Well, I’m back on the bike and am just about to do my third presentation in as many nights. It’s good to be back on the bike and engaging with people again. Tasmania is due to be my last leg of my formal journey though I have a “gig” in Swan Hill the day after I get back.
I got to Tasmania on Sunday evening after an uneventful crossing of Bass Strait on the Spirit of Tasmania. We arrived at about 7pm and I immediately got on my bike bound for Heybridge where some wonderful people (thanks Nick & Michelle) had offered me accommodation. It was dark by the time I got to Penguin about 10kms from Heybridge but I was not on the main drag so I continued and got in at about 10pm. My hosts greeted me like kindred spirits and I was soon in bed and asleep. Michelle and I had a great chat the next morning before I had to reluctantly bid her goodbye and head off. [They have a 9 month old boy, Oliver, who is just amazing – if only I had known what Michelle informed me when our kids were babies, we may have managed to toilet train them earlier. If you’re interested, google “elimination communication”.]
So far I haven’t done a huge amount of riding – ~195km but some of this [~45km] was a “jolly” [unladen] to Table Cape during the day yesterday – I even had company in the form of my host from Somerset, Pam, which was great. it is unusual for me to do this kind of thing as there normally isn’t enough time…..and so it will be even more so with this leg as well as I am riding almost every day, instead of 5/7.
I talked on Monday night to a great audience in Wynyard and then again last night in Burnie. Pam & Phil live midway between in a wonderful spot called Somerset.
I am now back in Devonport and due to perform again in about half an hour, so I will need to make this quick. The weather has been wonderful, the winds not too bad and the hills endurable – I hope this continues. I even managed to catch up with a friend I haven’t seen in well over a decade – hi Daryl – while I came through Penguin this morning. I expect the riding to get more difficult from here on in and the hills longer. I have had luck in having someone (thanks Michelle) arrange for me to speak on Saturday & Sunday over in St Helens/St Marys.
Gotta go – ciao for now!
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