Around the world advrider mascot relay - Bacon's journey

Day 4
Ferry arrived in Devonport Tassmania. After that annoying wake up call which I reckon is at least 45 minutes too early.
We were stopped by Quarantine and told that we needed to clean the bike they did not want any of NSW or VIC'S dirt.


Back way to Exeter passed the poppy farms. In Afghanistan napalm would be used on these farms but here its legal for pharmaceutical use.
But never have a coffee at the Take-away joint in Exeter it was the worst I've ever tasted
We wound our way towards Launceston then toward Lillydale and the dirt to Patersonia, then over the Sideling to Springfield then the dirt to Tonganah.




we found some amazing Christmas garden decor the pig was shocked:eek1 :eek1 :eek1

Through to Ringarooma and on to Weldrough there were a couple of turns where we were unsure but we were eventually on Tasman Hway heading for St Helens.
In Tasmania you often see couples on bicycles touring around and when the hills-mountains they are usually about 6 km apart with one looking like they are about to die and then a couple of K's back another looking like WTF am I doing here......... thinking about Divorce, or how great is this ...... I never worked out which thought process was in place by the follower I think I just got it

Shake-N-bacon? Glad all three(?) of you are ok!

Day 5 Christmas Day
St Helens is a very quiet little town on Christmas Day the day before we had bought some food and planned a little ride around the area.
We went out to Binnalong Bay and then on to The Gardens


then up a track which joined the Ansons Bay road.
We came across an Echidna but it did not want to play with Bacon




From Ansons Bay we we went to Eddystonepoint and Policemans Point

Christmas lunch was on the Wild Pig Hill road
We had to lie to Bacon we told him that the ham cheese and tomato roll contained Beef

We returned to St Helens via Priory

Day 6 Boxing Day
St Helens to Launceston the longer way.
Left St Helens and headed to St Marys we were looking for a road which goes from Grey passed Mt st john but could not find it the road we took before the Pancake place was the wrong one as it ended with no gate. So we headed back for a pancake.
They had this sign

After A fantastic Pancake it was down Elephant Pass through Bicheno and on to Cranbrook. Then down Lake Leake road what a wonderful fast run we had this road is a must for anyone who likes fast open sweepers about 70 km of great road had lunch in Campbel town.
It was time for some dirt we went toward Conara then headed for Nile then Deddington, English town through the hills toward Wattle corner then up Ben Lomond.


The last section of this road is called Jacobs ladder



Bacon is scared of heights
This place gives new meaning to watch out for falling rocks

After coming down Jacobs ladder it was down to Launceston for the night.
A great day through some fantastic country.

Day 7
Launceston - Cradle Mt


From Launceston it was south through Longford, Potania,Miena and then up the side of the Great lake.


the pig choosing a route


we went along a path marked historic site where we came across this Grave the pig was spooked


the dirt Road up the side of the great lake was in superb condition
this next pic was (of a mates bike:eek1 :eek1 :eek1 ) self incrimination is not my strong point.

further along another mate

It was not long at those speeds and we were back on tar

passed pine lake

through Golden Valley-Mole Creek- Sheffield where the pig met an Alpacca who was groomed like a poodle. It takes all types mum used to say..

on to Promised land, Moina and finally Cradle Mountian

Excellent report guys. Wish I was as lucky as bacon to travel so much...

Day 8
After a quiet night Bacon met the Duck, we were worried about cross species
reproduction, but after a disagreement and a short shouting match we were no longer worried.

No riding today, a day of bush walking.




Bacon said that he wanted to chill in the sun, but he would not wear his hat.
He's naughty: slip, slap, slop, was beyond his level of comprehension.

Up to Marrions look out then back via wombat pools.

Tonight Bacon met some new Aussie wild life.

Awesome report! This is a crazy road and a FRONT PAGE picture!

I'm off to Tassie in a week. Can't wait to visit some of these places... GREAT PHOTOS!!!!!!!

me too - jeez, you are now the 6th person/group I know of going next week.. going to be busy on the roads I reckon

Day 9 Cradle Mt- Strahan
We got away early as it was forecast to be hot but the day remained cool and there was a weird weather front near Zeehan, it was cool and misty and it just hovered over Zeehan. We went through Zeehan twice in the day and the second time it had not moved even though there was wind, it was like a non moving rolling fog really strange.
Cradle to Tullah then on to Rosebury down to Zeehan then northwest toward Reece dam and loop back to Tullah then the bottom loop to Zeehan via lake Plimsoll



Then Zeehan to Strahan where the biked ticked over to 30 000 KMS not bad for a 2007 GS


Were we stayed in the Cottages

A great day of fast twisties all on tar.

