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No internet Sunday evening. We missed the snow but ran in rain for most of the day in our way to Hobart. Around noon, right after a classic Aussie Burger including pickled beet root



We stopped to visit "The Wall".

Check the following link for spectacular pictures as no photos were allowed inside.

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=ht ... t=c&ictx=1


We made a fortuitous stop for coffee and a snack in the afternoon about 2:00pm.



Several "dodgie" motorcyclists all
left the cafe just before us a Katana, Ducati, Blackbird?

We were slowly catching them, running at a bit over the posted limit. We noticed that the lead bike for pulled over for something, better them than us!!!!!. We have only seen two Tasmanian police so far.

Sunday's route:

View from our room:


Our evening in Hobart adventures centered around:


Monday December 2nd

Our track today:



Once again a cool day with temps in the 40s and low 50s (8c-15c) some rain, lots of wind. We rendezvoued with Brian's Mate Phil Cobb at noon and he led us on our way to St. Helens where we are tonight.

Tomorrow we will head further North as well as riding some more local curvey roads.

Did the forecast for snow a day or two ago prove correct? Enjoying the trip report.

fontanaman wrote: ↑Mon Dec 02, 2019 1:54 pm Did the forecast for snow a day or two ago prove correct? Enjoying the trip report.

For the hearing impaired...

No internet Sunday evening. We missed the snow but ran in rain for most of the day in our way to Hobart. Around noon, right after a classic Aussie Burger including pickled beet root...

EDIT: Sorry Jim, I see in the post below that it did snow...but they got through the area before it fell. Hope you didn't mind a little ribbing.

Snow in the Tasmanian highlands according to this morning's TV news,we got through before we saw any Snowfall.

Looks like the Bushfires over on the continent are still burning with conditions worsening, dry heat and wind, as we return via ferry Thursday night.

Tuesday & Wednesday December 3rd and 4th

December 3rd - Return to Port Sorell



We left St. Helens about 0900 and took the best roads North and East. It was cool and quite windy, wind warnings were for 100 KPH winds and I believe we experienced all of that on more than one occasion. there was lots of tree limbs and stuff on the roads to look out for and then there were the inevitable showers.

Australia has provided lots of cannon fodder for the British Empire over the years, they remember their contributions in every town and village. Every town has an RSL - returned Servicemens League, a place somewhat akin to our small town American Legion and Veterans of Foreign War clubs, but in Australia many of these clubs are the locus of social acivity serving drinks and food.

In St. Helens I took pictures of these two plaques in the center of town.





Not having any idea how they would tie into the park we would stop at the next morning.



These trees, Gum Trees, we know them as Eucalyptus, were all planted to honor the WW1 dead from this small village. The trees eventually expired due to/old age and have been carved to represent tghe individual soldiers.
























Phil and Festar insisted on a dairy rich lunch across from this old General Store.



We timed our trip to hit a Wild Animal Refuge at feeding time, it proved quite informative.


This Wombat was quite friendly and the young man that led us through the park was very well informed and did a great job of showing and explaining all about the different wildlife.

















Tasmanian Devils - Feeding on a road kill Wallabye.

Feeding a Grey Kangaroo


I had some opportunities to take some photos of the countryside while going to dinner, the North Central coast is quite agricultural and here are some pictures.






The white tubes shield Rasberries






A field of Pyrethria, used to make an insecticide Pyrethreium



This morning, Wednesday December 4th we startd with breakfast at the Chocolate Factory


I kicked off my day with a Hot Chilli Chocolate and a Chocolate Belgian Waffle





The lilly was fully gilded as the waffle came with Ice Cream, Whipped Cream and Hot Chocolate Sauce. It was damn good!

Brian was a little more restrained having bananas and bacon with his Belgian Waffle



We re-rode some of the roads we rode earlier in our visit as the weather was slightly better, at least it wasn't pouring all day, but it was cold again with temps as low as 4c today.

A few more Pastoral Settings of the Tasmanian countryside:



















The Platypus is nocturnal and hard to view, this one stood out well.


