Oz83 s1 1/12 Hobart

Got back on the water  - -  short comfortable first sailing race in the Hobart twilight series, on board Helsal4,  with the skipper and some of the crew for the S-H race on Helsal3.

Oz81 c59 29/11 89k4832 Orford-HOBART

10k into the final leg and the front wheel loses a spoke.   Didn't want a wheel collapse so nursed the bike home  - -  slowly down hills, carefull with rough surfaces, pot holes avoided.  

MADE IT and did a tourist lap to bring up the magic 3000miles since Cairns.

Oz80 c58.2 28/11 57k4744 Swansea-Orford

Delayed the start to see if the weather would clear.   The half day ride would have yielded excellent coastal views but for the sea mist and drizzle (and headwinds).  

Oz79 c58.1 27/11 44k4687 Bicheno-Swansea

Half day ride.   Calm.   Few hills.   Then beautiful Swansea Bay.

Our boat for the Sydney-Hobart is at
http://rolexsydneyhobart.com/yacht_details.asp?raceEntryID=12542

Oz78 c57 26/11 77k4643 St Helens-Bicheno

On local advice, chose the coastal route.   Rewarded with sea views, and not hit by climbs over headlands.   Hurried to complete before the forecast afternoon showers.

Beginning to think of a future leg of this adventure.   You can find our boat at
http://rolexsydneyhobart.com/yacht_details.asp?raceEntryID=12542

Oz77 c56 25/11 100k4565 Scottsdale-St Helens

Forested highlands and glens, 2 'mountain' passes to climb, a lot of the time in cloud or drizzle, hard work at times.   After 70k the front inner tube valve gave up, rapidly deflating the tyre.   Luckily I had just stopped, part way through another long descent, to give the brakes, rims and tyres a chance to cool.   It could have been dangerous: 30kph, winding road on the side of steep hills, no retaining barrier.   Finally, 5k to go, round a sharp bend, suddenly out of the forest, and there's the calm blue Tasman Sea.

Oz76 c55 24/11 73k4465 Rutherglen-Scottsdale

Chose a very hilly route.  Showers at hill tops.   10k from destination, following 5k steep downhill, with continuous braking and so the rims fighting the hubs, the rear wheel hub flange eventually cracked releasing several spokes.   Limped to Scottsdale with a buckling wheel, which CycleWorx efficiently replaced with one that hopefully should last to Hobart.

Oz75 c54 23/11 85k4392 Bass Straits-Devonport-Rutherglen

Smooth crossing  - -  hope it's the same to and for the race.   Moored 0630, on the road by 0715, heading E eventually for the coast.

Oz74 c53.2 22/11 28k4306 Blackburn-Melbourne pier-Bass Straits

Chain wheel gear selector jammed in 1st, but after much fiddling managed to free it.   Would not have liked to cycle across Tassie hampered by that.   At the ferry, met an Austrian couple who'd cycled down the W coast than across the Nullabor.   Boarded the 'Spirit of Tasmania'.   Left Melbourne.

Oz73 c- 21/11 Melbourne

Given a tour by Dave, a prior Ford colleague, of some of the Melbourne sights: Docklands, the F1 track, MCG

Oz72 c- 20/11 3k3278 Blackburn

Rest day.    2 months after starting cycling from Cairns.   Local sightseeing cycling.

Oz71 c53.1 19/11 37k4275 Cranbourne-Blackburn

Short ride into the Melbourne suburbs to Debbie & Rob's

Oz70 c52 18/11 72k4235 Korumburra-Cranbourne

Started out under glowering skies cycling through rolling farmland.
At halfway, having descended onto the plain, a headwind picked up and it rained.
The roads are converging towards Melbourne, the traffic is getting heavier, and so too the spray.

Oz69 c51 17/11 71k4164 Yanakie-Korumburra

Cycled NW, at times into the sun for the first time on the trip.  
Had 10k relaxing ride on a rail trail.

Name this wildlife.

Oz68 c50.2 16/11 36k4084 SE lighthouse-Yanakie

Walked a shorter way back (20k) mainly on forest vehicle tracks, then after 1k downhill on a public road, just as the first signs of blistering began, I was given a lift by 4 kiwis for the 3k to Tidal River.
Turns out where I'd stored the bike was in the police station, but both were still there when I returned.
Met a Dutch couple who'd cycled to Rome.   I cycled the 36k to my lodgings for the night.

Oz67 c- 15/11 Tidal River-SE point lighthouse

Walked 30k along cliff paths, deserted beaches, forest vehicle tracks.

MADE IT to the S point of Oz 2 months to the day since the N point.
Difficult balancing the camera in a gale

Spent the night in the lighthouse cottage

The lighthouse keeper on hearing my story gave me a bottle of beer and a glass of wine to celebrate with.

Oz66 c50.1 14/11 62k4058 Foster-Tidal River

Pedalled into Wilsons Promontory state park.
Clocked 4000k and 2500miles cycled.
Made arrrangements for storing the bike, and  picked up supplies for the 2 day hike to the S tip of the Australian mainland and back.

Oz65 c49 13/11 52k3996 Yarram-Foster

Decided front wheel was beginning to collapse.   This was the wheel that had had 5 spokes replaced in Sydney.   Local bike shop 'Sport Store' didn't have a replacement but drove me 50k to nearest shop that did, enabling me to get new wheel, then returned me to the bike.
Set off at 12:15, 5hrs later than my average, under leaden skies, then through drizzle and showers.   Happy to arrive.

