^©

TONY WATTON - 15/1/00 to 25/1/00

This ride was done as an experiment as I have never before attempted a multi-day solo bike trip. 

My long-term goals are to ride around Tasmania and, eventually, around Australia. If I was not able to ride the easier East Coast of Tasmania, then those goals would never be achieved.   I had allowed myself three weeks because I had no idea how long I could ride each day and also whether I would need rest days along the route.

The plan was to ride from about 9.00am until 3.00pm then look for a campsite or camping ground.

This is what actually happened:-

Average distance ridden each day was 67.8kms.

Day 1 – Saturday 15/1/00 – Lauderdale to Orford (77.3 kms)

I left Lauderdale at 7.55am with a mild SW to SE wind and temperature about 18^oC.  First mistake – I left without my backpack and wondered why everything felt so good.

Sorell arrived at 9.00am and I stopped at a roadside shelter for a short rest. When I set off again it was – you guessed it – without my backpack. I don’t think it wants to come with me on this trip!

Between Sorell and Buckland I had to push the bike up the two steepest hills, Black Charlies Opening and Bust Me Gall. I reached Buckland at about 12.00 noon and had a salad roll and iced chocolate. Both tasted beautiful. I relaxed for half an hour then started out for Orford. My legs felt quite sore by now, particularly my knees. Obviously not used to hard work.

I met a couple from Albury going to Hobart. They had front panniers. I think I should have bought some. The backpack has added about 10 kgs to my weight on the saddle – not ideal.

Once again, I had to push the bike up a hill, this time closer to Orford and found it a struggle even going downhill alongside the Prosser River into Orford. I had to pedal hard just to maintain about 20 kms/hr into a strong easterly wind.

I reached Orford at 1.00pm, rang home and booked into the Raspins Beach Camping Ground ($5). I found a spot about 20m from the water’s edge, with the wind still blowing strongly from the east.

After putting the tent up and unpacking I had a shower and washed some clothes. Snack for evening meal tonight.

Day 2 – Sunday 16/1/00 – Orford to Swansea (61.8 kms)

Up at 6.00am today. Buttered roll and milk for breakfast and on the road by 8.00am.

No major hills that I needed to get off for today but I seemed to need more frequent rest stops. My legs and backside are feeling the strain of all this new exercise.

I am convinced that front panniers would have been a good investment. I met a couple from NSW heading south 7 kms from Swansea. Yep, they had front panniers.

I reached Swansea at about 12.15pm. The first camping ground was full and the YHA wouldn’t take me as a camper if the other caravan park still had vacancies.

After a pie and drink and buying two rolls for tonight I went to the last caravan park and managed to get a campsite there. There is a problem in Swansea (and perhaps other places as well) in that the Council recommends that water should be boiled before drinking it. The result was that I bought water as it is not very practical to boil water for very long with limited fuel supplies.

Day 3 – Monday 17/1/00 – Swansea to Bicheno (45.0 kms)

Just before I left I phoned the Freycinet Ferry to ask about getting the ferry across to Freycinet Peninsula from the end of Nine Mile Beach (Bagot Point). This would provide an easy access to Coles Bay, which I was keen to visit. We arranged a crossing for 9.30am.

I was on the road by 8.15am and, even though I thought I was following directions to turn right about 3 kms from Swansea on a sealed road, I missed the turn.

The only road I saw was signposted to Dolphin Sands. I didn’t take it. Next thing I knew I was about 10 kms from Swansea near the turning to Lake Leake. By this time it was nearly 9.00am so I rang the ferryman by mobile phone to let him know I was going to miss the ferry. His number rang but no answer. I suppose he was getting the boat ready for the non-fare! I half expected him to be waiting near the main Coles Bay turn-off to demand the $10 fare. Not so. I did not feel good about letting him down.

I had plenty of rest stops on this leg of the trip. One major hill to negotiate but it was fun going down the northern side. I stopped to say hello to a couple heading south a few k’s south of Bicheno. They were from Victoria.

Arrived at Bicheno at 11.20am, booked into the camping ground, put up tent, had a shower, washed clothes then got some over-priced lunch (salad roll $4 and chocolate milk $2.20).

I went back to the tent to have a nap but the tent was too hot to sleep in – hence the log was written under the shade of a nearby tree.

Met a 62-year-old Victorian man who was riding a bike with a single-wheel trailer. Apparently he had ridden all over Victoria and from Melbourne to Sydney as well as most of Tasmania (except the West Coast). Amazing – it made me feel like a real amateur.

I had the third of the freeze-dried chicken meals tonight – not the best food in the world but it’s nourishing – I hope.

Water had to be boiled here as well so I bought another 4 litres of bottled water – it’s expensive being a bike-riding tourist.

