The Australia Cycling Cruse was the first Santana Adventures trip we signed up for back in 2019. This trip was postponed two times during the COVID era, and during the wait for this one we competed three other Santana trips (2021 Danube River, 2022 Mississippi River, 2022 Baltic Sea)! Its a long one, 12 days plus four days pre-tour and three days post-tour, let's get going!
Pre-tour
Dinner in the LAX United Lounge
Are we really finally going to Australia?
15 hours non-stop to Sydney!
We arrived a day and a half after we left Phoenix (lost a day crossing the
International Date Line) with our bags and were greeted at the airport
by the Santana Adventures team. We boarded a bus with other Santana
guests and were driven to the Grace Hotel in the Sydney City Centre. The driver gave us a great tour and recounted some of the very strict COVID protocols that were in place over the last several years. Our
room wasn't ready so we checked our bags with the bell staff and headed
out to try to stay awake and adjust to our new time zone (yesterday -18 hours from home).
'Grounding' in Sydney's Hyde Park
We learned by watching our favorite 'Christmas' movie, Diehard, that the way to beat jet lag is to walk around at your new destination with bare feet, especially directly on the ground. Hyde Park was a short walk from the hotel so we headed out to get grounded in our new time zone.
Captain Cook
Australian White Ibis
It was a great day for a stroll in the park. We also stopped by the Queen Victoria Building on the way to the park and got oriented to our surroundings in Sydney. We spotted our first Australian bird in the park and enjoyed the perfect weather.
Yeah, we look tired!
We felt great, but from this picture, we looked just like we'd been traveling for the last 24 hours! We returned to the hotel after lunch and checked into our room.
Resisting the urge to take a nap we laid out our plan for the afternoon/evening;
I would do the Sydney Bridgeclimb and Debby would do some shopping in
the Rocks nearby.
Sydney Bridgeclimb!
My riding partner on the 2021 Southern Transcon, Jeff Bennett, said that 'you have to do the Sydney Bridgeclimb when you get to Sydney!' Debby said, 'yeah you have fun with that.' It was a great experience. It required a 45 minute pre-climb orientation that included gearing up with a harness and jumpsuit, storing personal items (nothing allowed in your pockets, including cell phones and watches), training on how to secure the harness to the safety cable, and a short simulated climb to try out the rig.
The climb took nearly two hours as we ascended one span to the top, crossed over and returned down the other span. We were put in groups of about a dozen climbers with a guide. I met two guys from Switzerland that had done the climb 20 years prior and we enjoyed the climb from the back of our group.
Walking the bridge, the normal way!
Opera House, visible from many angles
We started our second day with a ferry to Milson's point so we could walk back to the Rocks area via the Sydney Harbor Bridge.
Coffee and scones
We enjoyed coffee and scones and explored the Rocks area. This was the location of one of the first settlements/penal colonies and is now a tourist hot spot.
A group of Bridge climbers set out!
'Car Crash Junction'
Ruins in the Dawes Point area
Too early for Beer?
Not when its at one of the 10 Best Pubs in NSW!
Next up was a walking tour of the Rocks that continued to the Dawes point area. We spotted a group of Bridgeclimbers, a pubic art oddity, historical ruins and a bar. A great way to spend a long morning.
Mrs. MacQuaries Point
Royal Botanical Gardens
Huge Techno Rock Festival
An Opera House venue up close
Sydney Symphony
Months prior to the trip, Deb bought tickets to the Sydney Symphony. So our afternoon/evening plan was to walk the Botanical Gardens to Mrs. MacQuaries Point, loop through the park, find dinner near the opera house and finish the day at the Symphony. It was a great day, the only drawback was a huge Techno Rock concert that was going on in the park that required a couple of detours and many extra steps! There was also an outdoor concert going on (it was Saturday night) at the Opera House, so we stopped at the first restaurant with a table nearby. It was a good thing that we bought the tickets early. The concert was sold out by the time we arrived in Sydney! The concert was great, it was a 'Peoples Choice' format, featuring popular traditional classics and a few contemporary classics by Australian composers.
