Australia 2019 - A real Adventure - A serial report

[fontanaman]

Very nice along the ocean there John. Thanks for posting.

[CraigRegs]

A typical 100KPH Speed limit road with every almost every curve signed at 35-50 KPH.


The Murray River is the boundary between New South Wales and Victoria. The biggest difference I've noticed has been that once in Victoria Brian keeps within 1 KPH of the speed limit!Victoria has a "Zero tolerance policy: and speed cameras are no notice!

Now we know why Festar enjoys his State-side trips so much!

[festar]

A typical 100KPH Speed limit road with every almost every curve signed at 35-50 KPH.


The Murray River is the boundary between New South Wales and Victoria. The biggest difference I've noticed has been that once in Victoria Brian keeps within 1 KPH of the speed limit!Victoria has a "Zero tolerance policy: and speed cameras are no notice!

Now we know why Festar enjoys his State-side trips so much!

That’s right Craig, that and the awesome hospitality.

[bigjohnsd]

Tuesday - November 26th

Brian and I arrived in Devonport Tasmania to a rainygloomyday.



We were met by his old riding Mate Phil Cobb who drug us to his house where his lovely wife Karen had prepared a full fry-up breakfast for us.

After breakfast we mounted up and rode a good deal of Northern Tasmania.

Coffee at the Burt Munroe Cafe - a crazy kool place!



Video Clip - https://photos.smugmug.com/Motorcycle-T ... 5-1280.mp4

Pictures from inside the Burt Munroe Cafe









After Coffee I was in the rear, seldom catching glimpses of Brian and Phil as they "assaulted Tassie!" until they waited for me at the turns.

A few pictures from the day

The Highland Lakes of Tasmania - it was 6c here at about 5,000 ft elevation.




After a few hours the weather cleared up a little bit, the sun came through the clouds and we found ourselves atop another mountain.



As usual, Brian befriended a bevy of aged beauties



















After a full days ride of 350 Kilometers


we took Phil and Karen to a nice dinner at a local Pub.

Wednesday - November 27th

This morning it was colder and grayer when we left Phil's for breakfast. We rode West along the coast to a bakery in Ulverson for a date with a Scallop Pie, damn fine it was.
Next stop was Penguin, the only town in the world named Penguin I'm told.



The Penguin Library was comprehensive






We rode over a few mountains and it got colder, wetter and windier so we stopped to warm up by a fire

Brian's Tenere didn't have Heated Grips this morning, but it does now!



Cool Mural inside too



Coffee and Pizza warmed the inside too.

In view of the crappy weather we headed back to Phil's so we could install Brian's new Heated grips!

Grips Installed and tested SAT!


Todays truncated route about 250 kilometers

[bigjohnsd]

Great trip, I really wish I was there too. Say “hi” to Phil when you get down to Tassie.

Phil says "G'day"

[Hppants]

Most assuredly envious of this ride report. Jealous, dare I state.

This is high (VERY high) on the bucket list, man. I want to see that land.

[Uncle Hud]

Coffee and Pizza warmed the inside too.

Do all Aussies eat pizza with a knife and fork?

[bigjohnsd]

Thursday November 28th - Moving Day
We left Phil and Karen Cobb's at Port Sorrell this morning and headed South West. We covered a little bit of ground before lunch stopping briefly in Railton to view an assortment of Topiaries then on to Sheffield to view the many Murals and rendezvous with an old friend of Brians who is kindly allowing us to stay in her vacation home in Strahan on the West Coast of Tasmania. We climbed the central mountains and road across the central plateau all two lane twisty roads 100 kph speed limits, lots of FJR friendly 55-70 kph sweepers.

Todays Route/track:


The Topiaries of Railton:











Then on to Sheffield for the Murals and a fine lunch at the local bakery, sorry no food porn today.



The Many Murals of Sheffield






Each mural is an entry in an annual competition, many of the next several were annual winners, you may be able to read the red and black plaques at the top of the pictures






I especially liked this one entitled "Homesteaders"






This mural documented the life of a local Doctor in the town of Sheffield - he was quite the doer!


This mural documents the story of a local Blacksmith/Inventor









After Lunch we rode the 170 kilometers from Sheffield to Strahan at a brisk pace. Arriving in time for a Gelatto.

Our home for the next three days -



Tomorrow a boat ride up the river to learn a little local culture and see some sights.

[festar]

Coffee and Pizza warmed the inside too.

