Motorcycle Tour of Tassie December 2023 - parts 1, 2 and 3

Teamsters

Day 5 - 7 Thursday 7th  - Saturday  9th Dec 2023

From the sunroom at 7 Bruny Main Rd, North Bruny, at 7am, the sun peaking over the clouds, the warmth calming and friendly. The tour - is over. Reflection on the last days, and the tour in general -

Godbolt and Hawker are reposed in bedrooms 2 and 3. Saturday, yet it seems like a huge holiday we have all had, now it is to drift on to the next events and circles of life each journeyman will take.

I'll take us back...

Wednesday was warm and sunny as the tourers surrounded Strahan for a snack before embarking early on the RDM twin hull ship, for the cruise of Macquarie Harbour. Being fine weather the true majestry of the harbour in wet, cold and wind was not apparent, but the immensity of the harour and surrounding forests was clear.

At 25 knots we lounged inside the boat, or walked upstairs to the captains area, or 1st class area. Plenty of space, and very fresh quality, the boat is excellent, surround views, and warm and cosy. Outside the fresh air and wind from movement brought reality. Snacks and coffee until lunchtime, then a reasonable meal, part of the cost. 

The tour took us out to Hell's Gates at the mouth of the harbour, with a clear description of the works undertaken 120 years ago to build the breakwater - then out into the Southern Ocean and a view back to Henty and south along the coast. Returning into the harbour, a speedy run to the Gordon River then up the river 10 km under electric power ( from batteries charged by the diesel engines), and ashore into a forest for a short walk.

My memory went back to the rafting of the Franklin, now 20 and 30 and 10 years ago respectively, and 'coming out' into the Gordon, before getting onto a ship like the present or a sailing boat, to get back to Strahan township.

Out of the Gordon River, we turned into Sarah Island, and disembarked for a walk and talk - very entertaining, interesting, informative. Although only a short history of use as a convict settlement, the island was a difficut outpost, corrupted, cruel, and for some part ineffective. However, apparently, once operative in ship building, it was efficient and seemed to give benefit all round. At one ship a month for 12 years, the same could not be done nowadays! 

The tour ended 2.30pm and we of 13 or so (PK, Matt J, Sol J, Arash, Godbolt, Steve Grant, Callan Cassidy, Brownless, Merv, Marty, Backshed, Billly, Nick, and Damo - speared off into the afternoon warm sunshine to Queenstown, fueled up, and on a quick ride for 1 1/2 hrs to Lake St Clair.

Lake St Clair Wilderness Lodge: separate small buildings with full facilities, and adjoining walls (so 2 lodges can be opened to one family etc), we took 3 doubles and paid each $200 - not cheap, but good quality. 

The main lodge building is very smart, and dinner came out serially, and was enjoyed with copious wine, as was the discussion afterward in each cabin - rum made in the district also got a run, leaving some lads a bit 'brown' come Thursday - 'the final day'.

Breakfasted in the lodge, little time to visit the lake, then blast away at 10am, the winding road through Tarraleah, Waddamana, etc and down to Billie Jarvis's country residence, in the final days of his ownership. Bill put on a lovely salad lunch and we all stretched out, before starting to peal off at journey end.

Goodbye to those departing - some to the north for the ferry to Geelong, some to Hobart for the city lights, and the balance of 9 to Bruny for one last evening.

We had motorbikes lined up like a sale yard, and Nick, Merv and my cars, to Dennes Point was chockers. 8 inside in the beds, Damo in his tent, and adequate food and wine, some to bed by 9pm and others squeezing the near empty bottles for the last drops of red wine to grace their swollen lips.

Departing is such sad, sad time - Friday morning numbers thinned, and the Sydneysiders headed to the East Coast, thence to Devonport, the Hobartians back home, and Nick, Godbolt and I settled in for a quiet afternoon, walk on the beach, BBQ hamburgers and early night.

