We wake to bright
sunshine and the waft of frying bacon. Some brekky angels are busy in the
kitchen of the Drumreagh barn. As the enticing odour infiltrates the campervan,
I ask Tim how he, as a vegetarian, can resist that smell. He knows I'm baiting him, and blithely concentrates on the egg/tomato/toast side of things.
 |
[At Drumreagh Farm near Deloraine] |
 |
[The friendly Wyandotte knocks on our door] |
Today’s first stop
is a “meet the riders” session just up the road at Cycles Café. It attracts a
reporter from the local newspaper as well as a few curious locals. We sneak a
quick coffee, then get photographed en-masse as we ride off.
 |
[Setting up the display outside Cycles Cafe] |
Had there been paparazzi following us we might have quickly thrown
them off our scent thanks to our convoluted backroads route. We’re heading for lunch
at Railton via the “towns” of Dunorlan, Weegena and Kimberley. Although they
wouldn’t trouble the census collectors for long, these last three are set in
delightful countryside.
 |
[Easy riding near Dunorlan] |
The hills vary from tight to relaxed, but all is
verdant. We pause in one hilly section and flop down on a grassy bank for a
morning tea of leftovers. It’s far more delicious than it sounds, and we wash
down the remaining soft cheese, fruit, biccies and fruit cake with thermos tea
or coffee.
 |
[Morning tea near Dunorlan] |
At Railton we have
another public gathering, and meet another mayor: this time Kentish mayor Don
Thwaites. He turns out to be quite keen on cycling, and enjoys his turn on one
of our e-bikes. After Railton our backroads options are few, and we start to
encounter more traffic as we glide down towards Latrobe. But after we cross the
Mersey River in its final freshwater section, we turn onto River Road. This
proves a perfect way to ease into the city of Devonport. Not only is there
little traffic, it’s also far more picturesque than the main roads.
 |
[Group shot by the Mersey] |
As we ride
alongside the expansive Mersey estuary, its waters blue and sparkling, there’s
a growing sense of accomplishment; of a job almost done. We pause twice, first
for some group photos, and then to allow Tim to park his campervan so he can
ride the last few kilometres into Devonport with the rest of us. Then it’s together
across the main bridge, and south for the last brief road ride to the
Waterfront Function Centre, our finish point and the venue for the Australian Electric Vehicles Association conference.
 |
[Riders and support vehicles nearing the finish] |
Clive’s Nissan Leaf
leads the convoy into the carpark. With our bicycle bells tinkling, our arms
waving and our voices hollering, we’re cheered into Devonport by a small crowd
of supporters. We’ve done it! Our faces split by wide smiles, we exchange
hugs and high-fives to congratulate each other on getting here! We’ve ridden
over 380km without incident, and moreover with a growing sense of camaraderie,
and a rejuvenated sense of what a wonderful island we share.
 |
[Celebrations at the finish] |
For me, more a
wilderness walker than a cyclist, this has been a chance to get reacquainted
with – and fall in love afresh with – the more settled parts of Tasmania.
Putting together those two aspects of our state, the wild and the tamed, has
made me wonder if there are any places in the world as diverse and beautiful as
this island.
_____________________________________________
I would like to thank all the riders who
took part in the ride, whether for part or all of the 5 days. And thanks to
those who supported the ride through driving, cooking, route selecting and otherwise
organising. The biggest thank you must go to Jack Gilding, who masterminded the
whole e-bike ride. It was a very special event!
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