Australia
My road: Melbourne, Devonport, Frankford, Exeter, George Town, Bridport, Scottsdale, Weldborough, St Helens, Bay Fires, St Helens, Scamander, Bicheno, Coles Bay, Swansea, Triabunna, Maria Island, Triabunna, Orford, Rheban, Copping , Dunalley, Eaglehawk, Port Arthur Nubeena, Eaglehawk, Dunalley, Carlton, Sorell, Hobart, Kingston, Snug, Kettering, Bruny Island, Kettering, Kingston, Hobart, from 11 to 2009/12/30, Glenorchy Granton, New Norfolk , Plenty, Westerway, Mt Field NP, Westerway, Fentonbury, Dunrobin Bridge, Ouse, Osterley, Bradys Lake, Derwent Bridge, Queenstown, Zeehan, Corinna, Savage River, Waratah, A10, C132, Cradle Valley, Moina, Sheffield, Barrington Devonport, from 03 to 2010/01/17.
After my arrival in Melbourne, I have to spend 11 days with George and Jenny to live with them great moments, tinkering with George, finding together at every meal with a tasty table prepared by Jenny, then it's exchanged moments and discussions. I feel like a full member of the family, with both of them and with their children. They also make me to meet their friends, invited to dinner one night especially in my honor. During a sunday, they make me see the city of Melbourne, offering me also the restaurant.
My route takes in leaving the mainland to Tasmania, going by ferry at night, then arrived on 12th in the morning to Devonport. But at the time of boarding, I noticed another bike. As soon as the start, I made the acquaintance of Aitor, a guy from the Basque country who just come to cross Australia through its center, especially came here for this island. We then became companions, starting our journey together being off eastward.
From the first day, Tasmania is pleasant, by discovering small areas, going through an agricultural area with potatoes, cereal, poppy. Then a passage in the forest before reaching the river Tamar shortly after Exeter. But from George Town to Bridport, the route becomes tiresome by heavy traffic with loads of wood, a route that has no big interest is being swept by their draught. Coming to pass Scottsdale, Tasmania has its attractions with the first ascent toward Weldborough, this amidst a lush green forest, revealing a tiny village where we set the tent for the night. While my companion is to repair his puncture, on my side I prepare our dinner, coming also to meet a guy from Lorient.
The next morning, the climb is not finished, continuing for a few kilometers always through the forest, tall ferns lining the road, reaching the summit with a strong wind. The descent towards St Helens is fast and picturesque, reaching this place at noon. On site, we suddenly found with 4 other cyclists, 2 Australians and a Dutchman couple. On the harbour we took our lunch, finding also a free shower which is welcome. From there we go to camp close to Binalong Bay, finding a place at Jeanneret beach. While we prepare our tents, a man in a caravan located just opposite, come to us by providing hot water for coffee if we want. Presumably Trevor seeks company, its generosity goes beyond by finding ourself to cook our dinner at his place, the vegetables over a wood fire and browning the meat on its gas. This man from Lanceston comes here to spend Christmas with his family. The time spent with Trevor is superb, offering to us coffee, beer and wine, but also everything needed to embellish and prepare our meal. The evening continues in discussing at the heat of the fire which crackles. Once under the tent, he returned to announce that we are waiting for coffee tomorrow morning. With a gray and overcast weather we find again Trevor has heated water for coffee. Then he prepares a breakfast of cereal, then inviting us to toast bread on the fire. By leaving, his man is with the camera in hand. We leave him to go to the bay of Fire and its rocks with orange color, but the gray weather did not give the appearance the most beautiful. Today the rain is forecast, by returning to St Helens to stay in hotel. Passing a way, Aitor stop me when he saw 2 cyclists leaving. This is a German couple with Holm and Julia, Aitor having already met them twice. Together we take the same direction, in the afternoon heavy rain making its appearance. From St Helens, we then teamed to 4 along the east coast and go south. The course is nice and fast, with Holm in first and Aitor the rear. It is a big change for me by riding as a team, a great pleasure and a real complicity between us. At noon we are at Bicheno where we supply food before leaving to Freycinet. We spend the night near the Friendly beach, amount our camp as often in nature, cooking dinner with Indian flavors, and found a wallaby for company, which gently comes to taste my bread. We finish the evening with a walk on the beach, a superb place.