Day 10
Strahan - Hobart
From Strahan out to Queenstown
Queenstown is a mining town and you can see how Humans can screw up a place its a mining town and the mining operations have stripped the landscape.
It is looking better than the previous 2 time I went through there more plant life is starting to get a foot hold but I do not think that it will ever fully recover.




then over the bridge at lake Burbury



From there we went to Derwent bridge where we met Lofty Bob and his lovely wife Julie and bacon checked out his big rig.

After a quick breakfast it was time to do some exploring so we headed south toward Laughing Jack lagoon 26 Kms from Dewrent bridge we found the turnoff.

The road follows one of the few remaining wooden water pipes






from laughing Jack we continued South toward Tarraleah then out to Butlers Gorge at the bottom of Lake King William,
The road follows the water canals


toward Horbart via Ouse, Ellendale, Salmon Ponds,New Norfolk

Day 11
New Years eve
Today we took a run out to lake Gordon and the Gordon Dam
a great road through beautiful country but its a dead end so yo have to come back the same way.

Day 12 New years day
It was raining lightly but it was a planned rest day and time to catch up on some washing and to get a few things from the shops we had planned on going up Mt Wellington but it remained hidden in the clouds all day so we decided not to bother. Now I regret not going as it would have probably been great riding up into the clouds.
We took bacon to Joe,s Garage after-all it was Tuesday - Bike night.
Being New years day it was pretty quiet. Had a few drinks and headed off. Bacon met Vanessa and Tam I thought he was going to score but alas he struck out.



They have a crazy pool table

Vanessa & Tam

Joes's is packed wit all sorts of stuff this is a burnt out 916


After Joe's we headed down to the Tassie taste for dinner then watched the fireworks at midnight
Bacon had a few to many we found him in the morning still with his hat on and he could not remember how he got home or ended up on the carpet

Hobart is great at that time of the year all the boats competing in the Sydney to Hobat and the Melbourne race are in town an Constitution dock is a very busy place.

I'm just loving this thread, what an amazing little piggy.

I'm a little concerned about what happened after this photo was taken. Have any yellow pigs or pink ducks or ducks with snouts appeared anywhere after this interspecies snorgling?? You have to keep an eye on these young 'uns.

No noth'n happened we got home before they filled the spa.........

I am jealous of a fake pig....



Looks like you and Bacon are having a great time!

Day 13
Hobart back to Melbourne
Left Hobart and headed for New Norfolk via Berridale an Molesworth found a great twistie short cut to escape the city.
New Norfolk to black hills then the GPS found us a great little dirt section through to Broadmarsh. then Eldersie and the dirt through to Hollow Tree then north to Bothwell pub for an early lunch.



After lunch north to Miena and again up the side of the Great Lake


At the northern end of the lake there is a great section of tight twisty corners that take you through to Golden Valley
then through Western Creek if you are ever going through this way and see the sign to the big tree dont bother its fallen over and its not worth the detour Caveside and on to Mole Creek.
Cethina was our next stop then up to Erriba, Lower Wilmot then over lake Paloonia to Aberdeen then through to Devonport to catch the Ferry to Melbourne.

Day 14
Melbourne to Apollo
Departed the Ferry and headed of for Winchelsea Deans Marsh and down to Lorne great section of road



From Lorne through to Apollo bay along the coast we were lucky for that time of year there was very little traffic.
We arrived in Apollo bay to early to check in to our motel so we look at a map and decided to do a loop from Skenes Creek up through the Otway National park to Forrest then the dirt through to to Gellibrand, Beech Forest, and back to Haines Junction some where between Forrest and Gellibrand we took a wrong turn but we found a way through on some great tracks.

Day 15
Apollo Bay - Nelson

From Apollo bay we headed west on the great ocean road We were really looking forward to this section as we had heard so much and never done it before.
Near Cape Otway Lighthouse Bacon spotted his first Koala's




The 12 apostles







Stopped for lunch at Port Fairy to try and cool down Bacon had a ride on a camel


It was hot from Warrnanbool to Nelson we saw temperatures of 43 Deg Cel.
We wet our riding gear at the Servo and hit the road the relief was short as we were bone dry in about 20 minutes