Day 4 – Tuesday 18/1/00 – Bicheno to Scamander (61.4 kms)

I got going at 8.10am today. Just before I left the Victorian man said “It looks like you’re going to have head winds today.” I hadn’t thought about it before that but he was dead right. Lucky for him he was heading south. True to his prediction, it blew about 20 kms/hr direct head on. It was difficult even to pedal downhill at any reasonable speed. In fact, if I did not pedal I just stopped. I gave away any thoughts I had about getting to St Helens today and made it to Scamander by 1.30pm, thoroughly tired and ready for a break.

I got a campsite at the Scamander Caravan Park but found it difficult to relax because a bloke arrived in a truck and had his stereo blaring. At about 6.15pm he had the engine running for over an hour, presumably recharging his battery.

No cooked meal this evening but I had a pie, chips and salad at a service station – tasted great.

Rain fell gently but not an unpleasant noise. I thought about the next day’s trip, maybe to Ansons Bay before attempting the westerly route to George Town, then south to Hobart via the Midland Highway.

Day 5 – Wednesday 19/1/00 – Scamander to Ansons Bay (63.5 kms)

Another start today at 8.00 am after not a very good night. Apart from the dickhead with the $10,000 stereo system there was a pack of kids shrieking until about 10.30pm. I was happy to leave the Kookaburra Caravan Park.

I rode to St Helens in one hour, got some pasta meals, two bottles of water, butter, sunblock and soap and two postcards. I posted the cards but forgot to get cash from the ATM. Still, $30 should be enough until the next town (Gladstone).

I left St Helens at 9.30am and took the right turn to Priory and Ansons Bay just after leaving St Helens. The first 8 kms of this road is sealed but hills and a headwind combined to make life more difficult than it needed to be.

When the road turned to gravel is when I really knew what hard work was. I had to concentrate ALL the time – I was either in loose dust on the left or in corrugations where a car’s left wheels are, or in loose rubbish towards the middle of the road. Many rest stops were needed. After the road levelled off I seemed to be travelling along an extended ridge line, expecting at any moment to drop down steeply.

When that did happen – at a floodway close to Ansons Bay – I was almost out of control even though the back brake was pulled on as hard as I could pull, with the front bouncing over corrugations. The chain got caught in the front gear change mechanism so I had to stop at the bottom to fix it – then push the bike up the other side of the valley. I think this was Ansons River valley.

At the junction with the Gladstone road a sign said there was no camping allowed on the foreshore at Ansons Bay. No problem – I didn’t need to be on the foreshore. But, when I reached the service station there was no other camping available either. The service station owners have kindly let me camp in a grass area near the servo, and close enough to the toilet and laundry. I even had the use of a clothes dryer.

I thought I might be able to get to Tomahawk next day; after that, who knows?

Day 6 – Thursday 20/1/00 – Ansons Bay to Tomahawk (64.2 kms)

I left Ansons Bay at 8.25am after a quiet, peaceful night. Immediately, I had to push the bike uphill for 10 minutes or so to regain high ground away from sea level.

More gravel road, initially 18 kms before a 3 kms stretch of bitumen, then 3 kms more gravel and 2 kms bitumen to Gladstone.

Once again, the gravel road was a nightmare, with loose sand on the left; corrugations then more loose sand on the right. Add to that a 30 kms/hr westerly wind and this was not a pleasant Summer day bike ride. Numerous rest stops but I finally made it to Gladstone after encountering 15 mins of heavy rain. I stopped at the corner store/service station and bought a salad roll, coffee, Snickers bar and two 1.25 litre bottles of water. Also extracted $50 cash.

When I left Gladstone the sun was shining once again and I soon met two bike-riding females heading in the opposite direction. I assumed, rightly or wrongly, that all the visitors had started their trips from Devonport, having arrived on the Spirit of Tasmania. Anyway, they said Hi and kept going. (When I arrived at Tomahawk later I discovered they were probably German.)

I soon got more gravel road which finished about 4 kms before the Tomahawk turn-off. Sometimes, on this leg of the trip, I found it difficult to maintain even 10 kms/hr on the flat, with the strong head wind. I resorted to riding 5 kms then having a rest, then repeating the exercise until I finished.

I had originally intended (while at Ansons Bay) to ride to Bridport this day (92 kms). I think it would have been possible given different, kinder conditions.

At Tomahawk Caravan Park the manager remembered Matthew (my son) from his previous two round-Tasmania kayak trips (different directions) and told me about the “search” for the “boat in distress” back in May 99. [Matthew was never in distress but a concerned onlooker on the beach raised the alarm when he saw what he thought was a distress flag being waved miles offshore. In fact it was Matthew’s red kayak sail as he was heading for Cape Portland then east. He now does not use a red sail.]

