Left Arthur River to Cradle Mountain

The End of the World Lookout at Arthur River. The logs are carried by the river current and dumped on the surf which in turn deposits them on the shore.

A local told me that today the sea was calm

I don't normally eat this well at home you know!

Wednesday 28 October.
Made a hearty breakfast before leaving at 10 am back towards Wynyard where I'll start heading south towards Cradle Mountain National Park.
But before that, I had to go and see "The End of the World Lookout"
On my way through Smithton I heard that a local guy from South Forest had died when his motorcycle hit a ute head on not far from Stanley the night before. Around the time I would have been sipping JD's in my tent in Arthur River this poor fellow was laying on the road dead. I thought of what his family would be going through, what they'll be telling his kids...

The ride all the way to Cradle Mountain was spectacular and if you're ever in Tassie make sure you visit this World Heritage Listed National Park. I wish I had covered more distance in the first day after arriving in the Island because I would have preferred to spend at least a full day doing some of the amazing half day walks, instead I'll have to settle for a short walk tomorrow morning as I need to cover some ground to be in Hobart by Friday afternoon.

Arthur River to Cradle Mountain

The camp ground at Arthur River where I spent the night of my 42nd birthday.

The single lane bridge at Arthur River heading North.

The Boat Ramp at Arthur River.

Wednesday 28 October
Made a hearty breakfast before leaving at 10 am back towards Wynyard where I'll start heading south towards Cradle Mountain National Park.
But before that, I had to go and see "The End Of the World Lookout"
On my way through Smithton I heard that a local guy from South Forest had died when his motorcycle hit a ute head on not far from Stanley the night before. Around the time I would have been sipping JD's in my tent in Arthur River this poor fellow was laying on the road dead. I though of what his family would be going through, what they'll be telling his kids...
The ride all the way to Cradle Mountain was spectacular and if you're ever in Tassie make sure you visit this World Heritage Listed National Park. I wish I had covered more distance in the first day after arriving in the Island because I would have preferred to spend at least a full day doing some of the amazing half day walks, instead I'll have to settle for a short walk tomorrow morning as I need to cover some ground to be in Hobart by Friday afternoon.

From Stanley to Arthur River and Tasmania's Rugged West Coast

Coming down on the Chairlift from The Nut.

My 3 year old son wanted me to pack his car toy to take with me. I thought it was a good Omen...

View of Stanley from The Nut.

The port at Stanley.

Tuesday 27 October
After a quick breakfast and a ride around town to take some more photos and film, I headed towards Arthur River on Tasmania's Rugged North West Coast.
On my way there I rode through the town of Smithton where I refueled. The ride there was very pleasant one through the green country side with plenty of dairy farms around and some of the greenest grasses I've ever seen.
Another stop at the Tarkine Forest Adventures for lunch and a slide and walk through the sink hole. The slide is this "Slippery Slide" thingy that takes you all the way down to the bottom of the sink hole where you begin your walk.
Reached Arthur River around 3.00 pm where I set up camp in the local camping ground after getting some essentials for the celebratory dinner. Today's my 42nd birthday and for the first time in my life I am going to spend it completely alone, by myself with a couple of JD's & Coke and listening to Leon Gieco in my iPod. Ahhh life does not get much better than this!!!
Although I know I am going to be in trouble with Anni cos I can't ring the kids so they can say happy birthday! No mobile reception here....

Devonport to Stanley

Tulip Fams at Table Cape.

Deep Falls Rain Forest.

Table Cape Light House.

Monday 26 October .
After docking in Devonport this morning at 6.00 am and disembarking by 6.30am I started to make my way through the north coast of Tasmania.
Riding through the beautiful coastal towns of Ulverstone, Penguin, Burnie and Wynyard to finally reach Stanley were I will spend my first night under a Tasmanian sky.
Stanley is an old historic fishing town with a lot of charm. The main road in town is full of 19th century buildings that really take you back to what it would have been like when early settlers first came to this island.
A visit to the local cemetery really brings it home when you see all the headstones with lots of children and young people dying from decease and accidents.
But the thing you can not miss is the main attraction of the town, and that is "The Nut". The Nut is this huge rock outcrop that is visible for miles around and the best way to describe is like this....It's Uluru by the sea.
It's got it's own chair lift that takes you to the summit and it is a must if you're in town I reckon.

Melbourne

Outside Docklands Stadium after the game. Note all the bikes parked on the footpath...

Melbourne Victory's Hardcore Supporters.

Teams coming out.

Federation Square. What a great use of public space....

Those steel beams? Not two are at the same angle!

