Covid Blog 10

Another day in paradise!!!

The weather was perfect today with very little wind, complete sun with no clouds, a cool start to the day and warm sun with temps up to 20 degrees.

The day started again at about 6.30 am with a look at the tv to see how the world of the virus was going and it seems we in Australia are doing reasonably well with about 6000 cases and about 50 deaths.... all sad really but what is going on in the US is staggering with over 1000 people dying a day!

I hope we never get to that!!!

After breakfast it was time for a takeaway coffee at the Blairgowrie cafe and a visit to the beach to see the perfect morning from a delightful and different perspective 

After the beach visit I made a few arrangements to sort out the rental arrangements for the house next door which included organising a skip to be delivered next week to get rid of the surplus furniture in the house... this will be a job where I need an extra pair of hands and Chris has agreed to help thankfully 

After this it was time to mow the lawns at number 4.....

The mowing was relatively easy and it was good to see the backyard after I finished the job!

After this it was lunch and a bike ride. Today I thought I would take a slightly different route up Whites road to the back of Dromana which meant a bit of climbing but it was a good change from the largely flat rides I have been doing recently at Rye 

The trip was relatively fast with very little wind and traffic although towards the end of the ride there was a decernable increase in traffic coming down to visit holiday homes for Easter 

The lock down rules allow persons who own homes to visit them fortunately... so I am clear to visit our home at Rye

After the ride I decided to take a walk to the beach to see the sunset... it was lovely and I hope you enjoy the photos...

After returning home it was time to shower at ready myself for the Houseparty chat with the family in various locations in Melbourne. Good to catch up with everyone...

FYI.... I was alerted by a Board member at Alkira to a child science project which has been prepared by the Dyson Foundation ( of vacuum cleaning fame). It sets out various projects which can be done by children as a learning experience.... looks great for the grandchildren 

Tonight I am resolved to watch television programs which do not focus on the current Covid circumstances... a nice change!!!!

Now for a few photos....

Early morning at the beach!!!

The backyard after the clean up

Interesting sign....note the spelling!!!

A sign of the times.... I was on my way home

And yes it does!!!

A quiet end to the day on the beach.... bad picture as it has my shadow 

Today’s ride

Sun is setting 

.... and another one!

Covid Blog 9

Today was a typical Autumn day with a cool start followed by a sunny day with top temperatures around 17 degrees 

The morning was the normal wake at about 6.30 am with a look at CNN and early morning news to see whether there has been any evidence of a slower infection rate on the virus... there was sort of mixed news with Australia seemingly doing a bit better than other countries such as the US and Europe.

The only way there seems to be a likelihood of returning to a more normal life seems to be related to finding a antidote to the virus.. this seems to be a few months away at the earliest and we need to ready ourselves to this timeline.

Anyway it was off after breakfast to Zimt for the takeaway coffee so necessary to ready myself for the day

The guys at Zimt were again vey positive and I am thankful that I can get my “daily fix” from them...

After the fix I went home and packed a few things to travel to Rye to sort out renting the house next door... the agent seems to think I can rent number 2 in the current market as it is ... good news as I am not looking forward to painting the house on my own!

I traveled down to Rye I good time and went to the local shops to get “staples” for my stay down here!

After returning to the house I decided to do a shortish ride of about 40 kms to Safety Beach before making a Zoom call with my Australian Club mates.

The call was for an hour with 20 guys who normally meet at the Oz Club each month. This virtual meeting via zoom was good as we were able to see each other at our homes and talk about our experiences in this new situation with Covid 

It wa great to catch up with Pete Slattery who we have not seen for some time

We agreed that we should do this again to stay in touch

The day was a good one and another ticked off in this new way of living 

Now for the photos 

Nice photo of the beach at Safety Beach...half way point of the ride 

Today’s ride...

Covid Blog 8

Today was a day off for bike riding and a day to do a few chores around home with Chris helping me

The day started with the normal catch up on the Covid virus on early morning television where the news was not good for the Prime Minister of the UK Boris Johnson... he has been admitted to hospital and is in ICU . 

I hope he recovers quickly from the Covid virus....

After breakfast I managed to get some time to go to Zimt for a takeaway coffee... the guys there are doing a great job serving coffee and their normal cafe fare which is really good home cooked food.... well done to all of you!

After coffee it was down to Bunnings to pick up a fan as the fan in the back loo was not working.

Arriving home Chris and I fixed the fan and it was time to fix the new exterior lights around the back patio....

