A devil of a tale...

Three weeks round Tasmania and only a single blog update, all my loyal readers (all three of you) have my heartfelt apologies. Although in my defence, internet access over here costs a kings ransom, and I had an expensive couple of days to begin with.

Allow me to elaborate...

As soon as I rolled off the ferry, I rolled straight into (not literally) the local Yamaha dealership in order to get the drive chain replaced on Gosling One.

Ahhhh, sparks! Get that man away from my beloved bike.

The original was doing a passable impression of an elastic band, stretching... a lot. So to head off a snapped important thing, I erred on the side of caution and got the pros to sort it out.

No sooner had I set off with my shiny new chain, than the fork seals on the front suspension decided to blow. For the non-technical like myself, that meant that what should be inside to forks started to come out, leading to a very rough and bouncy return trip to Devonport. An enforced stop over for a couple of days saw that little problem set right, and I was finally able to get under way properly, albeit with a substantially lighter wallet.

So, not to go into too much detail (because people would get bored and wander off), I did a big anticlockwise loop around Tasmania, almost a microcosm of my trip-to-be around Australia. Starting with the North and West coasts, I headed south to the most southerly navigable road in Australia (next stop Antarctica), up the east coast and then back through the middle to Devonport again.

Found some great out of the way camping spots, and also some fairly hair-raising 4WD tracks that tested my new suspension to the limit. I fell foul of the local wildlife at one of my camps on the west coast, with something furry making off with one of my sandals in the night. I'd like to think it was a Tasmanian Devil that needed to use it for surfing or somesuch thing. Makes me look a right gooseberry hopping round the beach on one sandal though.

Medic! My trousers are on fire.

One such route was the interestingly named 'Crabtree Track', just down south of Cradle Mountain near a place called New Norfolk. You would have though the sign at the start of the route stating that it was a track for 4WD vehicles during dry weather only, would have put me off. But not me, I laugh in the face of such warning signs...also I'm a bit of an idiot.

I like mud, me. Good for the skin.

Where the route was level it was fairly easy to weave in and out of the ruts and around the larger boulders. Where it got a bit more interesting was the ascent up the side of a mountain (and I'm talking steep), where the weight on the back of the back actually probably helped; and the descent down said mountain, where the weight on the back definitely did not help at all!

For correct operating procedure, please return to upright position

The track leading down was washed out by rain water, strewn with really rather large boulders and edged with slippery gravel and smaller rocks. This led to a slow and teeth clenched descent in first gear, with the rear wheel locking up most of the time as I tried to stop the bike running away down the hill. Of course, inevitably it went wrong. Although just the once! A bout of swearing, a few bruises and one hell of a workout picking up the bike on that slope later, and I was out! Felt rather chuffed with myself I must admit.

On checking the odometer whilst gathering my shattered nerves together at the bottom, it turned out I had covered about 24km in about 2 hours! Definitely an interesting, if not speedy route to take.

Feeling pleased with myself I took a bath in the River Mersey as I was passing.

Lather, rinse repeat.

Just try doing that in the UK version of the same river, you'd probably bounce off the surface.

So, during my time in Tasmania I checked out all the standard tourist type attractions, including the famous Cradle Mountain. I have to admit that it registered as a "Meh!" on the 'awe-inspirement scale', as did the 'Bay of Fires'. I found the west coast, with it's lack of specific attractions far more interesting and a lot more rugged.

Met some great people along the way, including my new friends Ramon and Merel. Big 'shout out' to them if they happen by and read this, we had a nice little trek out to visit 'Wineglass Bay' on the Freycinet Peninsula. If you can read Dutch, check out their blog at: http://members.home.nl/ramonbeschi

Apparantly I look like a 'dirty stormtrooper' Pretty close I reckon.

Nice view eh? The one behind us isn't bad either. (Wineglass bay)

I also met my first live snake since being in Australia. Which to date makes three, count em three in total. All were Tiger snakes, so named because they can scare the bejesus out of tigers, they're that 'ard. Not really, but apparently they're ludicrously poisonous, and not at all scared of me it would seem.

Snake, snake ooooh it's a snake. (No badgers though, I think the snake ate them all)

I'd also like to mention that in true Australia summer behaviour, it snowed yesterday for about 15mins as I was riding back towards Devonport via the Central Plateux region. Seriously, it was so cold i've only just today started to get some feeling back in my fingers. Nothing like a bit of variety to keep you on your toes!

Jumping on the ferry tonight back to Melbourne, then it's west for me, over towards Adelaide, the Nullarbour Desert and Perth.

So, to sum up my time in Tasmania I present a little selections of images, as I've probably written enough for now. (anyone still reading this?)

Enjoy! (No sniggering at the back)

Warning signs? Pah! I laugh in the face of warning signs!

Look at me, look at me! Vrooom, crunch!

Taking a break at Lake St Claire, Tasmania

Wildlife, thieving bastards the lot of 'em.

The Gordon Dam, bloody high up and also bloody windy. (Not the dam itself of course, but the area in general)

He said "let there be stodge", and there was stodge...

And lo, the traveller did combine the hallowed elements... two minute noodles with a cup-a-soup, and there was much revulsion.

What hideous globular mass had the creator spawned? He gazed upon the creature with much distaste, and did cast it out unto oblivion.

Hastily did the creator harken unto the promised land of milk, honey and Subway sandwiches. And there was much feasting.

Here endeth the lesson.

So 2006 passed peacfully into 2007, look there it goes you can see it:

2006 - 2007 transition, as seen from my campsite

Hope everyone had a fantastic New Year, I spent it (as tradition dictates), in the middle of nowhere. Not a soul around, just me and some pelicans and they wern't in much of a party mood.

Back on the road now, headed for the ports of Melbourne and the boat to Tasmania. A twelve hour sailing should see me safely on the island state, and my next update will be from there.

Just a few pics of where I spent the last few days:

That'd be the end of the road then, best find another route...

Crossing the Murry River by a much more sensible method