Oz64 c48 12/11 73k3994 Sale-Yarram

Back in the coastal forest again after 10k but that gradually that gave way to cleared areas of cattle ranching.   A strong headwind developed slowing me down to 12kph.
One roadhouse in 70k  - -  a welcome break.
10k to go I heard a front wheel spoke break, presssed on. 

Oz63 c47 11/11 73k3871 Bairnsdale-Sale

Last night's, at the Commercial Hotel gastro pub, was the best pub/restaurant dinner of the trip so far.
Today almost flat open countryside and straight roads, the first being 45km.   Thankfully no headwind.

Oz62 c46 10/11 103k3798 Orbost-Bairnsdale

Followed up on a suggestion to cycle a converted rail track.   Found it after 2km, tried it for a km but it was too rough for my touring bike wheels and tyres, so I restarted.
Rode the Princes Highway via Lakes Entrance with its arresting display of islands and narrow channels.  
Then 6km short of my destination, just as the narrow highway was becoming thunderingly uncomfortable up popped the rail trail again, this stage paved  - -  a more comfortable and safe ride into town.

Oz61 c45 9/11 76k3695 Cann River-Orbost

Finally emerged from the Wilderness Rainforest 20k before Orbost.   These have been the best three days cycling of the trip.   I was enjoying the scenery and the sounds so much, I could ignore the hills.   Apart from the places I lodged overnight there have been just three other roadside cafes in three days.   Almost no traffic until close to Orbost.
The landlord at my pub lodgings was a helicopter winch man during the 1998 Sydney-Hobart tragedy race, rescued several, and knows the boat we'll be sailing and its skipper  - -  small world!

Oz60 c44 8/11 48k3619 Genoa-Cann River

Didn't want to be struck by lightning on a bike, so waited until a storm had cleared.   Then another wonderful (but short) morning ride continuing through the Wilderness Rainforest.

Oz59 c43 7/11 68k3571 Eden-Genoa Victoria

Glorious morning ride, headlands and inlets. Entered the Wilderness Coastal Rainforest, dappled sunshine, gentle hills, hardly any traffic.   Leg improving.   Crossed into Victoria and stopped at a single tap single pub hamlet.

Oz58 c- 6/11 Eden

Dr diagnosed tendonitis caused by infection in the lower leg, and prescribed antibiotics and anti-inflammatories.   Interestingly he'd started practising in S Africa, emmigrated to practice in Vancouver, and is now here.
Resting today and replanning shorter journeys for the next few days.

Oz57 c42 5/11 54k3504 Bega-Eden

After 20k my nether regions were hurting.   I realised I hadn't vaselined, so a quick application out of sight of passing traffic fixed that problem.
Met a lady cycling N.   She'd just cycled from Perth across the Nullabor to Melbourne and was now heading home to Sydney.
A pain, which had started yesterday, in my left shin got steadily worse and the lower shin beacame swollen.   Worried it might be structural.   Realising I might not be near medical help for the next 180k I got a doctor's appointment for tomorrow.

Oz56 c41 4/11 81k3450 Narooma-Bega

Got replacement pump  - -  cycled through the preserved Tilba Tilba.
This is a really hilly ride  - -  like cycling in Wales but with no sunshine  - -  slowest journey speed yet. 

Oz55 c40 3/11 69k3369 Batemans Bay-Narooma

Started with a 5k uphill, then at the top, a puncture.   Replaced the tube, but HELP! couldn't inflate it because my pump had disappeared from the bike.   After 15mins (~30 vehicles) standing by the road brandishing the limp old tube, a van driver stopped and gave me and the bike a lift to the next servo, whose airpump I could use.   Resumed pedalling.
This route S crosses frequent river valleys running from the Dividing Range E to the Tasman Sea so is steeply up and down, nothing flat, therefore SLOW.   The rewards: beautiful views and varied greenery.   The penalty: revise expectations of progress.
Met a S African who's cycled Cape Town-Cairo-Iran-Pakistan-India-SE Asia-Darwin-Melbourne and is on his way via Sydney airport to Santiago-Tierro del Fuego then up through S America.   Been on the road for 3 years. Google ernestonbike.blogspot.com

Oz54 c39 2/11 61k3300 Milton-Bateman's Bay

Raining all night, waited until 09:00 to see if it would ease  - -  it didn't.   Set off.
10k before Bateman's Bay it stopped, so with airflow and body heat my clothes almost dried on me by arrival  - -  trainers take longer.
Oz stops for the Melbourne Cup  - -  watched it in the local RSL club in the company of, amongst others, a 78year old Mancunian, City supporting, 1968 emigre.

Oz53 c38 1/11 132k3239 Shellharbour Village-Milton

Clocked 2000miles since Cairns.   The drizzle became rain through the day.   No to camping.
Left the hwy to pedal via Jervis Bay to Sussex Inlet for the night, only to find Google Maps assumed I wanted to stop on the N shore, rather than crossing the NONexistant bridge to the S shore village/pub/accomodation/tucker.
Had to retrace some way, adding 20k, then head S until first accomodation  - -  eventually a motel in Milton.   
Rain became more persistant, pub cosier, locals more advisory.