Tassie 2010 edition

[tedrobin]

Ditto, except for the holiday house. My first big tour. First time in Tassie except for when I was 12. The only thing I remember from that is the black line on the bottom of the swimming pool. Someone maliciously entered me in the 200m butterfly so I had to look at that line for a longl long time, and was a bit closer to it than a traditional butterfly swimmer.

[Eleri]

I'm excited too - and a little apprehensive about my first plane trip with my bike. Assuming I can get it in the bag today
I'm hoping all goes well with the reassembly when I get off the plane in Launceston tomorrow. See you in Evandale - or on the plane if anyone else is going jetstar tomorrow.

[Camilla]

Hi EMT,

Ted and I get in on the Virgin flight at 11.15. What time do you arrive? We'll try and meet to make sure you don't get into any problems with the bike/finding your way to the Evandale pub!

[malee]

Hello everyone going to Tassie. I am sure you will have a good time regardless of rain or being "underdone". Cycle touring is a lot of fun. I wish I am going. Idiot me said yes to a project that is impinging on my work-life balance. Enjoy and take lots of photos and post on the forum so I can drool over your touring.
Marian

[Eleri]

Thanks Camilla - but Jetstar gets in at 2.35 so don't hang around. The brave soul(s) doing the century will need your cheers and encouragement I'm sure. I'll join you when I get there.

I've got the bike all dissembled faster than I thought and into the bag and am confident about getting it back together again. I'll aim for being careful rather than speedy in the reassemble.

I'm sure I won't get lost - looks like you just turn left and ride til you arrive.

See you at the pub. My number is 0428 645 074 just in case.

[G]

All the best guys and girls. Have a safe, fun trip.

Tip: If you see sheep in the farm, make loud noise like tribal red Indians. The sheep will freak out and run away. Tomas and I did that whenever we had a chance.

[Karzie]

All the best guys and girls. Have a safe, fun trip.

Tip: If you see sheep in the farm, make loud noise like tribal red Indians. The sheep will freak out and run away. Tomas and I did that whenever we had a chance.

Hahaha! That's what you think. Tasmanian sheep know what it means when men chase them in their 'budgiesmugglers'......

[tedrobin]

Thanks very much to the organisers, principally James and Stretch, for such an enjoyable tour. I feel almost human again, and had the strange sensation of feeling less stressed when I returned to work than I had on holidays. I must owe you money for the Evandale pub, so tell me where to put it. And if I have any accounts to settle with anyone else for the many group-purchases, please let me know.

[G]

Tedrobin
Did you see any sheep?

[tedrobin]

Plenty of sheep, quite a few horses, and lots of indistinguishable things on the side of the road in various stages of decomposition (I can only assume that in NSW some people have the unenviable job of carting off roadkill). But the highlight without doubt was the many handsome and responsive cows.

[G]

handsome cows? Do you mean beautiful?

[tedrobin]

Handsome, I think (handsome not being gender-specific, although it is more usually used for males). "Beautiful" might suggest that there was something off-colour about my admiration for the noble bos primigenius.

[G]

We saw a humongous bull in a field. Tomas tried to encourage him into a bull fight, but the bull couldn't be bothered by Tomas's crazy acts. Check this:

[G]

@Tedrobin

Is this bull handsome?

[tedrobin]

That is totally crazy. I would never voluntarily get into the same paddock as a bull. It has to be said that that is not a particularly handsome bull: proportions seem all wrong, and a bit hippo-like. Perhaps it's a bad angle.

[timyone]

man how funny is that pic!!!!

I once got chased by two bulls in a paddock that i had been walking through in New Zealland.

Lol ted i like how the cows were responsive!! i totally wish i could have been touring with you lot!!

[G]

Oh come on Ted! Please say that this is one handsome bull. Look again from different angle. Who wouldn't want to be chased by such a noble bos primigenius?

[/img]


@Tim
Wot happened when you got chased?

[tedrobin]

Well, obviously pretty good, and a lot better than nothing, and even my favourite breed, but I have to say: I've seen better.

[weiyun]

Yum!

[G]

Thanks for sharing this chart. After looking at it, I wonder why James F is called T-bone?

[tedrobin]

I'd always assumed that his (totally cool) nickname derived from his appetite which, having witnessed it in Tassie, is truly impressive. If he's got to fatten himself up to beat Huw in the penny farthing championship he'll have to be fed intravenously or something.

I am not scandalised by Weiyun's chart. I was able to pack up my favourite cow (my avatar) and send her off to the knackery, so I don't let sentiment get between me and a steak.

[Eleri]

Thanks to Stretch and James for organising the tour.

Here's some pix from the trip.

The two eating highlights were a side trip to Leaning Church winery in the Tamar Valley, marred only by having to get out of the valley after having indulged perhaps more than we should ...



... and pancakes at the Penguin Uniting Church, a fine example of Federation Carpenter Gothic architecture, and the congregation who kept the griddle hot for us as after we sent an advance party of sprinters (thanks guys!) ahead to let them know we were coming. Best pancakes ever. Only to be eaten after you have shriven yourselves.

[yewenyi]

looks great, good weather too, here it is monsoon...