There was another visit to Bunnings to get a few more tools to make the job easier.

Before lunch we fixed 3 of the lights and felt good to have made a start 

Lunch was Zimt pies which were great 

After lunch we did the hardest part of the job fixing the lights to the brickwork... all the more difficult as the old lights were hard to remove!

Anyway after a few hours the job was complete and I was pleased...

The clean-up made me think about tidying up the tools in the garage and toss out a lot of the rubbish..... another job done!

It was then time for dinner and to test out the lights cooking a bbq.... yehhh it worked well!

After dinner I watched a the Test series about the emergence of the Australian Cricket team after the tragedy of the ball tampering in South Africa a few years ago....a good series to watch

Tomorrow it is off to Rye to sort out the houses down there

Looking forward to the trip

Now for the photos 

New lights on the back patio 

... and on the alfresco dining area 

Covid Blog 7

Gosh how time flies when you are having fun!!!

Yes it is now a week since I started this blog and it has been an interesting journey of witnessing and participating in the sudden stop of the world we once knew and adapting to the new normal of living at home!

Today was a lovely Autumn day with a cool breeze and lovely sun at various times. The temps were in the mid teens.

After catching up with the news on Sky in the morning it was time to look after the grandchildren for the morning with Robyn. Chris and Neats kids who are living with us whilst renovating their home, seem to have adapted well to being restricted to home.

The news of the morning was terrible for those in Europe and the US and I thought I should put in a call to a friend from my AECOM days, Paul Schwartz. He is located in NYC which is going through a terrible time with the pandemic. Paul and his family are ok thankfully and he appreciated the check in from his mate in Australia 

After the obligatory takeaway coffee from Zimt I bought bread and treats for lunch and proceeded on my ride along the Koonung and Anniversary trails 

There was a lot of families out enjoying the weather, walking or riding bikes and gaining some well earned exercise away from their homes

After the ride it was off to IKEA to but some new bench stools for the kitchen... as I said yesterday the IKEA shop is not easy with navigation required to find the items to be purchased... I found the stools and picked up the flat packs. The number of shoppers at IKEA were less than yesterday thankfully!

Arriving home it was time to take Cooper and Mykala on a walk around the streets near home looking for teddy bears in the front windows of houses in our neighbourhood 

There was delight for the kids seeing several houses with bears in the windows... a successful trip all around.

At home again it was time to open the flat packs and assemble the stools... if there is one ting that I hate it’s assembling furniture like this. First unpacking the articles from all the cardboard and plastic.... then trying to understand the instructions ( always seem to be in a foreign language) ... then using those silly Allen keys to tighten the bolts and screws 

Anyway this seemed to work well and in no time the stools were de boxed and assembled ready for use for dinner.... a success!!!

All in all it was a good day of success and it seems that we are all contributing to the social distancing which is a good defensive strategy for Covid 

Now for the photos 

A view of a park with closed play equipment 

A view of the Yarra River on the bike ride

An interesting community vegetable garden I saw on the ride

The flat pack box... all looks good but assembly is not my thing!!!

Yeah!!! All assembled....

Today’s ride... short and sweet!!

Covid Blog 6

Today being Sunday is the normal day for the Wheeliebinners ride from Red Rooster on the corner of Union and Canterbury roads at 7.30 am.... and today is the end of daylight saving so we get an extra hour of sleep!

But no.... with the new order we cannot ride as a group anymore and unfortunately we cannot really wear out new team riding tops and socks.

So with that in mind I decided to ride across town to my daughters home in Yarraville to have a coffee/tea. Riding near the great sports stadiums in Melbourne was very eerie as in normal times they would be buzzing with football fans waiting to see their teams perform on the sporting fields.

To add to the eerie feel the weather was gloomy with heavy cloud cover and cool temps at about 10 degrees 

I arrived at Jodie and Sams house and it was good to see them both and have a coffee and be very careful regarding social distancing 

After the visit it was off home via the Capital City bike path. Getting closer to home the weather turned from a drizzle to rain and by the time I arrived home I was wet through but felt good after doing a little over 60 kms

The afternoon was spent visiting IKEA to look at kitchen options for the Rye investment property which needs a makeover ahead of being on the rental market.