The next day by a stop in the Freycinet National Park, we're going for a hike that is not really exceptional, except that we discover a beautiful bay with Wineglass. Our road continues for another destination with Maria Island. Arriving late one afternoon at Triabunna, the ferry is about to leave, giving us just enough time to make our provisions, the island is a national park and nobody live there. After a somewhat a chaotic journey made by the waves of the ocean, we reach a paradise of nature. We then have ample time to settle, to shower, cook and take dinner until the night comes falling. After a mild night, early morning is quiet, having breakfast and talking together, also providing our day. The choice is a high point of the island with Bishop and Clerk, in making it on foot. The weather is calm, with a big blue sky and a pleasant temperature. We start through an alpine, reaching high and beautiful cliffs, while giving time for contemplation and photography. Then there is a path in the forest before finishing on such a mass of fallen stones. We got the highest point at noon, revealing a panorama absolutely huge, incredibly beautiful, the horizon is completely blue between the sky and the ocean. Take lunch at this place bring a fantastic memory. It must then descend and return to the camp it up this time by bike to see cliffs carved by the ocean, their colors ranging from white to brown. We also find wombat, animal living in a burrow. We leave Maria Island, keeping a wonderful memory and continue towards the Tasman Peninsula. The route taken between Orford and Rheban reveals a beautiful coastline, wild and translucent waters, before crossing the Wielangta forest. The road is a hard rock track, but wonderful, finding no one, staying in the midst of the nature, finding an idyllic place to spend the night enjoying the calm, to be the 4 of them, preparing and dinning together, staying up at the light of a fire in a fireplace. The next morning we start in the fog, the forest impregnate with moisture. But so far, Aitor is leaving us, going to Hobart, while with Holm and Julia I continue to Port Arthur. We finish our day at Nubeena, being the only place where you can make provisions. Then December 24th, making for Christmas Eve. JI am responsible for grilling meat with a piece of beef for each. In time, it is superb, Julia has prepared a table, improvising a tablecloth, and decorating with candles, gift for offering me a handkerchief printed of Australian flag, savouring a copious dinner. From Nubeena, time of day we go for a hike, starting through a forest and thick vegetation to go discover the Cape Raoul. By reaching the ocean, from a high point we discover a wild and beautiful coast, waves coming to hit the rock and form a white scarf. We then continue our walk with a beautiful weather and a cool breeze. We arrive at a second point, finding a high rock walls, staying here contemplate it during the lunch time. We reach then the cap, a sublime and magical place, composed of various rock formations, having it only for us, and spending a long time to photograph it. It is a place that remains one of the finest and most impressive discovered in Tasmania. From here we just passed Hobart, but without to stay, continuing to Bruny Island, first riding to Oyster Cove where we are welcomed into a family of cyclists for an evening pizza and baked in fire wood. In June this year, these people are preparing to go to discover France, then curious effect for me, visiting of my side their country.
At Kettering we take the ferry to Bruny Island, finding to make our camp to Adventure Bay, and soon we arrived at remaining to the calm, taking rest, talking and sharing our time together, showing pictures of our families. On the second day is a new walk to go to Cape Fluted, revealing a wonderful nature and an ocean as it appears on a canvas painted with bright colors and great purity.
Leaving this place, it is back to Hobart, this time there still time to get in 2010, being hosted by Christopher, an avid cyclist and lovers of France, returning this year for the third time. From here we begin the second part of our loop, namely go to the west coast before returning north.