[kiwiames]

man those pancakes were amazing! .. well worth the time trial effort me and camilla put in just to get there, when we did they were just closing up, but we convinced them to stay open as there were a bunch of very hungry cyclists behind us. Very grateful they did.
And yes the winery lunch was fanstatic, not so much the getting there as the signpost said 4k - its got to be the longest 4k of all time!! then finally an off road downhill section just to make it that much longer. the jounery on the way back was interesting, one long climb soon after, some of us having a few to many wines (camilla) i think i was sweating red wine on that climb.
great photos eleary! (spelling?)

[orphic]

Winery lunch was indeed fantastic, but boy did the ride out of there kill me! Reminded me why I decided to limit the alcohol consumption for the tour... Unfortunate that I had to be reminded of that in the most painful way.

Other food highlights included the cherry place (and the raspberry sorbet) and the chocolate place. Mmmm, chocolate.

Not sure if the cheese factory was such a highlight given the climb to get there and the fact that I didn't really eat much cheese... But it was fun to watch Christian, James and Huw overdose! I am pretty sure Christian was sweating cheese that evening...

Thanks to everyone that cooked, cleaned, made me laugh and towed me home after I cracked. Your efforts will not be forgotten

Does anyone else have photos?

[Stretch]

Had a great time. Enjoyed the company and in particular the "Chicken Surprise" in Sheffield (thanks Christian and James), the pancakes in Penguin, the BBQ in George Town, and the Greek food at the Gravelly Beach Cafe.

http://www.examiner.com.au/news/local/s ... 57089.aspx

[/img]

[christian]

I tend to not het off the bike to take photos.


Batman Bridge.

The top of a hill at the start of the Tamar valley.

Some Road.

Some road again.

Some road, now featuring James.

Geoff looking like he is about to crack.

Purdy.

Yet another action shot.

A photo of Huw taking a photo.

The back of Huw.

The road less travelled, this was on the last day where James and myself decided to go the long way.

[Eleri]

and some more pix.

We had a wet start on the first day. Here we are at one of the first of (too) many bakeries in a place I have already forgotten the name of.

Lindsay mourned the loss of this bike, now well integrated into a living sculpture in the "Town of Topiary" Railton. Also the home of a brewery and meadery. Sadly the road between Railton and Sheffield, our destination for the night was not "pretty much flat" as claimed by someone in false reassurance. You would think that experience would have taught us something before we went to the winery for lunch a couple of days later. Short memories!



Table Cape is at the top of a hill. A very big hill with an astonishing grade for part of it. Still, the view was worth it at the top.



And finally, here's Ted riding a penny for the very first time. There's no photo of what happened next.

[weiyun]

So what happened next?

[kiwiames]

i know someone has the photo of what happens next! we need to see it!
im sure ted doesnt, but the rest of us do!

[kiwiames]

who fell of the penny and into the hay bail ?

was it ted or ????????

whoever it was there is a photo somewhere ...

[timyone]

lol christian, your first comment is that you dont get off your bike to take pics, your second pic looks like it was taken from road height. Did you fall over and that was the last photo you took before you got up?

[christian]

I should have said that most of my photos are taken from the bike, but not all of them. We need to see the photo of EMT in the hedge.

[G]

Loads of happy faces!

That guy with hairy legs look like mi brother iniit?!

[tedrobin]

I somehow made it up the road and around the corner before coming to grief on the penny. The only witness was Al (who was clearly very far from impressed) and fortunately no cameras were present.

[Camilla]

By popular demand, Eleri's patented dismount technique:

[Camilla]

And I think we're forgetting another favourite food stop. Was for me anyway, after lugging 2 bottles of wine up that unexpected hill. Pity of them neither actually belonged to me...

[tedrobin]

OK, here's a few of my pics, and I'll concentrate on Evandale since there are lots of good touring pics (and there's still Huw's to look forward to).


Huw wins the Penny Century


All the Century riders looked more than a little dishevelled at the finish


Biathlon with Camilla and the Canadian guy, Philippe


Biathlon (I thought I'd copyrighted that facial expression when riding a penny)


Biathlon transition with Geoff as handler


Geoff and the Evandale statue


Amy with the National Championship trophy


Al in the Veteran's race


Victoria and Geoff (in the consolation race?)


Christian finishes 2nd in the road race (in pain)


Huw and Amy battle for 3rd in the road race


DHBC pretty much sweeps the road race

[Eleri]

I think for the patented dismounting technique we should add a note: "don't try this at home". You need a special sort of hedge.

[Camilla]

You mean one with an Eleri-shaped depression in it?

[Eleri]

Well it certainly had that afterwards!

I hope everyone appreciates how well I parked the penny before dismounting.

[Camilla]

A tribute to our organizers. Thanks James and Stretch!

James and his Willie Warmer



Stretch approaching to Blue Shed



And finally, I officially open the funny sign competition:



and one Eleri, Amy and I spotted on Table Cape and became quite enamored of:



Beat that Huw! I know you can.

[Eleri]

Huw got a mention in Peter Fitzsimon's column in today's SMH. It's in the team of the week bit.

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/homebush-ba ... -p90x.html