I always get lost on visiting IKEA and today was no exception.... finding the kitchen department was a real issue but worth the visit as the options seem good 

Arriving home we set the fire and settled in on the couch for a while until dinner... I must admit I had a bit of shut eye until Chris, Neat and grandies arrived home for dinner 

The day was a bit longer with the extra hour with the change of clocks and the night closed in earlier..... very strange really 

It was a good day for the Covid19 stats in Australia with the rate of increase in cases falling again for the 3rd day... questions being raised about whether we are seeing the Covid curve turning!!!

Let’s see!!!!

Now for a few photos 

Entry at the MCG deserted ... normally buzzing with football fans!!!

View of the city with the Yarra river in the foreground 

Good picture ....go dees...my football team

Marvel stadium deserted as well!!!


Today’s ride...

Slow due to wet weather 

Covis Virus Blog 5

Today was a rest day from the bike.... yeeeeh!!!

I awoke at about 6.30 am with the rain coming down at Rye what a wonderful event this is given the drought we have been through in Australia in recent times

It was time to pack up and head home to sort out the garden at Kenmare street.....

After cleaning the house I was on the road  by about 10.00 am. The traffic was light all the way home as it seems most are observing the stay at home directions from the authorities.... at all times the signs are that we should stay at home 

This is a strange world really where you need are being told what to do... someone I spoke to recently said this is something out of 1984!!!!!

Arriving home is was keen for a coffee so it was off to Zimt for a takeaway... good to catch up with the guys there who are doing well under the circumstances 

I bought some chicken and chips for the family for lunch and made my way home to settle in to an afternoon of chores at home.......

I managed to mow the lawns , rake the leaves, tidy up the yards and clean the pool in an afternoon. It was good to bet the chores done and see the Kenmare street property looking good!!! I guess I am a phenatic when it come to this...

To make life a little bit harder there was frequent rain showers that meant I needed to stop

Luckily the man cave was working and I could look at the horse racing in Sydney which was the only game in town from a sports perspective 

After the chores it was good to see the Robyn had organised the fire in the house..... the first for the year and after a shower it was good to settle down for a bbq and a drink 

Funny in reflection I really missed a ride today 

Seems in all this mess that a ride seems to settle the mind in the strange world of the virus 

Now for the photos 

Pool clean !!!

Back lawns mown and tidied up after grandies!!!!

Tennis court blown for stray leaves!!!!

Front lawn mowed.... note the car park!!!!!

.... and more cars in the drive!!!!

Covid virus blog 4

Today was another day in paradise!!!!

Well you need to be positive in all of the gloom...

The weather was good and the birds were busy chirping away unaware of the virus sweeping the humans. I was thinking that this might be the takeover by the animal population for all the terrible things we have done in all the exterminations of species over the years 

I was up at about 7.00am and journeyed down to the coffee shop for a takeaway and to get the papers... all bad news with umpteen pages of the virus.... urrrrghhhh we need some positive news somewhere

I had a bit of Alkira business in the morning including a zoom call with the Risk & Finance group where we are managing our way through the adjustments required to services with about 200 people with intellectual disabilities. The team at Alkira are doing a great job in difficult circumstances... a positive call

After a bite for lunch it was off on the bike for a ride down to Martha Cove. The wind was from the north so a head wind on the way out and a delightful tail wind on the way home.... wow more good news!!!

Arriving back at the Rye house I decided to stay down the coast for the night rather than head home to Melbourne.

We are looking to rent out the house we own at 2 Helena which although being well constructed needs an update to move on from the 1970’s decor!!!

This is my job over the next few months of lockdown!!!

So.... the kitchen needs an update and it was off to Bunnings to see what a Kaboodle kitchen has to offer... seems it has succumbed to Covid and they don’t make visits and I need to do a design myself????

I will need to do a bit of work on this and have a look at other options as well

Traveling home I had a great call with Jodie and Sam ( and the grandchildren) and a call with Robyn ( wife) to catch up on news at home. Good to see how the family is adapting to the new normals of Covid 

After a few nights of bbq’s it was time for something different so it was Friday fish and chips!!

On a sad note I heard today that Lex Hibbins died...Lex was one of those larger than life characters of Wesley College fame who was Mr sport and a real hero of many in the College community. Special condolences go to the Hibbins family at this time 

Now for the photos...

Now there’s a cucumber!!!!

A lot of building at Martha Cove

Martha cove with Arthur’s Seat in the background 

Bad shop but the dots in the water are swans who are “socially distancing” 

My ride today....