St. Mary's Cathedral
Morning mass
After two days with plenty of walking, we started our third day on foot with Mass at St. Mary's Cathedral. It was an easy short walk through a nearly deserted downtown on a Sunday morning.
Bondi Beach
Reminded us of a California beach
Great lunch at a beach side cafe
The Santana pretour included a run to Bondi Beach and a tour of the Rocks. Since we already covered the Rocks, we decided to skip that tour and take a regular city bus to Bondi Beach. It was an easy route that went from the QVB (Queen Victoria Building) directly to the beach! We wandered about and noted that it was very much like a California beach town, except everyone drove on the wrong side of the road! After a great late lunch we returned to the City Centre for some shopping and time to assemble the bikes back at the hotel. We ended the day with an unremarkable dinner at a rotating tower restaurant with 360 degree view of the city.
Not our cruise ship!
Manly Beach
Manly Scenic Walk
Metal grates to protect the vegetation
Collins Beach
Wild Turkey
Great Fish/Calmari 'N Chips
The next day's morning plan had us catching a ferry to Manly Beach. It was super windy and a great day for a hike. I covered about 5km of the Manly Scenic walkway, while Deb scouted out the shopping. We found another great beach side restaurant for lunch. Mandatory COVID tests were required under Australia's Cruise Ship Protocol, and were held at the hotel in the afternoon so we headed back for our tests.
Back to Sydney
Dessert prior to show
Shakespeare's The Tempest
We passed the Rapid COVID test and headed back to the Quay area for a Sydney Theatre performance of The Tempest. The dinner beforehand was outstanding, the play was a bit hard to follow, even though we read a synopsis beforehand. I think we were still adjusting to the Australian accent! Worn out from all the walking on our pre-tour, we got an Uber to take us back to the hotel!
Day 1: Sydney Embark
Huge Christmas ornament
After four days on foot, we were ready to get on the bikes! It was a very short route from the hotel to the cruise terminal in the Rocks area and followed roads we had already visited on foot. We rolled through Darling Harbor and through a huge Christmas display!
The route continued to Dawes Point and we found a coffee shop near the outstanding restaurant we visited before the Tempest performance. Wanting to let most of the riders get in front of us we stopped for coffee and a snack!
On the Sydney Bridge Bike Path
Turn around point
After our coffee stop the route featured an over and back on the Sydney Harbor bridge. This time, we were on the bike lane side of the bridge and we waved at the many Santana cyclists on the route.
Tea time in the Rocks
To say we were riding slow would be an understatement! We covered the 9+ miles of the route at a blistering moving pace of 6.5 mph! We arrived at the Rocks and found a tea house and enjoyed tea and finger sandwiches for lunch.
Our ship at the cruise terminal
After lunch we rode along the Circular Quay to the east side to get a photo of our ship, the Windstar Star Breeze, then finally headed to the terminal to embark.
Our home for the next 12 days
To avoid the long embark lines we had experienced on previous Santana tours, our strategy was to take our
time and arrive at least 90 minutes after the embark started and just
before the all aboard time. With our slow pace combined with coffee and lunch stops of nearly a hour each, the plan worked to perfection. There were no embark lines in the terminal and we were on the Star Breeze literally in minutes!
Leaving Sydney
Dinner at Candles
We unpacked and headed to the outdoor restaurant at the stern of the ship. We cruised the Baltic Sea on Windstar's sister ship the Star Legend. We were happy to see the restaurants on the Star Breeze were the same. Candles has outdoor tables and fantastic food, but it was so cold, most of the guests were inside. We ran back to the cabin and donned cold weather gear and had the outdoor section to ourselves. What a great way to start our journey!
Day 2: Eden
Morning selfie in Eden
As was typical we sailed all night, and arrived in Eden at the very civilized hour of 9 am and after the morning 'route talk' we were on the bikes by 9:30. The Route talk is a daily ritual where Bill McCready, owner of Santana Adventures, outlines the days route options delivered in an entertaining Bill Belichick, grumpy lobster boat captain style.
