Tasmania 2022 Day#4 - Saving Tassie one pub at a time tour

The boys were having the continental breakfast this morning but Flyboy and I decided to go to the St Mary's bakery. Sadly the pie at the bakery was ordinary at best and the coffee was slightly worse than ordinary. Another cup of milk with a dash of coffee. One thing I've discovered this trip is that the coffee's are hit and miss here in Tassie. Some great and others are terrible. Probably should have stuck with the continental breakfast. Oh well.

This morning we got to ride up over Elephant Pass and down the other side. We were looking for a photo spot that we stopped at 19 years ago but went past it. So I decided rather than go back we'd make a new photo spot instead. Trips don't have to be the same but the nostalgia is nice.

It was a bit damp this morning and a little cooler compared to yesterday but the riding was a lot of fun. The pancake shop on elephant pass was for sale. I would say another victim of covid, with no tourists they were probably forced to close and sell. It's a shame to see such terrible times.

Coming to the end of the road we turned down the coast towards Bicheno, the road opens up to sweeping bends with views of the Tasman sea on one side and hills on the other. We were soon in Bicheno and as we rode in there must have been over 100 old style Vincents, triumphs, BSA's etc just starting up getting ready to ride out. Amazing to see so many riders in the one spot. I saw about four or five trailers but amazingly there was only 1 bike on one of them.

We took a break along the foreshore of the bay in Bicheno before moving along. The plan was to ride down into Coles Bay for a look about the Freycinet Peninsula.

By now it was starting to warm up nicely at a respectably 23°C, the ride into Coles Bay was a mixture of long straights with some nice flowing curves. It's only about 30km from the main highway. We made our way to the waterfront and gapped at the jaw dropping views over the bay.

I was in desperate need of a caffeine injection so we made our way to the main shops which consisted of the general store, an ice creamery and a coffee shop. Just what I needed. A nice cake and coffee went well filling a hole. The boys were going to do the Lake Leake road which takes you up to Campbelltown in the centre of the Island. There's no good riding up there and I wasn't overly impressed with the road last time we rode it so Flyboy and I decided to ride down the coast instead.

The crew turned up Lake Leake road and Flyboy  and I rode into Swansea, not much here and out the other side. He wanted to stop at the same spot we stopped at 19 years ago for a similar photos. The exact spot we couldn't park the Africa Twins there as they would have fallen over due to the road camber so we stop just a little further up but the end result looks the same.

29-3-2022

22-3-2003

Todays weather was much better than it was back in 2003, it was quite warm today. The coast road is quite scenic with a smattering of small towns along the way. Some of these places sure did have a horrible stench, like a lot of small fishing villages by the ocean do.

We'd just got underway from the coastal stop when I saw this very old stone bridge by the roadside, so we pulled in to take a look. We aren't in any hurry today as we are only going to Hobart. Built by convicts back in the 1840's, so Flyboy and I had to ride over it and pull a few mad skids.

We continued down to Orford and I was starting to get hungry, I was eyeing off lunch stops but didn't see anything that tempted me enough. We stopped by the river on the way out of town. Flyboy shared a chocolate bar and we decided to stop at the Buckland Inn for a beer. Ok.

Crossing the Brandywine Bridge into Buckland the Old Buckland Inn is just back from the main road, perfectly located to be out of the way. We parked up and Flyboy got us a beer. Cheers big ears......

Another spot we'd visited back in 2003.

2022

2003

Beery selfy goodness

We contemplated going down through Nugent via dirt roads to Sorrel for lunch, but we didn't know how long it would take so just blasted straight down the highway. I saw Banjo's bakery and it was decided. Over lunch Flyboy suggest we go up Mt Wellington seeing it was a good day. I thought yeah why not, we would be coming into Tuesday peak hour traffic in Hobart soon so lets get up there.

Just as we turned up the Mt Wellington road we were stopped by a stop/Go worker. The road was closed for maintenance until friday he said. Damn it, we leave on thursday so no Mt Wellington for us then. Flyboy said "Follow me there's a pub just around the corner back on the main road" So off we went and pulled into the carpark. There was a lady standing out front working in the garden, she yelled out to us they are closed today. WTF?

So down and dejected with tail between our legs headed back into Hobart to fuel up and then go to the Casino where we are staying for the night. As we filled up the other lads blasted past on their way to the casino. So we pretty much arrived just after they did. As they were renovating the building we were staying the the units next door.

We ended up on the waterfront sitting outside admiring the views with a few well earned beers relaxing. Stu's missus brother popped in to say hello and have a beer and a chat, he was also a keen motorcyclist. 

Pubs Saved Counter:              6                

Bakery's Saved Counter:        4     

Day 4 Map reference

Touring Tassie Part 1 of 4

I thought I'd share an old trip to Tassie that my brother and I went on in conjunction with the 2003 World Super Bike round at Phillip Island. We spent about 8 days in Tassie and another week riding to and from the Victorian alps and the NSW Snowy Mountains region. This was one of favourite road trips of all the one's I have been on. It was one of the few times that I had packed the camera for a bike trip as I usually didn't bother to stop and take photos whilst travelling. If someone is thinking of heading down that way soon then it may assist them with route ideas.

