TOUR OF TASSIE - SAVING THE WORLD - DAY 1 - A BRID TOO FAR
Launceston to Bridport
Distance 95 km
Hello there from Bridport, north coast of Tassie. Funny name isnt it - i dont think thy can spell Bridge over here - they dont have Optus or Internet either - so it all adds up. They do have beer and fish and chips, so it still rates 4 stars.
Well as you may have guessed myself and PB are on a week of bike touring on the east coast of Tassie. And to make the best use of time and ambition, we thought we would save the world whilst we are over here.
But first, and most importantly - the nature of our journey. We have not taken any support - just bikes - so that means carrying everything. Hence the follwoing criteria had to be satiisfied
a) one set of clothes for the road, one for after, one set of shoes etc etc...but the key elements are...
b) no shampoo - only soap (no?!?)
c) no inflatable items of unconditional gratification
d) no books or ipod - only jokes & tales of yore to be drawn from the depths of time
e) Bandido "European Style'" code granted temporary exemption. [Assumed to be a non executive decision due to extreeme southerness of location] ... No one looks cool with panniers and doofus bags hanging off the handlebars
We arrived at Launceston at 10, pulled the bikes together by midday [no missing key items, but a lot of patient waiting waiting waiting by PB as i reassembed many strange fitting doodahs] - we ditched the cardboard boxes and packing stuff (big stack of bike boxes - so this practise is not enirely foreign over here). The bikes have about 10 kg of attached gear and feel heavier but ok. A bit of wheel wiggle if one takes the hands off the bars and brakes not as effective for quick stops. SPD cleats and shoes for ease of walking rather than clipp clopping over rocks and gravel..Hills are also a bit more of a trial with the extra kit - but the 29 size randoneur tyres roll very well. Downhill runs are stable so essentially its all good.
We made our way to Pipers River via Turners Marsh. There were a bunch of bikies there - a few double takes and gasps - but they picked us up , dusted us off and we were allowed to live. Just joking apart from the whatthe's . Great banana milkshake.
Then on to Pipers Brook for late lunch. Very flash. Instituted the glass of chardy when visiting wine farm tradition. Had ploughmans lunch. Cheese good. Then Apple & date cake and rubarb juice. Then coffee. OK we are now into this trip.
Then back onto the road and working through our agenda of world problems. The financial crisis seemed to be the biggest one, so we thought of some quick wins...
1) Public hanginging of Wall St executives, or if people are feeling sqeamish - liquidating their assetts into a public trust. Simple , painless, with immediate feel good for the disenfranchised general public
2) Getting everyone off the dole or looking generally layabout, re-training them, and get them working on building (or re building) infrastructure. It worked for Pol Pot in Cambodia - im sure it can work here
Then we arrived in Bridport, so the world had to wait. Small town - coupla motels and supermarkets. 2 tennis courts and a 3 day a week library. We got the bikes booked into a room. Washed the clothes and then straighted off to fish and chips on the beach.
Then back to the room for a settle down and read the pape.....too late ....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zz
Photos located on
http://picasaweb. google.com/ Baysidebandidos
Launceston to Bridport
Distance 95 km
Hello there from Bridport, north coast of Tassie. Funny name isnt it - i dont think thy can spell Bridge over here - they dont have Optus or Internet either - so it all adds up. They do have beer and fish and chips, so it still rates 4 stars.
Well as you may have guessed myself and PB are on a week of bike touring on the east coast of Tassie. And to make the best use of time and ambition, we thought we would save the world whilst we are over here.
But first, and most importantly - the nature of our journey. We have not taken any support - just bikes - so that means carrying everything. Hence the follwoing criteria had to be satiisfied
a) one set of clothes for the road, one for after, one set of shoes etc etc...but the key elements are...
b) no shampoo - only soap (no?!?)
c) no inflatable items of unconditional gratification
d) no books or ipod - only jokes & tales of yore to be drawn from the depths of time
e) Bandido "European Style'" code granted temporary exemption. [Assumed to be a non executive decision due to extreeme southerness of location] ... No one looks cool with panniers and doofus bags hanging off the handlebars
We arrived at Launceston at 10, pulled the bikes together by midday [no missing key items, but a lot of patient waiting waiting waiting by PB as i reassembed many strange fitting doodahs] - we ditched the cardboard boxes and packing stuff (big stack of bike boxes - so this practise is not enirely foreign over here). The bikes have about 10 kg of attached gear and feel heavier but ok. A bit of wheel wiggle if one takes the hands off the bars and brakes not as effective for quick stops. SPD cleats and shoes for ease of walking rather than clipp clopping over rocks and gravel..Hills are also a bit more of a trial with the extra kit - but the 29 size randoneur tyres roll very well. Downhill runs are stable so essentially its all good.
We made our way to Pipers River via Turners Marsh. There were a bunch of bikies there - a few double takes and gasps - but they picked us up , dusted us off and we were allowed to live. Just joking apart from the whatthe's . Great banana milkshake.
Then on to Pipers Brook for late lunch. Very flash. Instituted the glass of chardy when visiting wine farm tradition. Had ploughmans lunch. Cheese good. Then Apple & date cake and rubarb juice. Then coffee. OK we are now into this trip.
Then back onto the road and working through our agenda of world problems. The financial crisis seemed to be the biggest one, so we thought of some quick wins...
1) Public hanginging of Wall St executives, or if people are feeling sqeamish - liquidating their assetts into a public trust. Simple , painless, with immediate feel good for the disenfranchised general public
2) Getting everyone off the dole or looking generally layabout, re-training them, and get them working on building (or re building) infrastructure. It worked for Pol Pot in Cambodia - im sure it can work here
Then we arrived in Bridport, so the world had to wait. Small town - coupla motels and supermarkets. 2 tennis courts and a 3 day a week library. We got the bikes booked into a room. Washed the clothes and then straighted off to fish and chips on the beach.
Then back to the room for a settle down and read the pape.....too late ....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zz
Photos located on
http://picasaweb. google.com/ Baysidebandidos
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