First coffee stop and daily route map
The route options included a morning ride to Kiah and afternoon options to Merimbula. We selected the medium route to Merimbula to start our day and would make our first stop for coffee in Pambula. Before that we had to leave the harbor, and as a rude awakening to the fact that Australia is not flat, we were greeted with a 1/4 mile climb at 10-15% to leave the harbor! We stopped for breath about half-way up the climb and had a lovely chat with a local woman who was wondering where all the bicyclists had come from and why they were riding past her home!
Bike path along highway
Once we made it out of the harbor, the terrain was moderate to hilly with well over 2500 feet of climbing on the 36 mile loop!
Traffic stop in Merimbula near a Maccas
The route continued along a highway with an adjacent bike path to the turn-around point in Merimbula. More of a land-mark than a destination, Merimbula was a small town on the coast with a large inlet with many oyster beds. We didn't stop at this Maccas (aka. McDonalds in Australia) but they have been around here since 1971!
Oyster sampler
We did stop for a sampler of local oysters on the way back to Eden along as part of our tour.
Biblical RV park
Jake and Elwood
Arriving back in Eden we noticed the Blues Brothers performing outside a tire shop. It was especially appropriate, since that was one of several movies I enjoyed on the 15 hour flight to Sydney! We decided to skip the whale museum so I could head out on the morning loop and Debby could return to the ship.
Afternoon/morning loop
Light traffic, great road
Turn around at Kiah
Wildfire debris sculpture at Kiah
The morning loop was very scenic following the Princes Highway (A1)
through very rural areas and the Nullica State Forest. Again the destination was merely a place to turn around. Since it was getting late in the afternoon, I picked up some snacks before heading back to Eden.
Towamba River
Just a hint of rain at the end of the ride
Leaving Eden
All aboard was at 5:30 and I arrived back at the ship in plenty of time to clean up and enjoy the views as we sailed out of Eden and an enjoyable first day of touring rural Australia!
Great meal at the Star Grill onboard
We capped off our day with a great meal at the Star Grill, another outdoor venue on the top deck of the ship!
Day 3: At Sea!
Eden is about half-way between Sydney and our final destination in
Melbourne. Our tour includes 6 nights in Tasmania starting in the
southern town of Hobart, 502 nautical miles from Eden. At the cruising
speed of 12-15 knots, that takes a day and a half to get there. We were looking forward to spending the day around the pool and Jacuzzi! Well that didn't happen!
Prime Rib in Amphora dining room
To say
the seas were a bit rough would be an understatement! The plan was to
have a Thanksgiving feast served on the top deck, but with the wind,
rain, and heavy seas, we spent the day inside and enjoyed a prime rib dinner in the main Amphora
dining room instead.
Delicious local pilsner
The ship acquires local food and drink along the route and they put aboard a selection of local brews. This was my favorite. Since many of the crew were not aware of this brand, I presented this photo from my phone to order 'the local blue beer' several times later during the journey!
Day 4: Hobart
Welcome to Tasmania
We had two nights in Hobart and our bikes were unloaded from the ship for the last time. For the remainder of the tour they would be transported by truck to each destination. Mainly this was due to the very strict environmental controls in Tasmania. Before they could be unloaded and inspected, they were washed by the crew to ensure no foreign biological material would be tracked in to Tasmania. When we we got the bikes, the first order of business was to lube the chains. They were covered in rust from the nearly two days exposed to rain and sea spray on the deck of the ship!
Monument in Hobart
The morning loop took us to the town of Mona. We followed the shoreline
along a minor highway with bike paths and a dedicated rail trail for the
return to Hobart.
Forbidden foot path
Look carefully at the left post of this foot path, there is a 'no bikes' symbol. Our GPS route indicated that we follow the foot path. There was a very agitated Tasmanian gentlemen who referred to our group as a 'Yankee Invasion' because to his dismay many riders took the trail, even after he told them it was forbidden! We explained that our instructions had us following this trail, but we would be happy to take the alternative if he would be so kind to point it out. He finally did, and we took the alternative. We heard him yelling at the next group as we rode off!
Thomas the Tank Engine?
On the return to Hobart, the route followed a dedicated bike path along a rail line. This historical train museum had a turnstile and train barn that reminded us of the Thomas the Tank Engine videos our kids enjoyed years ago.
