Giro Tasmania Preparation

Tasmania. Why Tassie?

Incredibly up to this point I hadn't even decided where to go in Australia. I'd had several ideas, my favourite of which was to cycle along the south coast and east up to Cairns.Another was to get the train to Perth and cycle North or South, doing a there-and-back to return to Perth.

It was early January. Australia is a hot place at this time of year, and cycling is difficult in 30C, and almost impossible at 35C and above (I did manage to cycle up Mt. Macedon at 34C though). Even in Victoria, temperatures regularly hit mid 30's and sometimes into the 40's at this time of year. You can't imagine it unless you have been there.

One place is cooler. Down to the South, Tasmania, Tassie to the locals. It's wild, it's beautiful, and there isn't much traffic. It's very hilly however.  It still gets hot, but should be more bearable than the rest of the mainland.

Getting There

It's an island, and with all my gear, a ferry was the only real  option. My bike and gear weighed in at around 55Kg, and the ferry did not charge much for the bike and was regardless of weight.

So I booked onto the "Spirit of Tasmania" ferry and prepared for an overnight trip to the land of Tasmanian Devils. 

I was surprised at how much this ferry cost. For AUD $250 I got a return "Ocean Recliner", a chair that leans back , to sleep on. The flights were much cheaper (Jetstar) and of course, much quicker. In hindsight, I could have taken the flight and paid extra for the luggage, and it would have worked out roughly the same price but saved me two very long ferry trips (10 hours each way).

Planning my Stay

After doing some research I decided I would try the Giro Tasmania which in its shortest, most brutal direct form is a 3 week "race" around the Island only achievable by semi-professionals. 

Giro Tasmania (I would start from Devonport and joint the Giro at Deloraine)

I thought that it would take me quite a lot longer than that, maybe over a month. I wasn't planning to race around but to enjoy the sights and wildlife, and take days off to hike or visit waterfalls.

I would stay at camp sites, caravan parks and where necessary wild camp.

Changes to Equipment

 I had the new saddle purchased at Anglesea. I also got bar ends to make the handlebar position more comfortable. I dispensed with the D-lock carrier and replaced it with a third bottle holder. I could carry 2x1 Litre thermos flasks and a fuel bottle for the stove. The D-lock would go on the back rack with the other bags.

There's a new pump replacing the older Planet-X pump. I found that pump could not get a tyre above 30 psi. The new pump could get me up to the required 60 psi no problem. However I ran out of places to carry it so for now had to zip-tie it to the top tube.

I also purchased a handlebar bag, which was a great idea and very convenient for carrying quick access stuff and valuables as it is easily detached when parking the bike somewhere.

For the other gear, everything I carried to Tassie is shown in the photo. Among the new acquisitions was a Goal Zero Solar Panel, which I hoped could charge AA batteries and my phone (Samsung Galaxy S2). 

There's a lot of food-related items here. I planned to eat porridge for breakfasts, made with milk powder and water, with dates and honey. Lunch would be try and find somewhere along the way, or maybe pack some sandwiches (but I later found that was too troublesome, carrying bread, butter, fillings etc).  For dinner I wanted to cook Chinese stir-fries doing it the proper way with oils, sauces and ingredients. 

I learned to put everything heavy in the rear bags. Handling the bike was very difficult on the shake-down ride because I put too many heavy things in the front bags. It is very difficult to steer a bike loaded that way, especially when going slowly up hills. Also the bike tends to fall over when you stop or park it.