Day 36 & 37 Devonport and Ferry to Melbourne

The time has come to depart Tasmania, what a beautiful part of Australia. So much to see, I hope I can return and visit the places I missed. I cycled a total of 655 km and met 21 cycle tourists. I kind of got over my fear of hills but I would never win a queen of the mountains jersey. I think my biggest high was getting to the top of break me neck hill without stopping. Thanks in part to Misti and Courtney, what a joy it was to travel with them. Proving that it's sometimes nice to travel with others as opposed to going it solo. Saw lots of wildlife and was blessed to see a wild Tasmanian Devil, lots of wombats and pademelons. Met some great people and had a blast. Thank you Tasmania, just have one last request, please let the crossing back to Melbourne be smooth! 

Day 35 Gowrie Park to Devonport 42.82km

Up early and ready to leave at 9. I took up Michelle's offer to drive my bags in and meet for coffee. Great plan, took 50 minutes to get into Sheffield and met Zeta the alpaca. Michelle arrived and we Sat for about an hour chatting. Then at around 12 set of for Devonport. It was Tasmanian flat again, which is something I have got use to. Made good time and got there just before 2. Set up camp in East Devonport. Tomorrow I will take a look around as I didn't get a chance when I first arrived in Tasmania. It started raining at around 6pm still raining now. Hopefully it won't turn into torrential rain.

Day 34 Gowrie Park

Awoke to rain which was pleasant and they certainly need it here as it's pretty dry. Thankfully I could walk relatively painlessly on my feet. Which was a relief as my feet wwere so painful and swollen last night walking was something I tried to limit. So today was about relaxing, kind of! I did my washing, tried to finish my book so I don't have to carry it and later in the evening sorted out my bags. In the afternoon Michelle and James popped round to say goodbye to Julie as she was heading off on her motorbike to catch the ferry back to the mainland. Then was chatting with Michelle about having to go up that final hill into Sheffield fully loaded. As she pops into town in the mornings to get James a coffee she has offered to carry my bags in for me and meet me at the coffee shop. A genius idea which I obviously agreed to and really appreciate. So what I think is going to be the last big hill on the way to Devonport will be a lot easier as I won't be weighed down with bags. Awesome! Later in the afternoon the smoke from the bushfires arrived again, not thick smoke but noticeable. Every now and again a helicopter with a water container hanging down would fly by in the distance. Seems that some of the fires are still burning. 

Day 33 Gowrie Park

Up early to get sorted for the hike to the top of Mount Rowland. Made a pack lunch and took two bottles of water. Julie took a snickers bar! We set off at 9am. The first hour and a half was hard going threw a track in the bush and quite steep. Then it flattened out a bit and was more like moorland. Then a clamber up the rocks to the top at 1233 meters. The view was amazing, stopped for lunch a cup of tea would have been nice but hey ho. The walk down was a breeze, Julie was good company and chatted a lot which made the time fly by. We made it back in 6 hours, which was pretty good going. I was pretty tired so had a little nap before heading to the pub in Sheffield for tea with Julie and her friends Michelle and James. They drove there so no exercise required! By this time my feet were beginning to swell. I don't have walking shoes so did the climb in my trainers, which looks like it may have been a painful mistake. Michelle and James gave me a bucket and some bicarb to soak my feet in. Hopefully my feet won't be too bad tomorrow! 

Day 32 Gowrie Park to Sheffield return 31km

Another chilly night, down to 8c, so waited for the sun to show up before getting out of my cosy cell. Today I would pop to Sheffield, the town of Murals. Left around 11 and was there within 50 minutes. The joy of a tail wind and only 1 empty pannier to slow me down. There was one killer hill into town but that seemed to be a breeze. Treated myself to a vegetable curry pie and coffee on arrival. Then walked around town checking out all the murals, there are loads of them. On the sides of buildings and in a special mural park. I have included some in the pictures below. Then to the supermarket to get some groceries as there is no shop where I am staying. With a full heavy pannier and a full on head wind headed back to the camp site. Took a full 13 minutes longer. But felt good to be back on the bike. Had tea and chatted to Julie from Sydney who's travelling on her motorbike. Have arranged to climb Mount Roland together tomorrow. A 4-6 hour round trip. Had a lovely day today, think I will sleep well tonight.