The Shot Tower at Taroona
The Shot Tower at Taroona was built in 1870 and stood for 4 years as the tallest structure in Australia. Today it is believed to be the tallest circular sandstone tower in the world. What is a shot tower? Lead is melted at the top, then dropped through a colander before falling nearly 200 feet into a pool of cool water. The molten lead forms perfect spheres on the way down. Shot was produced here until 1905, when it became a tea shop and tourist attraction! The tea shop was closed so we continued on to Kingston beach.
Great fish 'n chips at Kingston Beach
Still in the mid fifties, temperature that is!
We found a great beach-side restaurant and sat down for a nice lunch. It was a steep descent into town, and I spotted an alternative route that would avoid much of the climb on the way out. It was on a dirt road, which may have been why it was not on the Santana route, and required a short walk to connect to the main road.
Gravel off route option
Debby was game to get dirty and the alternative worked great! Soon we were back in Hobart and Debby was ready to call it a day.
Stream on Mt. Wellington
I decided to head back out on the 'Commando,' a local cycling loop out of Hobart that we used to get to Kingston. I planned to backtrack the Commando to the summit road and do the climb to the summit of Mt. Wellington.
Route map to the summit
It was 5 miles of climbing from Hobart to reach the turnoff for the summit road. From there it was another 7 miles at an average grade of 7.7% on a paved road with handy kilometer markings to mark progress and stay motivated!
Handy progress markers
Yes it was cold at the summit!
The temperature dropped, as advertised here, 15 degrees from Hobart and bottomed out at 41 degrees at the summit. On the way up it was quite comfortable and the jacket came off.
Alpine stream near the summit
Summit trail
Paved trail to the summit!
Once reaching the summit, and the clouds, the jacket was back on, and with the windchill on the descent, it was more than a bit chilly!
Hobart harbor from Mt. Wellington
I stopped to take this shot of Hobart, near the summit, but just under the clouds, before bombing down the hill to get back to the 'warm' air at the bottom. Rolling back to the ship, it was good to put this full day (66 miles and 6600 feet of climbing) in the books!
Day 5: Hobart/Cygnet Bruny Island
Today's route starts in Cygnet and finishes at Adventure Bay on Bruny Island. Its a point-to-point route, but its a bus ride that drives much of the Day 4 route to get to this beautiful area outside of Hobart. There is a short and long option on offer, so I start in Cygnet on the long route and plan to try and catch Debby on the short route before she reaches Adventure Bay.
Lot's of sheep in these parts!
First order of business on arriving in Cygnet is to find a power meter battery for my bike. I find a hardware store and buy the last 2032 battery they have in stock!
Fantastic views
Perfect roads
Vineyards
Back on the road, I dial it up and start the pursuit through lovely vineyards, farms and pastures.
Ferry to Bruny Island
Debby had a long wait to get on the ferry, and I was lucky to basically just ride straight onto this one.
Beach near Great Bay
There was a beach near a bar/restaurant stop in Great Bay. I misread a text from Deb and thought she was waiting for me there. In fact, she was up the road nearing the turn-off to Adventure bay!
Only a few miles behind Debby
After wandering around the bar looking for her, I realized my mistake and got back to the chase.
I caught Debby here, just before we reached Adventure Bay
With my self-inflicted delay I barely caught Debby before we reached Adventure Bay. The buses were parked just outside of town. We were eager to get back and took one of the first buses to the ship.
Monument at the bus stop!
Day 6: Port Arthur
First tender ride
Port Arthur is not big enough for our ship to dock, so we rode tender boats to shore. Our bikes were located just up the hill (they arrived overnight via truck) and soon we were on our way. We decided to take a short spur to the Tasman National Park overlook to start the day.
Port Arthur ruins
Star Breeze in the bay
Morning selfie
It was a short ride to the Tasman park overlook. From there a stairway leads to a cave where the surf comes in. Debby said, you have fun with that! Ok, it was a bit more impressive in person, and well worth the 15 minutes down and back!
View from the overlook
Lovely hillside on the climb out of Port Arthur
By taking a later tender (we didn't want to wait in line on the ship) and taking the first route option we were at the back of the herd and didn't see many other riders for most of the day.
