All the motorcyclist headed out about 10 for the Highland Lakes ride. Because we knew it would be high and she was still not really well, Kerry pillioned with Warren on the Buell. Because we knew there was gravel Andrew headed for Deloraine to meet us at that end while the rest of us headed up from the Poatina end. The ride heads through Longford again were we rode past Brett's mum's place again to show Kate, and then into rolling farmland. They had the largest pivot irrigation units I have ever seen there was one that would have been at least 500m long. Poatina was of the road a bit and was based of the production on hydro power. From here we started to climb. Amazingly we climbed through the cloud. At the top we came to the community of Cramps. It reminded me for all the world on Grumpy Old Men when they go fishing on the lake. It was a number of fishing huts of varying conditions scattered around a boat ramp. There was a gravel road in and from there people seem to have made there own. This was the nature of housing all the way around the lake. Although the quality and permanency of house was much higher in Miena which also have a shop servo and a hotel. We stopped here and had a hot chocolate. The best we had had with the exception on Cadbury.
The next part of the trip included the gravel so we took time to relax before we took it on. We meet a bloke of a Bandit the same as our old one in much better nick. We swap stories. His story was a bit the same as ours about returning to motorcycling after a long time. I think he was encouraged that he was not the only crazy old bloke. The gravel was in good condition and not the same as the map or the signs. There was 9k then about 1k of bitumen and then another 10k followed by 7 of bitumen and finally 2 more of gravel. I was surprised by the amount of traffic we met. The 7k in the middle was new so maybe by next visit it will be all bitumen. Andrew was at the end to met us and he had had plenty of time to scope this end out. He lead us to scope out all the good photo spots and lookouts.
When we got to Deloraine we split up. It was nearly 2pm Warren and Kerry were keen to make the seahorse ranch so were Anna and Kate. So they headed for Beaconsfield and then on to Beauty Point. Andrew followed. Logan, Robyn and I fuelled thinking we may squeeze in another ride maybe to Port Sorell. I was to tried. I still struggle in the afternoon. So we ended up in a cafe in Beasonsfield. Andrew not that keen on seahorses return to join us. All the others did the ranch tour. It sound well worth the effort. They had stories of their unusual life cycle and picture of their vivid colours. We wander around the Beaconsfield Mine museum (did not pay and go in) and found the monument to the mine disaster that stopped the world as they rescued two trapped survivors.
Logan and Andrew when of to join their family in search of Fairy Penguins (to no avail) the rest Hoppers and Tysoes when back to Launceston in search of Hobbit tickets. 6 o'clock was sold out. Hopper came back to the 9 session and Tysoe's wisely went home to bed.
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