Covid Virus- Blog 3

Today started early as the rain was hitting the corrugated iron roof... what a wonderful sound it is to hear a good rain shower which continued for about 3 hours 

The only negative to this was the early morning ride was off the agenda!

After breakfast I went down to the shops at Blairgowrie to have a takeaway coffee and get the papers to read. The shops were not busy which was good and everyone was observing the distancing rules

After returning home and having breakfast it was time to mow the lawns and tidy up both 2& 4 Helena Court!

The mowing of 4 was satisfying as the grass layed with help from Sam,nick and the grandchildren was a great improvement to the backyard....

The lawn looks good and has survived the summer well

Later I mowed the grass in number 4 which made the house look good from the outside... hoping it might prove a good omen in getting some tenants to rent the house.

After completing the domestic items it was off for a ride to Safety Beach. The ride to the destination was very fast with a tail breeze making speeds of over 30 kph very easy. After a short stop at Safety Beach for a photo it was off back home. The trip home was a bit slower but speeds of over 25 kph were achieved.

The interesting observation on the ride is the signage indicating the closure of the beaches... Near Blairgowrie the signs are on nearly all the entrances to the beaches whilst in Rosebud and Dromana they are a little more circumspect... I wonder whether the antics of the residents at our end of the Mornington Peninsula need more rigorous reminders of the beach closures as a result of the idiots who flouted the isolation rules following their ski trip to Aspen??

After arriving home and showering it was time to join the family on a Houseparty conference call. Good to catch up with everyone on how they are coping with the current Covid rules regarding being home

Seems to me that everyone is coping well and the grandchildren are being kept busy with well organised activities by their parents... this looks like continuing for about 6 month period based on the latest advice from the Prime Minister 

Good that we are all adjusting to life in the new norm ...

Now for a few photos 

Wow... tomato’s from the veggie garden... planted by the grandchildren 

Just look at the lawn!

Morning tea with biscuits cooked by Cooper and Neat

Signs regarding closure of beach

At Safety Beach turn around looking back at Arthur’s Seat 

Another sign... bit confusing with the children playing comments 

My ride information....

Covid Virus Blog 2

Today was another beautiful autumn day with temps starting at about 10 degrees and warming up to about 20 degrees 

I woke to turn on the news on the tv to hear that the number of cases in Australia are increasing at a slower rate but in the USA and Spain the situation seems out of control 

Seems that the US is headed towards a real catastrophe which I am hopeful does not eventuate here

I decided it was a great morning for a ride and decided to to the ride around the city on the capital city trail.... within 5 kms I managed to catch up with a fellow Wheeliebinner Ellio who was riding as well and had stopped to have a teleconference on the side of the bike path with his fellow workers.... strange how the world has adapted to these new circumstances. We observed the social distancing rules and parted ways

My ride along the Koonung and capital city trail was good with very little pedestrian traffic. On reaching the city I stopped at Southbank for a take away coffee to find most of the coffee shops closed... sharp contrast to a few days ago when most were open serving coffee and muffins in takeaway mode

Sitting on the banks of the Yarra I had a chat with a security guard who was waving persons on who were not observing the signs about social distancing

After coffee it was back along the main Yarra trail to the Gardiners Creek trail..... this was extremely slow as the traffic of families out for exercise were everywhere and I needed to be careful. Most were courteous but as per normal there’s the few idiots who fail to slow down for heavy traffic 

In future I think I will be taking roads as they seem to have lighter traffic 

Near home I caught up with an Alkira board member,Ron Walker who was out collecting his bins... we had a good chat  about the strange world we are living in but both agreed we need to move forward positively 

Arriving home I quickly showered and changed in to meet my financial advisor who gave me the news about my super which has fallen with the sharemarkets.... the good news is that I am ok and will survive .... I hope!!!!

At least at the time of writing this blog neither I or any of our family have COVID virus!

After the meeting it was off to the bakery to pick up lunch and a special bun for Cooper and Mykala for their lunch. Both the grandchildren were happily playing in the garden when I arrived home??

I packed up to travel to Rye to do the normal maintenance on the property. The trip down to Rye was about an hour and 15 minutes with light traffic..... seems mostly tradies are out and about with very little other traffic.... I considered myself a tradie with the lawn mower pocking out the back of the Ute tray!

Arriving at Rye it was very quiet with the beaches closed and shops empty... I managed to do the supermarket shop to get food for the next few days... amazing the bogans who attend the supermarket with bare feet and tattoos!!!