Nubeena Hardware Store
We arrived hungry in Nubeena, but both restaurants in town were closed (Sunday). Luckily this hardware store had chips and snacks to take the edge off. The clerk was curious about all the cyclists in town and we told her about our group. We mentioned we were starving and she recommended we stop at a restaurant just outside Taranna near the Unzoo, which was our next stop.
The motorist was also curious about our group and we visited with him before heading off in search of lunch!
Just before the horizontal rains came!
We stopped here to put on the rain gear, you can see the rain in the background, it hit us a few minutes later with wind so strong it was raining sideways! We sheltered by these hay bales and luckily the heavy rain passed quickly.
Wet road on the way to the Unzoo
The rain moderated and we stopped by the side of the road to take off a layer. A Santana staff member said we were the last on the road, but had plenty time to make the Unzoo, so we pressed on.
Finally a restaurant open on Sunday!
The Rosedale Homestead included a motel, RV park, a small wildlife exhibit and a great restaurant. Another great fish and chips for me, and Debby ordered what would be the best hamburger of the trip! We were both happy we stopped at that hardware store in Nubeena and got this recommendation.
Feeding a kangaroo
Too cute!
Tasmanian Devil
After a great lunch we rode a few hundred meters to the Unzoo. It featured several cage-less exhibits where you entered a fenced area and mingled with the wildlife. Debby fed a kangaroo or two and we stopped by the Tasmanian Devil exhibit. No mingling here, it was traditional zoo format, but we were able to get quite close to these interesting beasts. Apparently the Devils are endangered by a specific transmissible form of cancer that is reducing their numbers.
Smiling in the rain
With the rain starting to pick up, we decided to get back to the ship and skipped the scheduled feeding of the Devil. We checked our bikes with the truck drivers and headed to the tender to return to the ship.
Back via the tender
Sailing out of Port Arthur
Of course as we sailed out of Port Arthur, the sky cleared and we enjoyed a lovely evening as we sailed to our next Tasmanian destination.
Day 7: Coles Bay
More fortifications from the Pondering Frog Cafe
After several riding days in a row, Debby was considering taking a rest day. I was able to book her a massage at the spa during my morning coffee run (plenty of appointments were available during the day) and that sealed the plan for the day.
Open roads near Coles Bay
Summit of Cherry Tree Hill
My plan was to do a mash-up of the days routes to get a 100km (about 63 miles) ride in and catch the last tender by 3:15. Again, I took a later tender from the ship to the marina in Coles bay. I picked up a sandwich headed out toward the Cherry Hill Climb. The area was quite arid and reminded me of central Arizona until reaching the summit of Cherry Hill. The decent entered a lush valley with beautiful farms and vineyards.
Lush vineyards, farms and pastures
Vineyards and historic cars
Winery
Hey you've got to get going!
Wandering about and taking a bunch of photos, I realized that if I was to make it to Bicheno and return to Cole's Bay, I needed to get moving! So heads down with a nice tailwind I powered past the Pondering Frog Cafe and onto Bicheno.
Just outside Bicheno
Bicheno city park
I rolled into Bicheno and found a shady table in the park. I had purchased a sandwich and coke at the beginning of the ride and was able to enjoy a relaxed lunch. There was a penguin exhibit nearby, but I decided to head back.
My view of the day!
Just before stopping for an ice cream at the Coles Bay marina I took a photo of my cockpit with GPS and trademark Santana Adventures analog map!
Terrain similar to Prescott AZ, without the ocean of course!
Blue beer and a hot dog? Yes please!
I made it
back to the ship on the second to last tender of the day about 3 pm. After a quick clean-up we headed to the Grill for a late lunch to prepare for the afternoon tour of Wine Glass Bay.
The narrows to enter the bay
Entering Wine Glass Bay
Only one small cruise ship is allowed to tour Wine Glass Bay per day, and ours had permission. We passed through the narrows to enter the bay and had a great idea. Why not watch the tour from the comfort of the forward hot tub on Deck 5. We ran to our cabin, suited up, and spent the next 45 minutes or so in the hot tub while the ship toured the bay! It was quite cold and no one else braved it so we had it to ourselves and a wonderful end to another great day!