The Arcadia II - PK at the helm

Backshed on the Bruny Ferry

Dinner at Shack Bruny

A little sailing boat on the bay at Bruny

Looking back at the jetty, Bruny, from Jetty Beach

The Chief Justice, making the news by the reportage of the Australian. My recommendation: keep away from journalists

The raconteurs discussing world and local affairs, Bruny Island

Sunshine and breakfast

Gin n' tonix waiting for the ferry

The weather chart: due to crack up

Child magnet - Billy's icecream machine, or one like it

And so to now, Saturday morning 9th Dec 2023, and the tour ends. Much joy and fun had by all, even those who dropped their bikes or ran out of fuel, good fellowship, humour and grace.

Another one? I hope so.

.................the end ....................

Boys and Girls

Day 4. Wednesday 6th December 2023

A couple of days have flown by, literally (well, not literally at all, because if they had flown by, they would be like pink pigs in the air) - with Monday leaving Stanley and riding down to Corinna, 30kkm of dirt on the last section from Savage River fazing the lads, but we made it. The village there was marvelous, a large pub and dining room, hot weather (22 degrees) sunshine until 8.30pm, and a well earned rest after racing through the un-policed country side. 

The Queenslanders especially enjoyed the ability to go at 'their own (fast) pace', unusual in Qld where the Nazi State keeps everyone in check, pain and with lack of license points hanging over their head literally (well, not literally, how could a concept like losing you license be a thing suspended physically above a head? Rubbish).

Then, yesterday, awakening from the rustic shacks, and a deserved slow start, we assembled on the 1939 built Arcadia II motor launch, to be regaled with stories of yore (or yawn) from the ship's captain and his wife Lorraine - for the 30km trip to the heads of the Pieman River. 

Lunch in a bag provided, we dawdled around the headland, the sandy beach and the old tin shacks, then returned to Corinna at 2.30pm to race off over on the Fat Boy barge, then toward Strahan - half via Rosebury and the other half via Zeehan and the Mining Museum (shut as we arrived - nearly spelt that 'slut' as we arrived).

At this point errors started to slip into our work. As can be expected, in the small section of dirt south of the Pieman, slipping error not to be blamed on Woolworths or Coles, rendered Nick's machine horizontal, and himself damaged in the shoulder region. Painful and embarrassing, Nick 'took one for the team' - as we were all expecting to slip over at some point. Others did it their way...

Myself, stationary at the traffic lights at the junction of the Corinna/Zeehan/Rosebury intersection (no traffic lights) on a slight downgrade, turned the beast off, and started to alight, and she edged forward, falling to the left, on top of me, to rest like a heifer on my leg and pin my foot under the peg. Embarrassing? I've done worse, and only minor scrape to the pot.

In other news, Callan brought his bike to rest petrol-less outside Roseberry in the 2nd of 2 similar incidents demonstrating that all men are fools, whether from Qld, or Hobart. Or anywhere in between. 

Finally, Godbolt did the same on his Harley - 1 km out of Roseberry! Resting by the side of the road - 1200 cc of inability to move.

This held up the quicker bikes, so that they ironically arrived much later at Strahan. 

The road from Zeehan to Strahan was/is fantastic, averaging 1,000,000 km/hr we arrived before we left, and hit Strahan around 6pm, taking less than 2 hrs to book in past the incompetence on the front desk at Strahan Village. 3 staff, struggling with concepts like 'a room' and 'speak English' did their best.

But once ensconsed, we offed to the bar and smorgasbord - and gorged ourselves on seafood, meat and wine - to finally come to rest in the pleasant rooms, underlooking the Strahan Harbour.

Damo joined us from Hobart on his bike, so our numbers have swollen literally (well not literally, but have been engorged) to 14, including the fantastic support crew of Merv and his Kia.

The harbour cruise today is a once off experience to be experienced. Some are edging away from the expense, but with lunch included, a large catamaran, and  6 hours out to Hells Gates, down to Sarah Island, and to the Gordon River, thence back to Strahan port mid afternoon, we will then look forward to the windy roads up to Queenstown, and out of there over the hills and far away to Lake St Claire for our last night on or near the west coast.

