when he woke this morning...I suspect he was joking when he said he had a good sleep??

Last night we had a great dinner at a local hotel (the Jail House Grill) with very good steaks and salads. We were joined by Phil’s daughter for dinner who lives in Launceston and she gave us a real insight in to life in the town and was a delight to chat with...

Anyway we were off at about 7.45 on the ride.... the first 12 kms were pretty much a climb out of Launceston . The climb was steep in some parts but was a steady 2 pc in other parts

After a short time after the climb it was on to Evandale for morning tea.... a lovely town where they were holding a Penny-farthing festival complete with a 24 mile bike race...

We managed to chat with a few of the riders and sort out how to get on and off the penny farthing bikes. It requires some skill and a lot of balance

Morning tea was at a lovely pub which had great coffee and cakes.... I think I am putting on weight rather than losing it!!!

After coffee it was on to Campbell Town for lunch. The ride took us along a very pretty and quiet road where the penny farthing bikes were racing.... quite interesting to see them in full racing mode

The country here seemed to be sheep farming with an area allocated to farm marijuana for “ commercial use” we thought!!! Seemed a bit of a haze really!!!

The road was unmade for about 7kms but with very few cars we traveled easily.

After joining the main Highway to Hobart it was on the Campbell Town for a well earned lunch at a lovely cafe and bakery....we had done over 70 kms by this stage and were quite hungry! 

The main highway was a bit hairy with a cars traveling at about 110 kmh and although there was a shoulder on the road .... we needed to be very careful 

After lunch it was another 12 kms to Ross for the night 

Ross is a lovely town with very old buildings which were built in the early 1800s probably by convicts 

We arrived at about 2.30 pm and settled in to our rooms and to have a look around the town 

Today’s weather was almost perfect for riding at about 21 degrees with very little wind

A most enjoyable day!!!

Now for the photos 

A water tower near the top of the climb 

Ellio and “ Phil “ with the penny farthing at Evans Town 

The bikes taking a rest at morning tea at Evans Town

A view of the country on the unmade section of the road

A cop of marijuana....

Our home for the night at Ross

The Main Street at Ross

Day 1 Devonport to Launceston-72 kms

We were woken at about 6.30 am after a good night of sleep courtesy of a calm crossing after a shower and getting in to our riding gear it was off to the reception area on the ferry to meet the rest of our team making the ride to Launceston 

After a discussion regarding meeting arrangements Phil

Rob Abdy and myself made our way to the Ute to drive off the boat

The trip off was delayed with a large group of motorcyclists who were on the ferry traveling to Tasmania... many of the riders were seniors doing the ride like the movie a few years ago....forgotten the name but many of you will remember it!!!

The funny thing about getting off the boat was a female rider 

lost balance and fell off the bike... quite frankly the bike was huge and she was struggling to hold it up when it was stationary 

After traveling off the ferry it was on to a cafe selected by Phil for breakfast...great to have a coffee and bacon and egg sandwich to start the day 

It was my turn to drive the first 15 kms out of Devonport which was quite a climb...

The country was mainly vegetable farming with what seemed to be a lot of potatoe farms

After swapping the Ute for the bike it was on to Frankford for morning tea at the Blue Barn Cafe... this was the halfway point of today’s ride and we had good coffee and cakes for morning tea . The ladies at the cafe were delightful and we were treated to a lovely bowl of blueberries grown locally on their farm

After morning tea it was on to complete the climb to begin a lovely descent to the Tamar River valley ... the country here was very much pine plantations with a lot of forestry 

We passed the turn off to Beaconsfield which was the scene of a mine disaster a few years ago

The ride to Exeter for lunch was about 25 kms and lunch at the Exeter Bakery was good although a big breakfast and morning tea meant that the lunch was a light one!!

After lunch we were treated to a very picturesque ride along the Tamar River aided by a tail wind so the 25 kms to Launceston was quite fast... often hitting speeds of over 45 kms per hour 

We arrived at the backpackers hotel in Launceston at about 2.30 pm and were met by the guys traveling by plane from Melbourne for the ride... good to see them all 

We now have our full compliment of 12 for the rest of the ride

The weather today has been very good for riding although for some parts we have had to have an extra layer to stay warm 

Looking forward to dinner in Launceston and an early night ahead of tomorrow’s ride

Now for the photos

The ride out of Devonport... Frank and Des leading the way!!

Morning tea at Frankford 

.... at the Blue Barn

.... and lunch at the Exeter Bakery 

The Tamar River and Valley ....very pretty 

Abdy could not resist the blackberries!!!

Home for the night at Launceston!!