Day 8: Beauty Point/Launceston
Entering Beauty Point
We arrived at Beauty Point around 11 and took a later tender to shore. While the surrounding hillsides and riverscapes are certainly beautiful, according our guidebook, 'the name of the town drives the winsomeness of the of the bovine variety: a now immortalized bullock called the Beauty.' We were both ready for an easy recovery day of riding, so we planned to take the short ride to Beaconsfield, tour a gold mine museum then return via Launceston for an easy 21 miles of riding.
A herd of Beauty's!
We set out hoping to spot the famous variety of bovine and were rewarded for our efforts a few miles outside of Beaconsville!
Beaconsville
Gold mine Museum
In 2006 there was a mine collapse where one miner was killed and two others spent two weeks awaiting rescue more that a kilometer below the surface. The museum was interesting and we headed back into town for a light snack. There was a lovely bakery with hot meat pies, wonderful pastries, and coffee. Only 6 miles into the ride, we decided to make it a true rest day and skip the rest of the route and head back to the ship for a wonderful 11 mile recovery day!
Day 9: Burnie/Penguin
Piano in the Star Lounge
Like any multi-day journey, after a day or two we fell into a 'Ground Hog Day' morning routine. I would wake up early, grab my iPad (with sheet music app installed) and head to the Star Lounge and play this piano for about an hour until the Yacht Club opened for breakfast. Then head to the Yacht Club and grab two cappuccinos to go and some pastries, cheese, and fruit. Using my iPad now as an expensive serving tray, head back to the cabin, wake up Debby and enjoy our coffee before heading to one of main restaurants for a real breakfast. Back to the cabin to put on our riding gear, gather the daily map and Garmins updated with the day's route, attend the route talk, and head out.
Very happy with some flat coastal miles today
Our progress was slowed only by stopping for pictures
The highway section had this guy
Today would be a long day in Burnie, and the theme of the day was penguins. The route was an out and back through the town of Penguin, to Ulverstone then back to Burnie. After a few miles on the Bass Highway the route was along dedicated bike paths and secondary beach roads. Wildflowers were everywhere along this very scenic and enjoyable route.
Around each bend was another great view
Flowers everywhere
Coffee shop in Ulverstone
Best coffee of the trip!
We spotted this coffee shop just a mile before the turnaround in Ulverstone and stopped in for coffee. The place was packed with locals, always a good sign! Since it was before the route turn-around, most of the Santana riders just kept going and we had the place to ourselves! There was a bike shop at the turn-around so I headed off to check it out while Debby chatted with a local couple that were wondering where all the bicyclists came from. By the time I got back 20 minutes later, they we were still there! We eventually finished our coffee and headed back the way we came.
Three Sisters Nature Preserve
Crew cab box van RV conversion
We were stopped at the overlook at the Three Sisters nature preserve when this guy drove up. We were admiring his rig and he was happy to give us a tour. He purchased this box van and converted it himself in a heavy duty RV. It even had a lift gate for his Enduro motor bike stored in the rear! He just arrived from the mainland and planned to tour Tasmania for the next several weeks!
Table Cape in the distance
We arrived back in Burnie, and after 36 miles on the bike, I decided to head up the coast to Table Cape. After the morning route talk, I checked Ride with GPS for an afternoon ride, since none were on offer from Santana. The run to Table Cape was recommended and started nearby so I loaded it into the Garmin 'just in case.'
Cow Cottage in Wynyard
Inglis River at the base of the Table Cape climb
More coastal riding, but there was a section of the road under construction, and while the views were great, it was easy to see why the Santana folks chose the route to Penguin/Ulverstone.
On the Table Cape climb
It was 15 miles to the base of the Table Cape climb then, 2.5 miles of 6.5% grade to the top. The climb was through beautiful farmland on a lightly traveled farm road.
Lookout at Table Cape
Burnie in the distance
There was a lookout at the top and several locals were enjoying a picnic lunch. After visiting with them and enjoying the views it was time to head back and enjoy the steep downhill back to Wynyard. I had purchased a replacement rear-view mirror in Ulverstone (mine had fallen off during one the truck transfers). It was not as secure as my old one and fell off somewhere on one of the steep descent sections where the the computer recorded a maximum speed of 40+ mph!