Tonight was a quiet bbq with a beer and watching tv... I really struggle with the availability of good programs... it is either bad news on Covid or terrible reality tv!!!!

The thing I I missing most is seeing the rest of the family!!!

Now for a few photos....

Ellio on his conference call

Great sign on the bike path

“A smile can carry 1.5 metres “

The Southbank food court.... empty!!!

Corona Virus Blog- 31 March 2020

Welcome to the blog....

The whole world seems to be going through this crisis and I thought that it might be interesting to write my own story of this time as a record of something that will be remembered by us all in the years ahead.... much like in earlier times we heard about the Great Depression and the wars...

So today was a delightful day weather wise here in Melbourne the temp was in the 20’s and clear sky... typical of autumn in Melbourne 

I decided today I would pass on a ride as I have had daily rides for the past 12 days

The day began at at about 6.30 am with an update on the Covid virus on the television wise bad news continuing in the USA and the UK and even worse news in Spain and Italy where it seems the virus spread is out of control 

Here in Australia the news is a bit brighter with a slow down in the rate of increase in the cases of the virus 

We are in somewhat of a lockdown with the government advisory being to stay at home but for trips to the supermarket, medical appointments, necessary work and the like

It is forbidden to meet in groups of over 2 persons and there is limited visits to parks and bike riding is allowed 

Social distancing applies with persons not allowed to get closer that 1.5 metres 

I managed to get a coffee at my local cafe .... Zimt... which was in a takeaway mode. The staff are wonderful and the coffee was enjoyable 

After doing some Alkira business following a Board meeting on the previous evening it was off to Bunnings to stock up on supplies to keep me occupied in the lockdown. Some paint for the outside of the house and some new exterior lights will keep me busy.... funny really as I absolutely hate painting and I am sure that I might get an electric shock installing the lights!!!

In the evening it was delightful to wash the cars with the grandchildren who are living with us while their home is being renovated 

A few days a go Robyn organised some teddy bears to be hung in our front windows which seems to be a trend in Melbourne.... at least they provide a friendly face at the front of the house 

The highlight of the day was helping my grandson Cooper wash the cars with the high pressure hose... we ended being a bit wet

Hope you enjoy the blog 

Some photos 

Trying to decipher the colour of the paint at Bunnings!!!

A teddy bear in our window 

A clean car!

And another

Could be a good earner in these difficult times!!

Southbank in Melbourne 

Normally very busy 

Day 6 - Orford to Richmond 72 kms for the whole trip. I did 50 kms

Today we awoke to a windy and cold day at Orford. The good news was there was no rain... thanks heaven for small mercies!

The first part of the ride was quite pleasant with a lovely ride beside the Prosser River... then we hit a short sharp climb of gradients reaching up to 16 pc.... this combined with a head wind made for slow steady riding through gritted teeth with hope that the coffee at Buckland!!!

We arriving in Buckland for coffee was a big disappointment to say the least...it was terrible and most of us did not finish the coffee. In some way we were perhaps a bit anxious for the ride ahead through to Nugent which promised to be a big climb of over 5 kms on a gravel road. The ride ahead did not disappoint!

The climb started with some heavy climbing averaging over 8 pc in many parts so combined with a head wind the progress was very slow. To take our mind off the grind the views were quite spectacular which I hope might be seen in the photos on this blog.

At the top of the climb it was my turn to drive the Ute for the next 20 kms through to lunch at Sorell. The drive was eventful with Phil having a “ Flat” and I stayed both he and Abdy to direct them through to lunch

The weather continued to be quite overcast and the head winds continued with some real force on the more exposed country 

Lunch at Banjos bakery was well deserved with a chance to recover following some hard riding

After lunch I joined the riders for the short ride into Richmond. Shortly after we had another big climb of over 1.5 kms with an average gradient of 5 pc

The downhill after this was most enjoyable in to Richmond 

The accommodation at the Richmond Arms Hotel is “old school “ accomodation 

The meal tonight was real pub food and I had bangers and mash

I think the mood around the table was one of being glad the ride was over but respecting the fact that we had passed the challenge and seen some great country 

Now for the photos 

At the loo in Buckland after some terrible coffee!

The gravel road on here climb to Nugent

A good sign for the downhill

A view of the country we passed through

Phil and Abdy repairing a puncture

Home for the night at the Richmond Arms...

The famous Richmond Bridge

Our reservation marked on the table

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 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

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 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 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.....