Tomorrow: off to Bruny.

Images: 

Nick and Steve, before the Autumn of Nick's discontent (the Fall)

Godbolt's big beast: 1 km from the closest petrol station, but free of the burden of fossil fuel

Awaiting an intelligent person at the reception at Strahan Village

Bikes on standby outside the Waratah Hotel - too late for lunch, too early for dinner. Remember to refuel? 

The beautiful old ship the Arcadia II at Corinna on the Pieman River

As Merv so elegantly put it 'another Fat Boy' - the barge across the Pieman

On the commencement of silica dust dirt road on the road from Savage to Corinna

One of the 3 trips on the Fat Boy needed to evacuate our group from Corinna

Dinner smorgasbord at Strahan Village - a huge affair

With Damien joining the group (near right), and Matt Jones, quietly enjoying a beer but no cigarattes, as promised to his dear wife Mel 

Over and back to base at 7.17am Wednesday 6th December 2024. 

Ladies and Gents

Day 1 - Sunday 3rd December 2023 - for previous day see below. Meanwhile...

The Railton Hotel served the Hobart lads after their spirited ride across the middle uplands of Tasmania. Seems it was Motorcycle Christmas Toy Run day, and there were about 1,000 motorcycles on the road, mostly we ran across them they coming south, and many juicing up at Bothwell, before we headed through to Miena in the central highlands.

Billy, Nick, Backshed and I pressed on then in the early afternoon to Deloraine - for coffee, before moving west to Railton. To say Railton was quiet is an exaggeration. Dead would be unfair. There was movement at the station - as the word was passed around, the lads from Hobart were here with no regret.

We dined in the pub and moved on walk the length and breadth of the town, without the need to be careful about stepping on anyone's toes. There was no-one.

Early to bed and slow to rise, we departed 0900 on Sunday for Devonport, to collect the ferry men - Matt Jones, Sol Jones, Mart Kimber - after a wet ride from Sydny via the South Coast of Australia mainland, and Arash Khorasani from Melbourne, and Chris Bronwlee likewise.

The Brisvegas lads had been in launceton overnight and also joined us at Devonport, making up a large crew of about a dozen of the prize men of Australia, from far and wide: James Godbolt, Steven Grant and Callan Cassidy.

Have I missed anyone? 

For further discussion see the photos below

Image: Matt PK and Sol near Woolnorth, and the very west tip of Tas, overlooking the Indian Ocean and the Bass Strait, including various island

Image the crew after braving 10 km of dirt road. Whoo hooo!

Nickk playing snooker at the Railton Pub

One of the Jones boys collecting his kit ready for departure. How does that song go: "Never enough never enough".

Godbold giving it a blast, caught on Sol's Gay Pro

Sol and Marty about to depart from Sydney/Woolongogn

The Railton Hotel as she is. Standing, just

The Sydney siders enjoying their overnight accom at Eden, NSW

Staircase to heaven? Morelike to heathen

So true about Melbourne these last couple of day

Billy's bike pulled out of the shed, ready for a lap around Tassie

Arash's Indian - not that type of indian, but one made in India

Roadside in the Northwest or south east...

A spitfire, ready and waiting to get Josh down to the west coast to join us.

Kimber P at Nick's place, ready to go. Vroom

Nick in his workshop

Backshed, our guidance officer

Part of the array of bikes at Bothwell

Our map of tour of the very far north west -our route, as you might say

Coffee at Deloraine

The back of the Railton Hotel. No comment

Maybe this is Arash's bike

Beers in Railton

Laughed when I read it. But I think that is about it

1984 Australia won the America's cup with a fighting spirit evidenced here. I think Railton could move on

Arash, Matt, Marty, Brownlee, Dol

Topiary - very much in favour in Railton

The ferry men awaiting departure at 1130pm Saturday day 0

On the ferry: strap the bike down, and don't forget to unstrap to get away quickly in the morning.

