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12th March
Today we left Hobart for a run up the Midlands to Launceston.

The sun is out but the morning is crisp. Getting out of Hobart is a little tricky but for some but Keith and I make a clean break on the road to Richmond and have the road to ourselves. This is great as the bends are quite predictable and we have a ball. On we got through Richmond and the road straighten out in places and we can get up to 60 MPH (~100KPH) no problem. On we go with no sign of the others, there is very little traffic. I make it to Highway 1 and I left Keith out of sight. Here I get the Honda up to 70 MPH (110KPH) and it seems to love it The next stop is to be Ross but as it go up the highway I notice a little heritage town of Oaklands so I detour in. It is a town almost entirely heritage buildings. It doesn’t have as many tourists as Ross but it is a lovely town well worth a visit.
Back on the Highway and on to Ross. You enter the town over a convict built bridge and like Oaklands the majority of buildings are heritage. This town caters to tourists but is well done.
Yet again we had to sample the culinary delights of the local bakery. Yet again we were not let down as the general opinion was that this was the best so far and we had sampled many.

After meandering through the craft shops and antique stores it was time to leave. I left Keith to fuel up and set off back on the highway thinking I would fuel up in Campbell which I did. Back on the road I went for about twenty mile before I caught sight of a bike and sidecar some way ahead. I wound the Honda back up to 70 (110 KPH speed limit) again and soon caught up with the outfit which was Keith. Then it was just a comfortable ride into Launceston. What a great days ride everything was just about as good as it gets.

11th march
Yes today is a rest day. In some cases it was a chance to see some of the sights they had missed on the previous stop over, other took the opportunity to rest a weary back and other time to carry out running repairs. Kieth had a problem with the carburation on his BMW which he tried to sort out but in the end had to resort to an alternate ignition system. I spent and hour repairing my center stand which was threatening to fall off. Come lunch time we took a drive to the auto shop for part and a burger for lunch. By 3 o’clock Keith’s bike was back on the road so we hit the road. We head towards Port Arthur. We stopped at Sorell to use an ATM then continued on for about 20 K then thought no there isn’t enough time to go further so we headed back the way we had come. When we went through Sorell we forgot to turn left so we continued up the road and turned left for Richmond. Once in Richmond it was time for an ice cream and head for home.

The day ended with a lovely meal in the motel washed down with cider.

10th March
Well the brew was quiet good managed to down a few Porters with my meal. We booked the meal here before we left Perth and the restaurant was set up with 3 tables and place cards. Once seated for dinner we realized that one couple was missing. The buzz went around the tables and checking with staff we found that they checked in. Another couple had also sighted them on the beach. The meal was delayed a short while to allow them to show up but they didn’t. Calls to their mobile were unsuccessful. The meals were served along with theirs. Someone went off to check their room but they were not there but their bike was. We figured they may have caught a taxi into town as they have been doing their own thing on many occasions. If they didn’t show up in the morning we’d sent out the cavalry. Next morning they appeared all bright and bushy tailed unaware of the concern. If appears they had dinner with another couple in their chalet forgetting they had already booked a meal.
On the road again an the sky is relatively free of cloud but there is a slight chill in the air. We traveled mostly on the A3 Tasman Highway today. The road if quite good and bendy rather than twisty. We head for Bicheno for an early morning tea and the motorcycle museum. I stop at the Blue Edge Bakery for a coffee. The presentation is this shop was fantastic as was the service. The coffee and egg ‘n’ bacon roll was second to none, if you are passing drop in (here ends the unpaid advertorial). I didn’t stop for the museum but continued on my merry way.
The road runs along beside the sea and you can see various islands. At one point there is a beach called Spiky and on the right is Spiky Bridge.
“Spiky bridge is part of an old convict built road which connected Swansea with Little Swanport and the east coast road to Hobart.”
“The reason why ‘spikes’ were incorporated in the design remains elusive, however. Did they serve a structural purpose such as strengthening the lime mortar capping, were they to prevent cattle straying off the edge, or were they just a folly of Lafarelle’s? [Bridge Builder]“

The route was to take us back to the Riverfront Motel at Glenorchy via Richmond. Since I had been through there on Sunday I decided to head straight on to Hobart and find a motorcycle shop and buy some winter gloves.

9th March
Today we are off to the east coast. The morning sky looks a bit ominous but we’ll give it a go. So far it isn’t raining but navigating out of Launceston provides a few surprises for a few. As soonas we leave the city we are back into the windy Tasman Highway, this will take us almost to our destination. The clouds are treating with the odd glimpse of the sun. The roads are wet from overnight rain and are quite slippery in places with leaves or gravel mixed in. The road continues to live up to expectation and we stop at a lookout looking down to a green valley and Scottsdale. It was time to take a photo and warm the hands.

In Scottsdale I fueled up at an attended servo. The attendant started to fill my tank then let the nozzel escape from the filling hole and cover my tank and seat with fuel. He was good in that he did splash some water over the tank after he had finish and before it ignited. Time for a prize winning pie at the local bakery.
On to St Helens and the road doesn’t vary, its still twisty and fantastic. They are bikes of all sorts are out on the road.
Lunch was a salad roll then back on the road for a further 20 odd Ks to our overnight accommodation at White Sands Resort. This is right on the beach with chalets restaurant and it’s own micro brewery “Iron Horse”. Haven’t tried the brew yet but I’ll let you know tomorrow.