Do all Aussies eat pizza with a knife and fork?

No, I’m just highly refined.

[wheatonFJR]

Wow, great murals!

I'm not an artist or artisan, but I sure enjoyed that...it was amazing. Have a great day.

[wheatonFJR]

Coffee and Pizza warmed the inside too.

Do all Aussies eat pizza with a knife and fork?

No, I’m just highly refined.

Well, we know THAT isn’t true.

[bigjohnsd]

Friday November 29th, a day off the bikes and on a Big Red Boat



https://worldheritagecruises.com.au/#go ... er-cruises

We woke to temps in the mid-40's but forecast to be sunny. We opted for a boat tour of the largest harbour in Australia - Macquarie Bay and the associated Gordon River.

We started with a coffee prepared by this outstanding Barrista/owner



After boarding our vessel we enjoyed a smooth ride out to
and through Hell's Gate at the mouth of the Harbour briefly entering the Great Southern Ocean in the Roaring Forties.










Hell's Gate


Outside Hell's Gate the swell picked up considerably



Coming back into Hell's Gate

After returning through Hell's Gate, a narrow, 60 meter wide channel, we sailed up to and inspected a Salmon/Steelhead farm.
Acquaculture is a big deal in Macquarie Bay due to its unique blend of fresh and salt water. Only Fish are raised, the water is not saline enough to grow Oysters or Mussels.

After the Salmon Farm we ventured to Sarah Island, the sight of an infamous early British/Australian prison where repeat convict offenders were incarcerated at hard labor building boats out of the local Huon Pine, an exceptional wood for ship building.



Sarah's Island - 12 acres of Hell!







Following our tour of Sarah's Island we cruised up the Gordon River to view the World Heritage Site Wilderness area and a few of the Huon Pines in their natural habitat.










While touring the World Heritage site we ran across Mr. No Shoulders sunning himself atop an ancient Huon Pine Log


Our guide said a family lives inside the log and that they often see one of these deadly inhabitants on the log. The Tiger Snake is apparently a frog eater, but quite deadly if it bites a human.

After our tour through the rainforest we cruised back to Strahan and visited one of the local saw mills where they handle salvage Huon logs that are recovered from the riverbank. There is no longer an active Huon Logging Industry as all the trees of any size were cut down in the early 20th Century. The good news is that as these trees are very slow growing, less than 1mm diameter per year, the young trees which are all over the place, will be big trees in 2500 or so. The trees harvested in the early 20th centure ranged up to 3 meters in diameter and 40 meters in height, kinda like Redwoods and Sequoias in the states







Our track for the day



Australians pay more for food. On the way back to our abode we stopped in the local IGA market. I was amazed at the food prices





Local scallops were $38 per kilo, local Salmon and Sea Trout, raised right here, were similarly priced.

Tomorrow we ride again, likely a route from Strahan to Zeehan to Tullah and back to Strahan. Sunday will find us moving South and East towards Hobart, then we will head up the East Coast. The East is supposed to be a little drier as the West and South are showing rain early next week. We head back to the Mainland on the evening of Thursday December 5th.

[wheatonFJR]

Poor Sarah.

[escapefjrtist]

Enjoying the ride-along bigjohn, thanks for the pics!

~G

[bigjohnsd]

A little loop ride in the rain today. About 260 kilometers. Rained on and off, temp in the high 40's F.

To hard to get the phone camera out to take photos of with all the rain etc. Sorry!

Route today was

Although it is spring here, almost summer, we are trying to head East over some 1,000 meter mountains which we expect to get S N O W tomorrow afternoon, evening. I did not pack for snow! Electric gear in Spearfish. Brian doesn't even have a sweatshirt. Should prove interesting!!!

[ionbeam]

...Rained on and off, temp in the high 40's F...we expect to get S N O W tomorrow afternoon, evening. I did not pack for snow! Electric gear in Spearfish. Brian doesn't even have a sweatshirt...

[Hppants]

Surprised to see how "green" it is there. Don't know what I was expecting, but dense forest was not it.

Living vicariously though my South Dakotan friend.

[Panman]

Pretty cool John, I'm enjoying the ride.

[philharmonic]

From some of the pics, this ride should be named "RTE Australia".

Having followed Bernie's exploits for years, it is fascinating to do this again, can't wait for more.

[wheatonFJR]

From some of the pics, this ride should be named "RTE Australia"

I bet he's been out early before the ride adjusting springs and forks for the additional sprung weight.