Tassie trip-Day 1 Devonport to Launceston 73 kms

After a very good night of sleep courtesy of a calm crossing of Bass Strait, we were awoken by the the as announcement at about 6.30am that we would be docking at Devenpot

Tasmania Trip

We are about to go on a 7 day trip down the east coast of Tasmania 

The Ute is loaded up with 8 bikes plus gear and I am about to pick up 4 others to travel to Port Melbourne to join others for the trip across the Tasman to Devenport 

Here is a photo of the Ute.... ready to go!

Looking forward to the trip of about 500 kms to Hobart organised by Phil Eager

Hope you enjoy the blog 

Day 4- Beechworth to Wangaratta 50 kms

Today we had an early start at 6.00 am ... for many it was after a long night of very little sleep with the band in the pub going until about 3.00am. Also there were a few die hard rugby supporters with the surprising English win over the Kiwis 

After a brief breakfast at the hotel it was off at 7.00am towards Wangaratta. We were promised a good downhill and we certainly got that!

The downhill was about 15 kms with a fall of about 450 metres. I was getting speeds of over 50 kms/ hr and I am a slower descender than many in our group. The only real issue was the cool and crisp morning with temps around 5 degrees.... the effect of the wind as we descended made for cold fingers despite long fingered gloves,

The trip to Milawa was through some lovely green country with mainly dairy cattle. Despite the green paddocks the creeks and dams seemed quite dry

We stopped first at the Milawa Cheese Factory for a coffee and cakes then proceeded on to Brown Brothers winery where we enjoyed the wonderful surrounds of the remarkable winery with restaurant and community areas. Well worth another visit sometime 

After this we made our way to Wangaratta to complete the 59 km ride and the 4 day sojourn through northern Victoria 

After a light lunch it was time to say goodbye to those journeying by train back to Melbourne so Dave Bonnett Abdy and I made our way home to Melbourne in the Ute 

Now being home for a few hours I can reflect on the 4 day trip which was well organised by Stephen Seymour and he must be congratulated on making sure we all had a terrific time

The weather was a mixture of the very hot (day 1) and the

Cold ( today and yesterday)

We were challenged on the climbs particularly the Towong Gap but all accepted the challenges and responded magnificently 

The road conditions were very good and we had very little traffic to contend with. The real joy was the comaradre we enjoyed with the group and the fun of enjoying a wonderful journey together 

It will now be rather hard to get back to life again in Melbourne although the legs will certainly enjoyed the rest

So to my fellow Wheeliebinners on the ride I say a real thank you to you all for being such great mates and to Steve a big thanks for bringing this all together 

Early morning line up as we were about to leave

A frosty and cool morning!!!

The turnoff to Milawa 

Breakfast at the Milawa Cheese Factory 

Ellio giving Garmin 191 lessons to Phil

Coffee and a chat at Brown Brothers 

The Wang sign to indicate the end to a grey4 days 

Lunch at the Wangaratta coffe shop ahead of the train and Ute trip home

Day 3- Bright to Beechworth 72 kms

Today started with 6.30 am wake up and shower to shake off the remnants of a great evening of celebration following the dinner cooked by Ellio and Ray

We were all ready for breakfast at a cafe in Bright by 7.30 ... there was a big crowd for breakfast at the cafe on blokes about our ages having bacon and eggs for breakfast... for me it was muesli and toast with coffee... a good start to the day.

As we left the rain and wind started and we headed on the rail trail towards Mytleford... it was cold and we had several stops to add layers of clothes to stay warm as the head wind gathered strength.

The ride included one climb along the trail which was a steady 3 pc for about 5kms which with a head wind was fairly hard work. The trail surface was asphalt and was really nice to ride on

We arrived at Mytleford for morning tea at about 10.30 and the food at the bakery was great.... really worth a visit if you are in the region 

After morning tea it was off to Beechworth which is another 40 kms along rail trails.... the climb in to Beechworth was with more of a tail wind fortunately although there was another steady climb of about 7kms which made for a bit of work!!!

We arrived at Beechworth at about 3.30pm and had a late lunch and warming coffee and settled in to the hotel accommodation at Tanswells Commercial Hotel.. the accommodation is a old world but the rooms at very comfortable and a warm shower was a delight!!!

The day was cold with warm breaks when the sun came out 

We had periods of shower activity which we were able to seek shelter along the way

The rail trails in this part of Victoria are well maintained and are popular... on a poor day weather wise we saw a lot of people on the track. I would imagine that warmer weather would bring more riders out 

Another great day with the guys and we had a lot of fun albeit with iffy weather 

Breakfast in Bright... good food!!

Steve had a puncture unfortunately... there was plenty of help available??

Gary and a few others at morning tea in Myrtleford

Sheltered from the rain... with a couple of ladies travelling in the opposite direction... with the wind!!!

A view of the rail trails

An interesting letter box... appropriate for the Wheeliebinners!!

A bike sculpture 

Skate lunch in the bakery at Beechworth 

Home for the night 

More photos from day 2

Here are some photos that were missed on the previous blog

At the top of the gap 

An interesting sign indicating the opening of the gap in 1895

A lilac tree almost ready to bloom 

Arriving at Bright 

Our home for the night 

Ellio cooking up a storm!!!