Our route today



Brians Tenere is at the local dealer for a service, we changed the oil on the FJR tonight and fixed some pop rivets that had come loose on the panier hinges. Tomorrow morning we will attend to haircuts and retrieve Brian's Tenere before boarding the Spirit of Tasmania for our return to the Australian Continent and continuing our adventure. We have coverd right at 6,000 kilometers so far.

Absolutely Brilliant!

Enjoyed the wood carvings in the trees - do not recall seeing or hearing about anything of that sort in the States.

Carry on, my friends. Indeed!!

Awesome adventure! Amazing swing in temperatures on this trip!!

Wow. John, thanks for sharing your adventures...the local history and remembrance findings and the rural scenery are first rate.

Great report again, John. Those carvings and biographies are especially poignant. And that waffle...oh my!

Best to you and Festar. Ride on!

Two thumbs up...thanks John!

~G

Great stuff John thanks for posting. The old Eucalyptus trees reminded me of the average age of those on this forum!

Most excellent report John!

Someone forgot to tie that Wallaby down.

Awesome pics and commentary John

Short report tonight. Got off the "Spirit of Tasmania" in Melbourne this morning at 0630, met Brian's friends in Geelong, Victoria, where they were having brekky while one blokes squeaky belt was being attended to at the Triumph dealer.

After Brekky we headed South and ran the Great Ocean Road from East To West, a repeat of what Brian and I did ten days ago. See pictures from then.

We are in Ballaratt, Victoria tonight heading for Omeo, Victoria tomorrow night. Retracing our approximate route as some of Brian's friends haven't ridden these roads, and more importantly, Maddy's First Law of Motorcycling - "you haven't ridden a road until you have ridden it both ways! "

Today's route:

Didn't make Omeo due to a lack of accommodation and a large bicycle race.

Stayed in Bright, Victoria Saturday evening.

Brian and I had ice cream here 10 days ago, the ice cream is still good.

Through the Australian Alps again tomorrow.

Today's ride:

Great run through the Australian Alps today, we are eessentially going back the route we came adhering to the Maddy Axiom "You haven't ridden a road until you have ridden it both ways.













Three of the guys had only seen snow once before so they walked up and had an impromptu snow ball fight. Seems hard to comprehend, not being intimately familiar with snow.


When we got to Mitta Mitta I noticed that the front tire on the FJR was "Toast" a combination of lots of camber on the roads, lots of braking into 25 KPH corners, chip seal like pavement and a Fat Ass on the FJR rendered the Front Pirelli Angel GT unfit for further service in the mountains. I rode from Mitta Mitta to Wagga Wagga very carefully, I rode the left hand curves normally but rode the right hand bends like an old lady on a Sportster, the tire got me the 230 kilometers it needed to get me. Doesn't look much worse than it did in Mitta Mitta.



So, we shifted to "Plan B" - Tires in Wagga Wagga Monday morning.

Our route today:


F O O D P O R N A L E R T

Almost forgot, we ate at the local Pub tonight,
2 for 1 dinners, you pay for the more expensive meal and get the cheaper meal free.

I enjoyed -

Rissole - a ground meat concoction with Dianne Sauce, Salad and Mashed quite good.


ABC Chicken - Avacado, Bacon, and Cheese on a broiled Chicken Breast. Brian liked it
These two meals cost me $20 AUDor $10 each. $10 AUD = $7.25 USD

The rest of the group had deep fried Lamb Cutlets
which were $26 AUD for two meals. At these prices one can't afford to eat at home.

At Wagga Motorcycles, We are in luck, they have the tyre and can fit it before noon. Front Pirelli Angel GT $189 AUD and only $55AUD to fit it. ($245*.7=$171USD) not to bad for an emergent requirement.

That’s not a bad deal at all. Now you can ride with confidence and teach Brian a thing or two.

Wagga Wagga, eh eh? Must have run of name for cities.

I have been to the Alps in Europe and they look at lot different than those in Australia. From the looks of that tire the roads must be challenging.

Thanks for posting John. Enjoying your trip report.

The tire was "Mis-marked" actually cost $228Aud but it is all good