TASMANIA 2009

I spent a summer in the southern hemisphere near the closest major port to Antarctica exploring the Australian bush on
my mountain bike.

I miss Tasmania. 20° C weather every day — 70° F. Here are some of the highlights...

This turned out to be a place explored by Darwin. He was interested in the same rocky bluffs that drew me to the
ridge.

While I was in Tasmania, I had the honor of a job interview with the electrical engineering manager for Australia's Antarctic operations. The Australian Antarctic Division headquarters in Kingston had the air of a place where important things were happening.

I rode some fantastic trails. I was fortunate to find a few established trails and dirt roads connecting natural
bike-ways along what I learned was called The Bluff. I knew it as The Cliff. I later discovered I was riding atop a
prominant landmark visible from anywhere in the region; probably from within a 50 mile radius of Hobart, Tasmania's
capital city.

It was first my challenge to find a loop that was ridable—minimal hike-a-bike. The second challenge arose to be able
to negotiate off-trail tracks; somewhat of a contradiction in terms, but applicable. Since I got stuck in heavy brush and
came back dirty and scraped up, my first venture or two into the bush well fit a friend's name for the place, "the sticks".

By the third time out or so with GPS and satellite imagery, I found a route to a dirt road that accomodated a loop.
And then soon, I found my way to The Cliff. The route along The Cliff loop was a spectacular ride, comparable
in form to any well built track you could imagine. It was smooth and easy to find a line. Yet there were logs to
climb over and rocky drops; all ridable, but requiring skill. In short—fun. I should note that I don't generally
advocate unauthorized off-trail riding. Leave no trace. Beyond The Cliff, my path came back onto a fire road, and from
there a choice of several steep-drop "rock garden" tracks that, in my humble opinion, were world-class mountain
bike downhills. The return downhill runs required solid concentration all the way to the bottom.

I chased wallabies through the bush from time to time...with respect of course.

I was able to crew for several races through the summer on 40' keel boats with the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania. I
didn't get pictures, since I was busy learning ropes as a novice. It was a privilege to participate.

Amazing.

This is the view of sailing in Tasmania...

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