All of us having a well deserved dinner in Centenery Park in Bright 

A lovely sunset in the way home

Day 2-Dederang to Bright over Tawong Gap 71 kms

Before I get on to today’s ride I thought I should update you all on the dinner we had at the Dederang pub....to put it bluntly it was terrible... the food was poor and the service was very slow... we had to wait nearly 2 hour from order to get the food... they were embarrassed and gave us some free drinks to compensate which was some comfort!

The accommodation was quite good which made for a good night of sleep 

I was awake and up and about at 6.30 am and although the weather looked threatening it was warm and slightly humid 

We were on our way to the Dederang general store for breakfast at 7.30 am... and what a great breakfast it was! The store was very clean and the staff were very pleasant and accommodating. My breakfast was coffee and an egg and bacon roll very yummy!

The discussion at breakfast and dinner last night was all about the Tawong Gap ride with horror stories about the gradients being over 20 pc!!! So it was with some trepidation that we took off towards Bright 

The first stop was Mt Beauty after about 40 kms. This part of the ride was through the Kiewa valley essentially following the river. Very pretty ride with a couple of bigger hills to test the legs for the Big One!!!

Arriving at Mt Beauty at about 10.30 it was on for coffee and cake at the bakery. The bakery was excellent and the choices of cakes was great. We also bought our lunch rolls to have at the top of the Gap!

Then it was off for the climb up to the top of the Gap. The climb was about 9kms and about 750 metres so an average of about 10pc which was a bit of a test for us all. All of us completed the climb including Ray who drove the Ute up and then was driven back down by Rob to do the ride on his own... well done to everyone!

At the top the weather started to turn ugly with rain so we traveled down to Bright carefully. The downhill was quite steep with a lot of bends and was through some interesting country.

Coming it to Bright we passed through groves of walnut trees and saw some delightful lilac trees 

Arriving in Bright at about 3.30 pm it was time for a celebratory beer in the pub to await our rooms being ready 

Bright seems a very lively town with pretty avenues of trees and with a very lively town centre. In a funny way it reminds me of Queenstown in NZ as it seems to attract peoplywith a sense of adventure whether it is bike riding, Bush walking or skiing....

The hotel we are staying at is delightful with rooms just having been renovated and wonderfully clean

Tonight is Ellios dinner night and if the past is any gauge it will be a splendid feast for us all. Dave Little is in charge of the drinks and has promised us some good wines to accompany our dinner 

Today was a wonderful day of riding with a real sense of accomplishment having ridden the Towong Gap

The sense of being a true Wheeliebinner is great for us all

Looking forward to the next 2 days 

Looking along the Kiewa river 

The turn off to Mt Beauty 

The boys and Ute at the turn off

Morning tea at Mt Beauty

Note the boys in discussions about the climb!!!

The Garmin map of the climb 

Note the colour purple indicates the steep parts

The start of the climb... looks ok???

Halfway up looking out over Mt Beauty 

At the top

....and celebrating!!!

Day 2-Dederang to Bright over Tawong Gap 71 kms

Before I get on to today’s ride I thought I should update you all on the dinner we had at the Dederang pub....to put it bluntly it was terrible... the food was poor and the service was very slow... we had to wait nearly 2 hour from order to get the food... they were embarrassed and gave us some free drinks to compensate which was some comfort!

The accommodation was quite good which made for a good night of sleep 

I was awake and up and about at 6.30 am and although the weather looked threatening it was warm and slightly humid 

We were on our way to the Dederang general store for breakfast at 7.30 am... and what a great breakfast it was! The store was very clean and the staff were very pleasant and accommodating. My breakfast was coffee and an egg and bacon roll very yummy!

The discussion at breakfast and dinner last night was all about the Tawong Gap ride with horror stories about the gradients being over 20 pc!!! So it was with some trepidation that we took off towards Bright 

The first stop was Mt Beauty after about 40 kms. This part of the ride was through the Kiewa valley essentially following the river. Very pretty ride with a couple of bigger hills to test the legs for the Big One!!!

Arriving at Mt Beauty at about 10.30 it was on for coffee and cake at the bakery. The bakery was excellent and the choices of cakes was great. We also bought our lunch rolls to have at the top of the Gap!

Then it was off for the climb up to the top of the Gap. The climb was about 9kms and about 750 metres so an average of about 10pc which was a bit of a test for us all. All of us completed the climb including Ray who drove the Ute up and then was driven back down by Rob to do the ride on his own... well done to everyone!

At the top the weather started to turn ugly with rain so we traveled down to Bright carefully. The downhill was quite steep with a lot of bends and was through some interesting country.