Next day the wind is expected to come from the south-west. It would be nice to get to George Town but realistically I might get only as far as Pipers River.

There was no cricket to listen to this evening but I hoped that India beat Pakistan on Friday in Hobart – only a day match so I missed out on most of it as I was riding.

Nice meal at the caravan park so, once again, no need for me to cook.

Day 7 – Friday 21/1/00 – Tomahawk to Bridport (50.0 kms)

The nightmare continues!

Last night I thought about spending today at Tomahawk, in the expectation that wind conditions may change to make it easier to get to George Town on Saturday. But, on the other hand, I thought at least if I get to Bridport (about 46 kms) I will be that much closer to George Town anyway. I underestimated the strength of the wind.

Although the road is not hilly by Tasmanian standards, I found it impossible to maintain any reasonable speed because the wind was either dead ahead or, worse, coming from 45^o on my right. It was very unpleasant and most of the time I could only manage about 10 kms/hr in a low granny gear.

Normally, at the start of a day, I tried to ride the first 10 kms without stopping as I was still reasonably fresh and needed to get warmed up properly. Today I could only manage 8 kms and then I had to have very frequent stops. I split the trip up into 2 or 3 kms legs with a stop after each.

On the way I met an American, pedalling east by himself, with a one-wheeled trailer like I had seen earlier in the trip. He was from Seattle, a sea-kayaker who had paddled 1,500 miles from Seattle (or close to) to Alaska in 4 months – against the prevailing winds. He was having a good time today with strong tail winds.

Day 8 – Saturday 22/1/00 – Bridport to Low Head (61.9 kms)

On the road by 8.30am today in easier conditions, even with a head wind.

This was a fairly uneventful ride with only one major hill, I think it was Tippogoree Hill. Near the top I stopped to talk to another rider (a retired Englishman) heading in the opposite direction. He didn’t seem to have any problem with accepting lifts but for me it seemed to be a waste of time because the experience (good and bad) is what a trip is all about. Anyway, that’s what he does.

A pleasant break at Pipers River shop with a salad roll and coffee. This was an oasis just when I needed one. Head winds continued all the way to George Town, where I arrived at about 2.00pm, very tired. I then found I needed to ride another 3 kms to the caravan park at Low Head. This was a very nice spot, even though it was fairly exposed to the wind.

I had intended to walk out to the coast to watch the Devil Cat come in at about 9.00pm but the waves were apparently too high because it did not arrive that night.

Late afternoon I walked the 3 kms or so back to George Town and had a pizza with the lot and a coffee. I couldn’t finish the pizza even though it was a small one. Maybe my stomach has shrunk – fat chance!

Next to my campsite an English couple in their 50s have their Olympus tent set up. They are hoping to travel back to Victoria on the Cat tomorrow. I imagine their plans had to change.

Day 9 – Sunday 23/1/00 – Low Head to Glen Dhu (Launceston) (57.2 kms)

I left Low Head at 8.45am after having a chat to the two Victorians who expected to return to Victoria on the Cat later in the day.

Perfect riding conditions initially, with only light head winds and sunny weather.

I maintained my pattern of not stopping until I had peddled at least 10 kms. I had a stop for a gentle walk to get my legs working and warmed up properly.

There were many long hills on this leg, both up and down but I didn’t need to push the bike. However, in all cases of major uphill sections I use the bottom gear. I call it 1/1 – smallest chain wheel and largest sprocket. Therefore, the highest gear is 3/7 with other combinations in between. I probably have some duplicate gear ratios but I haven’t worked any of them out yet.

I had a salad sandwich and coffee at a service station about 20 kms from Launceston and decided that was going to be my lunch.

Glen Dhu Caravan Park was reached at about 2.15pm. I have a very pleasant campsite on a hillside, where areas have been dug into the side of the hill to make reasonably level sites. Showers and toilets are a credit to the management of the caravan park and I told them at the office that I was impressed.

Tomorrow’s target may be Campbell Town (66 kms). As I didn’t fancy the steep Southern Outlet I planned to take the old road through Breadalbane.

Day 10 – Monday 24/1/00 – Glen Dhu (Launceston) to Campbell Town (68.2 kms)

On this trip I had intended having a good, hearty hot breakfast each morning. It hasn’t happened. So, the normal breakfast of muesli bar and water then on the road at 8.20am.

I took the old Hobart Road through Kings Meadows and Youngtown to avoid the huge immediate climb on the main highway. However, it still took me 30 minutes of steady climbing to actually leave Launceston but it wasn’t until Breadalbane that the road levelled out.

I found that I was able to keep up a pretty good speed on the Midland Highway but I was still ready for a toasted sandwich and coffee at Perth. The wind was light today – a bonus – and I reached Campbell Town at 2.00 pm.