We leave Hobart in the company of Christopher, who guides us and comes with us for 25 kilometers, going to New Norfolk and the Mt Field National Park. Being overtake by a car, we are surprised to hear a voice call us, it is Aitor, but without he stops, what seems me curious. But at the entrance of New Norfolk, he's there waiting for us, something incredible and that was not expected. Again we take the road together, riding up the approach of the park to camp beside a river. The next day, on foot as we start the day with a long walk through a beautiful forest, exposing its inhabitants, beautiful waterfalls and breathtaking trees reaching for some nearly 100 meters high. The lunch took here, the road can then start again for a short ride, climbing still 3 big rises, coming to do a race with Holm, just to rival with a guy very strong on his bike. But it is primarily for a good time, recovering side by side on a gentle pace. Past Ouse, we take an gravel road, progressing slowly over rocks, and a cold wind and formidable. In the evening, we set the camp to the lake Bradys, Aitor was soon to kindle a fire for warmth. The next day, january 6th was the coldest day we have thus covered from foot to head, the wind always there to stop us and hinder our progress. While reaching Derwent Bridge, we took refuge in an inn time to recover and drink a hot coffee. From here we go to camp to Lake St Clair National Park, an integral part of Cradle Mountain. The bikes are then at rest, hence the ascent of Mt Rufus, reaching after 3 hours of walking. At the summit we are rewarded with a magnificent panorama, discovering numerous lakes and mountains foothills. Once again Tasmania is generous with us, remembering ourself the chance we have to be there.
Then a new separation with Aitor which remains in place for a hike of several days. With Holm and Julia, we continue to Queenstown by a remarkable route in the middle of an immense forest, stopping several times for short walks and discover the peaks surrounding us or waterfalls. We finish on a place equally sublime with Lake Burbury, pitching the tents for the night. The step that takes us to Queenstown is via a gloomy weather, the sky quickly becomes threatening, then the rain occurring, crossing a high point in the clouds before descending to the mining town. We then continue to Zeehan by a pleasant journey, little traffic, finding 2 rises one behind another and passing them without worries. The evening came, the dinner is divine with pizza made from the hand of Holm. We stay here in rest for a day, that it is beautiful with a blue sky and sunny. Hence our destination is Corinna, overcoming a forest and then a wild region where the wind is present, until to reach a track. Then again it is the forest, arriving on the Pieman river to be crossed by ferry. On the other side it is Corinna, a tiny town lost amid dense vegetation. With hot weather we should seek the shade for lunch. To exit this point, we must continue on a trail, to reach after Savage River, before starting to load water, finding myself on my bike with 9 liters and therefore extra weight. We then conduct a difficult trip, always make an effort, climbed by a track sometimes damaged by cars, with heat and dust, the sweat flowing. Forest gone, we found high on the mountains, peeled and then exposed to the wind. But it does not matter, I continue my journey, from being good and robust. We finish our stage late at Savage River, exhausted and dirty, improvising a shower with my water bag hanging at the branch of a tree. Then dinner, breathing and recovering from this long and hard day. Continuing the next day the rain made us stop at Waratah. On wednesday, january 13th, we continue to Cradle Mountain, but I am starting to 5 kms to pass the 50,000 kms, waiting for this moment for several days. I'm going to ride the first, eyes on my speedometer, shouting 2 when I hit 49,998. I see Holm then come to my height, his video camera in hand. So to 49999 I announce a 1, holm asking then "Hervé, how much, and shouting" 1, "Holm recovering" how much "shouting louder" 1 "Holm insisting "how much", and this time announcing a "1" which doesn't finish. Then came the explosion of joy at 50,000 kilometers, stopping immediately. Holm is with me and Julia arrives just behind. Holm starts to take pictures and Julia to record a movie. The moment is magnificient and exceptional, filled with emotion and pride at a time not realizing what really happens. Then I open a beer to drink in turn. It must then take back the road, continuing up to Cradle Mountain. The next day I go along with Holm discover these mountains, making a long loop, climbing to the Marions lookout, where we can contemplate the rocky needles from the Cradle, but also a lot of lakes with lakes Dove, Lilla, Hanson, Wilks. The place is beautiful and sumptuous, taking great pleasure to be here, we are amazed to discover this particular nature, aspiring to one thing, respect it. Our walk finish at the end of the day, saying ourself it was superb.
Our time in Tasmania is then on its end, the 3 of them riding to Sheffield, spending a last day together. The next day I ride to Devonport, while Holm and Julia go to Launceston. However, our next destination is New Zealand, probably to make a new journey together.