Coming it to Bright we passed through groves of walnut trees and saw some delightful lilac trees 

Arriving in Bright at about 3.30 pm it was time for a celebratory beer in the pub to await our rooms being ready 

Bright seems a very lively town with pretty avenues of trees and with a very lively town centre. In a funny way it reminds me of Queenstown in NZ as it seems to attract peoplywith a sense of adventure whether it is bike riding, Bush walking or skiing....

The hotel we are staying at is delightful with rooms just having been renovated and wonderfully clean

Tonight is Ellios dinner night and if the past is any gauge it will be a splendid feast for us all. Dave Little is in charge of the drinks and has promised us some good wines to accompany our dinner 

Today was a wonderful day of riding with a real sense of accomplishment having ridden the Towong Gap

The sense of being a true Wheeliebinner is great for us all

Looking forward to the next 2 days 

Looking along the Kiewa river 

The turn off to Mt Beauty 

The boys and Ute at the turn off

Morning tea at Mt Beauty

Note the boys in discussions about the climb!!!

The Garmin map of the climb 

Note the colour purple indicates the steep parts

The start of the climb... looks ok???

Halfway up looking out over Mt Beauty 

At the top

....and celebrating!!!

A view from the top looking towards Mt Bogong

Interesting plaque recording the opening of the road in 1895

A lilac tree which is starting to flower 

Our final destination 

.... and home for the night 

Day 1 - Wodonga to Dederang-54kms

The day started early for the guys catch the train to Wodonga... 9 Lycra clad gents made there way through the Metro Trains network to Southern Cross Station at about 6.00 am . Abdy, Dave and myself had a sleep in and left Surrey Hills at about 7.00am.

The folks going by train were directed at Southern Cross to the bus depot for the trip to Wodonga... always a bit concerning at often bikes are forbidden on busses.... not this time.

The souls travelling with me in the Ute had to negotiate the early morning peak hour to get to the Hume freeway which is always testing. After some time on the freeway near Avenal Abdy and Dave thought they could not see Abdy’s bike so we stopped and sure enough it was not there... it had fallen off somewhere between Surrey Hills and Avenal.... what a bugger!!!

We thought it pointless to retrace our trip and continued on with the thought of renting a bike at Wangaratta our final destination in 4 days on Sunday...sure enough there was a bike shop that had the right bike for Abdy...so it was on to Wodonga to meet the train/ bus travellers !

We arrived at about 12.30 and after exchanging stories about our adventures so far it was time for lunch and get on our way... leaving about 1.30 pm !

The first few kms were very pleasant... then BANG !!!it was hills!!! And more hills and the Garmin was sending me red messages about the gradients in red!!

Anyway the scenery washreayand the downhill in to Jacandanda was joy so we could have afternoon tea at the Bakery... very nice ginger beer 

After this it was on to Dederang and after negotiating a couple of hills it was pleasing to have another downhill in to the pub arriving at about 5.30 pm

The day was hot so most of us enjoyed a pleasant and cool beer in the very pretty Kiewa valley.

It was a challenging and long day but enjoyable with the guys 

Arvo tea in Yackandada

A welcome relief from our water boy Dave!!!

Th e road ahead on a downhill in the Kiewa valley 

Frank with dead foxes draped on the fence

Dederang at last!!!

Home for the night in the pub 

Upcoming Trip through North East Victoria

On Thursday we begin a 4 day ride from Wodonga to Wangaratta through some lovely country in north east Victoria 

There will be some hills as we travel near some of the "high country" but the views and country at this time of the year should be great 

I am riding with the Wheeliebinners group of 13 riders which should be great.

I will be making posts each day of our adventures 

Day 40- final day in Paris

This will be my final blog for this trip 

After breakfast at the hotel it was time to pack the bike bag and head out for a final walk around the area near the hotel 

The Avalon Hotel is located near Gard de Nord and the area is quite varied with some areas having homeless people on the streets and others being very upmarket 

The walk along the Paris canal was interesting... this is a canal that links with the Seine river 

I had a light lunch in what seemed to be a Jewish restaurant which had delightful hummus...

After a walk which included a look at Gare de Nord and Gare de Est I headed back to the hotel to watch the end of the first stage of Le Tour

As this is the last blog I did a few facts on the trip. They are as follows:

- distance travelled 3101 kms- Chris said it was 3400 kms so don’t know what the difference is???

- average kms per day 103 kms

- total metres climbed 13483 metres 

- total cost of trip excluding air fares- AUD 7500 or about $ 180 per day including account meals etc 

It has been a great trip and I have learned a lot about myself and the world

I have met some wonderful people and had some great times as well as some challenges 

Finally I want to thank my dear friend Chris for being my riding companion on the trip... your friendship means a lot to me and I hope we can do something like this again 

Now for the photos....

A view of the Paris canal

Some riders I saw near the Paris canal

They were wearing Le Tour yellow....