Breakfast in some parts of Australia. A dream meal

The whole crew at the ferry terminal in Devonport. Motley Crew

Marty parked, ready for a quick get away. Wouldn't you think...

Bugger me: Christmas at Marrawah

Lunch at the Marrawah hotel, excellent fare

the Indian ocean from Marrawah, Mt Cameron

Brownless, can't help himself

Mat Jones checking his gear

Arash and Sol. West Coast

That's enough for day 1. Time for a beer downstairs in the Union Hotel, Stanley, a meal and some discussion.

Twas a spritied ride, today, the most excessive on the road from Stanley to Marrawah. The bikes held together well. PK

Gentlemen and Ladies

Day 0

The tour begins. We are a disparate (desparate) group from as far away as Moonah, Sandy Bay, Lenah Valley, and Cape Barron Island - also Sydney, and Brisbane. Around 13 to 15, including the tail gunners and ropers inners.

Conceived as a 'good idea at the time' - a bit like Bruce's concept of giving the stab to lonely Brittny, there is a lot yet to come.

Day Zero today: not the same as when Pol Pot took over Cambodia, and declared everything before was nothing, but more from the prospective perspective, today Saturday 2nd December 2023 is the day when the crews from the various places move toward fashionable Devonport on the Sea in North Western Tasmania.

Your correspondent will truly and honestly report on events, characters, motorbikes, accommodation, entertainment and refreshments - stand by. At 0830hrs I need to pack my tooth brush and adjust my jock strap for maximum comfort.

Remember, our loved ones love us, by definition. So let's give them something of which to be proud.

Reflecting, briefly, on every motorcycle tour I've participated in, most have been solo or duo. Recalling one with Jonathon Smith from Hobart to Noosa Heads - 30 years ago. A few during covid19 from here to Sydney or Brisbane to visit sister, daughter, nephews and friends.

This is the biggest group of which I've been part. I expect Marty Kimber (henceforth "Marty") has done a BMW tour, and I'll extract detail of that in a spare moment. 

Some images from recent tour, to spark the enthusiasm

Oatlands Crap shop, with PK BMW R1250 RS awaiting a kick start. We are warned off going via the Midlands Highway at any time, as ongoing roadworks commenced in 1863, at the same time as Tasmania was renamed from Van Diemans Land, are 'continuing'

A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse. Well in this case, with no less than 800 cc of petrol engine

Not expecting any dinasaurs

The whole point of life is to bugger about, and blokes have been doing it on motorbikes since the dinasaur age

Daughter Sarah, reviewing a painting in the Archibald of our Princess, who is currently suffering from the indignity of her husband 'wearing the white shorts'. Not Sarah, the other lady

There will be some fishy stories. I hope to capture them, and recycle them. Speaking of which, the Federales are looking closely at the scates in Macquarie Harbour, and the State is renewing leases for our valuable enterprises, employers, and protein producers. I expect to be able to report fully on Tanya Plibersek and the Salmon 'feed a person fish, or teach him to fish' issue on day 4.

For now, time to pull on the blue shorts, and head off to meet Nick Hawker and John Backhouse (henceforth "Backshed") at Albert Road Moonah, before a light ride to Billie Jarvis's home at Malbena (near New Norfolk), thence by the Lakes Highway, Miena, and down to the Bass Strait and over to Railton. 

Weather here and there - a shower or two, and temp rising to 15 degrees, and once on the north coast, up to 20 degrees. Excellent.

Our friends from Queensland are flying in to Launceston, renting ('if it flies floats or flucks, rent it') bikes, to meet us in Devonport on Day 1 (Sunday 3rd Dec), whilst our Melbourneans and Sydney-siders are riding around the south coast of NSW - through the sodden Gippsland (I hope it isn't too rainy today for the poor buggers), thence to Geelong this evening for the 11.30pm ship to Devonport.

Full report on these illustrious characters will evolve once we get together for Day 1 - the North West Coast, Stanley, Smithton, Marrawah, and Van Diemans Land country. 

Over and returning to channel 16