Day 31 Gowrie Park

The nights are getting colder, thank goodness for my snugpak sleeping bag. Today I spent sorting out my ferry ticket back to Melbourne. Booked it for this coming Thursday. With Devonport only a 2.5 hour cycle ride away have decided to stay here until early next week. The camping fees after the first night go down from 10 to $9 so a big time bargain with free wifi an added bonus. Today I started reading the book I picked up at the Queenstown campsite. I ummed and ahhed about whether to carry it or not. Added weight! Turns out to be one of those books I am meant to read. My life on the road by Gloria Steinem a memoir about how travelling and meeting the people she has met has made her the person she has become. A quote, "when people ask me why I still have hope and energy after all these years, I always say: Because I travel. Taking to the road - by which I mean letting the road take you - changed who I thought I was. The road is messy in the way that real life is messy. It leads us out of denial and into reality, out of theory and into practice, out of caution and into action, out of statistics and into stories- in short, out of our heads and into our hearts." Half way threw it already, a recommended read. Tomorrow a day trip to Sheffield. 

Day 30 Craddle Mountain to Gowrie Park 38.77km

It was a slow start this morning, was so cold I didn't want to get out of my cosy sleeping bag! On the road at 9.30, first part of the day was undulating with a few short tough climbs thrown in. Then when I reached Moina I turned left and descended from the plateau (800m) down to the river bed at sea level. A windy decent over 6 km, needless to say before I started I checked my brakes and readjusted them. It was nice to sit and relax a little, but I also knew that after I had crossed the river there would be a 2.5km climb up to Cethania (400m) I did it, slow and steady. It was getting warmer as well, nice to be in the sunshine again. Then at the top a nice decent into Gowrie Park where I arrived at lunch time. Nice view of Mount Roland (1233m) from my tent. Had tea nice and early, and just relaxed in the evening. 

Day 29 Queenstown to Craddle Mountain by bus.

Slept well in the camp TV room, the rain continued for most of the night. Got organised and headed to the bus stop to catch the bus to Craddle Mountain. A little bus with a trailer, same driver as scared the living bejesus out of me getting to Queenstown. This time he drove well, I think it had something to do with a passenger sat up the front with him. Also quite a few slower vehicles on the road and not much power to get up the hills. The trip was up and down all the way, not undulating but big ups and big downs. I take my hat off to any cycling tourist who can do that route it was brutal. Definitely beyond my capabilities. I think I would struggle to do it on a lightweight bike with no luggage. Anyway got to Craddle Mountain visitor centre at 11.30 and headed to the camp ground. Put my tent up in the sunshine, it makes such a difference. I am so happy to get away from the rain. After I was organised headed to the visitor centre, the park runs shuttle buses into the park as the road is narrow and they want to reduce the number of cars that head up there. To get a free ticket all you have to do is show your national parks pass. A 20 minute ride to the lake and a great view of Craddle Mountain. Did some of the walks enjoyed the sunshine, took loads of photos, it was brilliant. After 5 hours headed back down to the campsite and cooked pasta for tea. Had a luke warm shower brrrrr, all tucked up in my sleeping bag ready for when the sun goes down and the temperature plummets! Back on the bike tomorrow. 

Day 28 Queenstown

Woke early. Slept in the camp TV room on the sofa. Listened to the rain fall all night. Was great to be inside. Rain again today, Stephen decided to go for it and headed of at 9.30. I popped into town to get some shopping, booked on the bus tomorrow morning. For the rest of the day it rained on and off. The temperature was around 12c. I heard on the news that it snowed on the top of Mount Wellington in Hobart. In the afternoon I took my tent down so it will be dry when I pack it away. Will sleep in the camp TV room again tonight.