Tassie is an excellent place for riding bikes as there is so much variety in where you can go and what you can do there. Just about any road you go on is motorcycling paradise with about the only exception the main road from Hobart to Launceston so we stayed clear of that one. Most of the roads are very winding and some of them have sections with freshly hot mixed tar for the Targa Tasmania rally. Those sections when you get to them are very sweet.

We first boarded the Spirit of Tasmania at Melbourne for the overnight journey to the apple Isle. The cabins were very cosy so we settled in at the bar for a few drinks and plan the next days events before hitting the sack. Incidentally we meet a group of bikers from Melbourne who are travelling around tassie as well and they are travelling roughly the same direction as us. I'm sure we will meet them again before trips end.

Flyboy waiting to get on the Spirit of Tasmania

Squeezy Cabins

 DAY 1
After disembarking our ship it was on into the unknown as we headed east out of Devonport we headed down towards exeter then up over the Batman bridge for a short stop. It was then on to Launceston where we stopped at the beautiful Cataract Gorge. As you can see from the picture it was an absolute cracker of a day weather wise and the scenery was stunning.

Batman Bridge

Cataract Gorge

 Leaving the city of Launceston we headed out east on the Tasman Hwy towards Scottsdale and Derby. This is a fantastic road with winding corners for most of the way along here. It is a heavily forested area and not much traffic from memory. We came out upon a lookout about 15kms before Scottsdale with fantastic views. We also met another group of bikers there enjoying the views.

After Scottsdale the road winds its way through the forested hillsides where we found this little pub by itself in the middle of nowhere. Not sure why it was called 'the worst pub' we only stopped for a pic and a break, we did not try it out. From here it was on into St Helen's for our first overnight stop.

DAY 2

After leaving St Helen's we then headed down the east coast of Tassie where we came to a fork in the road. We wanted to do both roads so Dave said lets ride around the coast road then come back up Mt Elephant Pass into St Marys. What a fantastic ride this was. We stopped at the Mt  Elephant Pancake shop and had some morning tea. The pancakes were delicious. Then headed back down the St Marys Pass twisties. Fantastic sports bike riding here!

 We continued on down through Bicheno(not much there) and down to Swansea(not much here either). Just out of Swansea we stopped to take some pics of the weather moving in over the Freycinet Peninsula. It was pretty windy and cold along here. We continued south down to Orford and onto Buckland. Some very nice scenery along the way here.

As we were passing through a little town called Buckland we noticed this big old pub standing out amonst the houses from the main highway. You couldn't miss it. We stopped in at Ye Olde Buckland Inn but could not find any hobbits to drink with so after a quick beer it was onto Eagle Hawk Neck for our second night.

Funny Road Signs

On my travels around this big country that I call home I have encountered many roads signs that sometimes I have found to be humorous for one reason or another. There is nothing really wrong with any of the signs per say, just more or less my warped sense of humour just trying to take the mickey out of anything and everything. If any of my fellow bloggers have found any road signs to be funny any where, post them up so we can have a look.

The first one is on one of my favourite roads the Putty Rd. I took this photo years ago when I had my CBR 600. I thought it funny enough to stop for a photo which back in those days I did not take many photos. The creek name doesn't need anymore explanation......

I noticed that these signs are no longer there. Looks like someone else liked them enough to stop and take them.
The next one was taken in Tasmania on Elephant Pass Rd headed up towards the Mt Elephant Pancake shop. Large vehicles really do sound horn, especially when they have loud pipes on them. Does this also go for large motorcycles? I think my R1 sounds pretty horn......

The next one is only a couple of Km's from the last one on the same road at the Mt Elephant pancake shops car park. Not so much a road sign as a no parking sign.

The next one is one of my favourites when on a winding mountain road. What it actually means compared to what I think it means are two very different things.

This one is apparently some sort of warning to motorcycles that the road ahead is slippery or has loose surface and to slow down. Really!
How come then these are not sign posted where they throw gravel all over the road after they do road works? They only seem to appear on twisty roads which is the only purpose I'm there on a motorcycle in the first place.

In reality what it really means is motorcycles are having some fun doing the one on the right. As Jules would say laying some Tar snakes. So keep that slow 4 wheeled piece of shit the f#@k out of the way. Yes I know the road isn't a race track blah blah blah, but sometimes you just have to have some fun. Besides it's controlled fun. You all know it is, don't try to deny it!





The next one I find amusing as well because it just defies all logic know to mankind. What kind of imbecile with a 4th grader education came up with this one.

Falling rocks do not stop. That's crap, yes they do. They fall down then,  they stop when they hit the ground. Even a child would be able to tell you this fundamental fact.

Well that's it for the moment until I see any others and then I'll post them up again.