Hit the brakes to catch this photo on the descent
More beautiful coastal riding
Pilot car section on return to Burnie
The ship would not leave Burnie until 11pm so we could observe the nightly arrival of the Fairy Penguins. After dinner, we had representatives from the local university present a program about the Fairy Penguins before we departed to the viewing area via buses. These tiny penguins arrive nightly after dark to feed their young after a day of gorging at sea.
Penguin exhibit in Burnie
Burnie at night, waiting for the penguins arrival
The parents arrive in groups
To feed the young!
The guides used red torches (flashlights) to illuminate the young penguins waiting for their parents to arrive. The photos are a bit blurry using the night (non-flash) mode so as not to disturb them!
We hopped back on buses to the ship and pulled out at 11pm to cap an awesome day of riding and exploring!
Day 10: Devonport
Leaving the port on foot
Our last cycling day in Tasmania is in Devonport. It is a bustling commercial port and somehow Santana and our captain convinced the port managers to allow us to walk from the boat to our bikes waiting just outside the security fence. Every other port required us to depart on buses for security and safety. So while it may have looked like 300 cyclists getting out on parole, we were just tourists happy to avoid shuffling onto buses for a 200 meter ride!
Ready to ride
We found our bikes and headed out for the short ride option. The ship would be leaving for the Australian mainland at noon and we did not want to have to hurry our ride.
Mersey River on our way to Latrobe
We picked our way through town and into a quiet neighborhood when Debby noticed her power meter battery was out. As we approached a very steep grade, our hearts sank for a moment, until we realized our route took a sharp right and avoided the wall ahead. I told Deb to wait at the corner and hammered up the hill just for fun. As predicted a number of Santana cyclists stopped wondering if they should follow, then yelled 'hey you took a wrong turn!' It was steep, over 14%, but only about 100 meters, but well worth the entertainment value.
Returning to the bottom, I pulled out a fresh battery for Deb's machine and got to work on the replacement. In the meantime, a neighborhood couple came out to make sure we were OK and to find out where all the cyclists had come from. We had a lovely visit, they were recently retired farmers and were adjusting to living in the city. We recommended they take up cycle-touring!
New bike path
..with grade warnings!
We joined a brand-new bike path that followed the Mersey river to the half-way point of our ride in Latrobe. There was coffee shop there, and with plenty of time we stopped in for a break.
Raspberry farms
Heading back to Devonport
Tasmanian sheep bid us farewell
Leaving Latrobe it was a slight climb through pastures and berry farms. Cresting the hill, there were great ocean views as we passed the Devonport Airport and made our way back to the port.
Miss Jacquelines's
We still had plenty time before the departure, so we stopped at Miss Jacquelines's, a restaurant in a historic building. As it turned out, the restaurant was in its second day of operations and the kinks were quite evident. We decided on crepes with local fresh berries and they were wonderful. The cappuccinos, arrived when we asked for the check! Miss Jacqueline apologized profusely and they were on the house!
Dolphins playing in the bow wave
Since we were arriving back to the port in small groups, we had to load onto a bus for a two minute ride to the ship. Back on board we were soon underway, after a wonderful week in Tasmania!
Day 11: Geelong
Heading our on our own
Geelong is a major city that shares Port Arthur bay with Melbourne,it is much more conducive to cycling, and is where we spent our last two cycling days on the tour. After using Ride with GPS with success in Burnie, I scouted a route that was shorter that the 40 mile out and back and looked more interesting than the one on offer from Santana. It was, once we cleared a section of road construction getting out of town!
Wonderful country roads
Starting to forget how bad the road construction was!
We turned off the main highway onto a delightful farm road that would take us toward the beach town of Barwon. Once Debby was convinced I was not trying to get us killed in construction traffic, the ride became much more enjoyable.
Debby's first tandem jump!
Just kidding!
We passed an airfield just outside of Barwon and this group of tandem sky divers were just landing. Debby said something like, 'real danger is riding with you sometimes!'
Wonderful beach lunch in Barwon
We were both getting to the edge of 'Hanger' when we rolled into Barwon. This wonderful beach side cafe was busy and had an open table...the perfect combination. Another great lunch, and just in time!