Whilst riding on the highway I felt fairly safe as I stayed in “pit lane” about 1.5 m wide without having to get into the gravel at the extreme edge. A good day today.

At Campbell Town I met a couple who had just started their bike tour after flying in to Launceston and another couple from Fort Smith, North West Territories in Canada, who had already travelled 4,000 kms – an awesome achievement.

We all decided to find a campsite near the river, away from the main road, set up tents and then went for a counter meal and a few beers at a pub in town. David and Eileen explained to me the problems of building in concrete at temperatures of -40^o (C and F) and life generally in remote areas of Canada. It made a nice change to have company after a day’s ride.

Day 11 – Tuesday 25/1/00 – Campbell Town to Lauderdale (135.7 kms)

We all left at about the same time, 8.30am, and agreed to meet at Ross for a coffee and snack. We spent a pleasant 15 minutes or so over coffee then rode along to the War Memorial, where two old riders were near their bikes. One of them had just ridden in the Great Tasmanian Bike Ride (he was from Warnambool) and the other was a volunteer with the organisation (from Devonport).

I felt the need to keep going so said Cheerio and got back on the bike.

I seemed to have a tail wind nearly all the time now but still called in to all the towns on the way. By the time I reached Oatlands at about 1.30pm I thought I would be able to get home by about 6.00pm, with regular breaks and good winds – plus the downhill sections of the Colebrook road.

Eventually I got home at about 6.30pm – the road from Richmond to Cambridge was nerve-wracking because of the narrow road, no shoulder and cars coming too close when passing me.

Matthew found me along Acton Road, just a few k’s from home. It was good to see him again.

I was totally stuffed when I got home. It was good to have a sleep in a normal bed and not to have to ride the next day. It was a worthwhile experience and convinced me that I would be able to do a harder trip around the West Coast sometime.

GEAR TAKEN

Specialized Hard Rock Sports mountain bike with 21 gears.
Steel rear pannier rack with Vaude waterproof panniers
2 x Cateye random flashing red lights
Cateye Enduro 2 computer
Continental “Town & Country” tyres (40 psi)
Zefal Switch lightweight pump.
Bike Guard Security Cable
“Look” Tool Bag
Avanti Bike Helmet 

CAMPING EQUIPMENT

Macpac Minaret 2-person tent
Thermarest ultralight full length sleeping mat
Paddy Pallin 2 season synthetic sleeping bag
Silk sleeping bag inner
Inflatable pillow
Trangia single person stove
1 litre metho container
Cup, knife, fork, 2 spoons
Plastic plate
Small radio in plastic box
Headlamp (Petzl Duo)
Small torch and batteries
Macpac Kestrel Small Backpack
Sport tank Drinking System (2.2 litres)
2 x 750 ml drink bottles
Billy can
Selection of small tools
2 spare tubes
Leatherman Supertool
2 x Seal Line Dry Bags (10 litres and 20 litres)
Selection of straps with clips (8)
Oil and WD40
Compass
2 x 1:250,000 maps of Tasmania (SE Tas & NE Tas)
Tasmania Visitors Road Map
Magnifying glass
Candles, waterproof matches, 2 lighters
Credit card, driver’s licence, MBF and other cards
Bag of toiletries
Toilet Trowel, Toilet Paper
Small battery shaver
Hand towel and swimmer’s towel
First aid kit
Everest Book, Puzzle Book, Notebook, pen
6’ x 4’ waterproof tarp
Bag of spare batteries
Mobile phone with 2 spare batteries
Battery charger
Sunglasses, reading glasses
1 packet of Snaplock bags
Camera and 2 films
Bag of soap powder
Sunblock cream
Small Binoculars
Clothes Line.
 

CLOTHING

Waterproof jacket (Matthew’s)
Polarfleece jacket
2 riding jerseys
3 pairs bike shorts
1 pair casual shorts
3 pairs underpants
2 pairs bathers
3 pairs socks
1 pair running shoes (for riding)
1 pair Teva sandals
3 T shirts
1 pair thermal longjohns
1 long-sleeved thermal top
Peaked cap
1 pair bike gloves
Reflective tape with bike light
1 pair tracksuit pants
6 handkerchiefs
 

FOOD

Selection of Continental pasta and rice meals (4 at start)
Freeze-dried meals (3)
Powdered milk
Hot chocolate powder
20 tea bags
375 g butter
10 assorted muesli and fruit bars
1 tube condensed milk
8 packets instant porridge
Bag of sultanas and chopped apricots
Bag of mixed nuts
1 small jar Vegemite
Equal tablets
At various times I bought bread rolls, loaves of bread etc.
Various counter teas, morning and afternoon tea stops.
 

Back to Tony's Trips Homepage