Friday 23 October.
Arrived in Melbourne around 3 pm on the 23rd October and got in touch with Ralph & Mary Ann from the Horizons Unlimited Community who had offered to put me up while I waited for Sunday to come around when I'm supposed to get on the ferry to Tassie.
Ralph first offered for me to stay when I contacted him through the HU website to ask for advice on any camp grounds near Port Melbourne and I was a bit uneasy about just dropping in on some stranger's house to take over their couch. However, Ralph also happen to mentioned in his emails to me that He and his wife Mary Ann had ridden two up all through Central and South America as well as Asia and wanted me to come over so we could chat over a vino or two, I could not refuse the invite....
As it turns out, they run a very successful architectural and access consultancy practice and have a number of projects in South America as well as various NGO charities that they're actively involved with and support.
True to his promise, we talked over dinner about their adventures and drank the most beautiful Chilean wine I've ever tasted. These people have obviously been transformed by their travels and have brought home with them a hell of a lot more than just an album full of spectacular landscapes and happy snaps.
They are PASSIONATE about Latin America and their day to day activities, be it work or leisure, reflect this passion that they have for that part of the world.
Saturday morning began with Ralph and I riding to Melbourne's Queen Victoria Markets for breakie and then a ride through the city. Melbourne is such a great motorcycle friendly city that even the weaving through traffic felt safe behind Ralph on his 125cc scooter.
The great thing about Melbourne for motorcyclists is that you're allowed to park your bike on the footpath anywhere in the city, unlike driving a car you can just pull up anywhere and park within a stone's throw of where you want to go.
And this is something that all Melbournians have Ralph to thank for, or at least part of it, as he was the Chairman of the Victorian Motorcycle Council at the time it was advising the Victorian Government on this matters. G'Onya Ralph!!!!
In the evening, it was off to Docklands Stadium for another great passion that I share with these two individuals. The World Game!!! Where the ball is kicked not picked up, hand passed or knocked with a closed fist. Once again I was chasing Ralph in his scooter with Mary Ann as a pillion this time through the traffic of this great sporting city where we parked our bikes "on the footpath" right outside the main entrance to the stadium and watched "El Clasico" between Melbourne Victory & Adelaide United.
For the record, Victory flogged the Reds 3-1 and my hosts had a smile from ear to ear all the way home after the game.
Sunday morning came and I went for a ride that was to take me through the mountains and back to Melbourne which is supposed to be Australia's premier motorcycle touring road but with my GPS playing games with me I didn't want to risk not being back on time to get on the Spirit of Tasmania at 6.30 pm that evening.
So I got back to Ralph & Mary Ann's house to pack the bike and say my good byes to my new found friends and headed to Port Melbourne.
Ralph & Mary Ann were great hosts. I was humble by their generosity and hope that I can return the favour in the not too distant future when they're riding through my patch of the world.

Canberra to Wodonga

Parliament House.

I had to stop and take a photo of this one!

Wednesday 21 October.
Set the alarm in my phone to 7.30 am as I had to check out of the camping site by 10.00 am.
Packed the gear up and set off for a quick ride to the city again and Parliament House before leaving for Albury, my next overnight stop.
The conditions where a lot cooler this morning with overcast skies. I even though, I may get my first wet ride of the trip earlier than expected. It didn't last very long, by 1.00 o'clock the clouds where gone and the sun was piercing through again.
The Hume highway all the way to Wodonga was deadly boring and I kept saying to myself why? Why? Didn’t I take the route down the coast to Melbourne?
The highlight of the ride had to be the HMAS Otway in Holbrook. As the sign explains, it was donated to the town when it was decommissioned.
At the local council meeting a few years ago I think it went a little like this....."Mmmmm what can we do to put Holbrook on the map?......I know, we'll bury a sub in the kid's playground at the local park!!!
It's a brilliant idea, before they put it there; you would've not even slowed down past the little town......now? Wowww....brakes....got a take a photo of that!!!!! And we might as well stop and buy some snacks while we're here too....

I reached Wodonga that afternoon and went straight to the camping ground. Set up the tent, quick shower, dinner and off to bed.
I was bugged...

Sydney to Canberra

Sean and I in the city.

Sean's 109r.

My first night camping in Canberra.

Tuesday 20 October.

Left Sydney about 10 am and it finally felt like I had started the trip. After refuelling at the Crossroads in Liverpool, I was on my way to Canberra on the Hume Hwy.
I'm not sure what the temperature was exactly but it had to have been in the high twenties even low thirties. Cruising at 110-120 km/h in the hot wind was not ideal.
One stop over in between in Goulbourn and I made it to the Capital at around 1.30 pm where I set up camp at the Canberra Motor Village.
I met up with Sean, whom I've been in contact with throught the HU Canberra Community and got together for a few drinks in the city.
Sean has lived in Canberra for a couple of years and works in the finance department of the ACT government. He rides a beatiful Suzuki M109r that made my bike look like a toy bike when parked next to each other.
Sean, you were really good company and thanks for sparing me the boring evening by my self at the camping site!

All loaded up and ready to go!

Finally!!! No more sleeps to my trip to Tassie!!!!
My underware is all sorted, the bike is packed and the bills have been paid, well most of them....
I'm riding to Sydney tonight to test how the luggage goes on the freeway and will leave tomorrow morning from my mother's house, after the compulsory three course breakfast, to make my way to Canberra where I'll hopefully spend the first night.
This last week has been a real rush getting my work all finished and trying to go through the final check list of what I need to pack before I leave and offcourse there was the last minute glitch too.
I went to fill up the bike this afternoon and my credit card had been blocked.....WTF????
rang the bank and sorted out.....after all I did say "most of my bills had been paid" didn't I?

A little bit about the bike for the "Tech Guys", my bike is a 2006 Kawasaki VN 250cc Eliminator. Although only a 250, I think it would be a good touring bike (it feels like you're riding your sofa). I'm not planning to break any records and the rego is a lot cheaper, so.... it will have to do for now.