State park with RV campsites in Barwon
Bike trail back to the ship
Our 'bandito' route rejoined the Santana route for the last 10 miles of our 33 mile route, quite unexpected on my part, as a couple of tandem riders flashed by, wondering if were on the long route. It was a great rail trail with a consistent 1 percent down grade through farms and stables.
Geelong park with our ship in the harbor
She's totally forgotten about the construction!
We arrived back at the start, returned our bikes to the truck team and boarded a tender back to the ship. Quite an adventure day for sure! One last highlight of the day, the Windstar Signature Deck BBQ
This guy looked familiar!
It was a great way to finish the day
Star Breeze Crew perform 'YMCA"
The Windstar Signature Deck BBQ, is a tradition on most Windstar Cruises. The food was fantastic, the weather was perfect, and the crew talent show was very entertaining. A great way to end our day.
Day 12: Geelong/Great Otway National Park
Our last day of cycling would start with a two hour bus ride to the Beech Forest for a 'tree walk' among the tree tops. Then a 30 mile bike ride to Apollo Beech to pack the bikes, then a bus ride back to Geelong along the Great Ocean Road.
Otway Fly Tree Walk
The tree walk started a kilometer from visitor center and more climbing thereafter to reach the 600 meter walkway suspended about 100 feet off the ground. Deb wisely decided to save her feet for the ride and waited in the visitor center while I powered through. I was glad I did and was convinced she had made the right decision too!
Bikes await the last ride of the tour
We found our bikes and headed out on the route. Only two options today, both about the same distance; one would take the Wild Dog Road which was a gravel forest road, or the state highway.
Rolling farm land
Seemed perfectly good to me!
Restricted lumber road
Typical farmhouse
It was 17 miles of great riding through field and forest before we hit the junction where the routes diverged.
Wild Dog Road!
It was decision time and we elected to get 'dirty' on the Wild Dog Road. It was great; no traffic, and like many gravel roads, it was so hard packed that it was smoother than many paved roads!
Great views on the Wild Dog!
A few miles on the Great Ocean Road
Both routes joined the Great Ocean road for the last 3 miles to Apollo Bay and the ride finish.
Packing the bikes in the park
The plan was to pack the bikes, load them in trucks, and board the bus for a scenic ride along the Great Ocean road back to Geelong. I found the cases and started the packing process while Deb found carry out pizza and refreshments to enjoy while we packed the bikes.
Apollo Bay
We boarded the bus and started our journey and the first few miles were great until the A/C unit on the bus stopped working! It was a three hour ride, the first two of which were unbearable. We stopped about an hour from Geelong at a park/rest area and I literally was checking my phone for an Uber! Meanwhile the bus driver decided to power off the entire bus and see if the A/C would come back on. Miraculously it did! We were thankful but wondered why he had not tried that hours ago!
One more tender ride back to the ship to pack up and get ready to disembark in Melborne!
Disembark and Melbourne Post-tour
We booked three nights in Melbourne to spend independently touring the city. And like Sydney, we packed in quite a few activities before heading home! Here's a few:
St. Patrick's Cathedral
Arriving for Sunday Mass
It was Sunday and a short walk to Mass, but we were moving slowly and half-way we jumped in
a cab so we wouldn't be late. We had a lovely cab driver who pointed
out that it was only a few more blocks walking. After I told him that we
would be late for the start of Mass if we walked, he rushed us to
church. He was excited to hear about our journey and refused to charge
us a fare or accept a tip. He said, it was his pleasure to get travelers
to church on time!
Lots of shopping
We didn't wait in this line for Santa
Great performance of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Touring the city on foot
Too bad I didn't need a haircut
Many great meals
Royal Botanical Gardens
Crew teams working out
Melbourne was a wonderful town and the only thing we didn't get done was an evening harbor kayak dinner tour recommended by a former Deloitte colleague of my Dad's. The weather turn cold and windy and was cancelled by the outfitter.
That was probably the best, as we were pretty exhausted by this point in the trip and ready to get home, and perhaps like you; ready for this blog/adventure to end too!
