Day 8 Somerset to Strahan

We got up to a nice morning the sun was out it was cool and at first there was little wind. The plan was to get away about 9.30. Deanne was unwell and ticked off. She never gets sick but here she was on holiday and sick. She was ready to resort to cold and flu tablets. By about 8 we had everyone awake, Logan and Warren were cooking bacon and eggs in the park. It was much more sheltered in the motel complex so we group some of the little tables and had breakfast. Our bags were a bit lighter as we put on most of the clothes and our wet weathers again. Some of the forecasts were mentioning snow. We left closer to 10.30. It is a challenge to have so many people ready at the same time.

Logan, Deanne, Shelby and Joel were headed into Cradle mountain as they missed it yesterday. It did not disappoint. In was cold, wet and spectacular for them too. The rest of us went on to Tullah for lunch. We managed to ride behind the rain. Only once did it shower on us although the road was wet most of the way. The road was great. Tight, smooth and even bends in good condition, almost no potholes. It rises up to the Cradle Mountain turnoff and then from there it was mostly down hill long sweeping bends with some tight stuff. We were reminded that it is really is slippery when wet. Kerry put her bike down too making a U turn before Cradle mountain when her tyre slipped on the white line. No damage. Again Just before Tullah a car going our direction had not made a turn and slid off into the trees.

Lunch in Tullah was entertaining. The people who ran it did a good job but they did not dress anything up. It was the tucker you make for yourself at home. Except the plates of chips. They were huge. From here we when to the museum in Zeehan. Robyn and I (and the girls of course) had been here 10 years earlier it was great then and they have done some major work since to include the adjacent buildings. The Masonic lodge, the police station and court house and the Gallic theatre. As well as building a blacksmiths shop and a motor display, a timber getters hut and a complete underground mine display. Logan and Deanne catch us up here and we spent a good two hours wandering around learning about the timber and mining industries that opened this area up. All the time thinking how cold life must have been.

The ride to Strahan was different to any thing in Tassie to date. There were big long undulating straights with some 60km/h bends in between. The most spectacular was coming over a peak to have our first full view of the west coast and the southern ocean. The greatest surprise was still to come. Castaway Cabins in Strahan is a great place to stay. We had little houses to stay in with two bedrooms a full kitchen and a large dining lounge, heating, an everything provided (for a gold coin donation) laundry and they provided undercover accommodation for our bikes. Kerry and I are now worried that Hobart and Launceston may not be its equal. We had tea some watch a movie while other went to bed. One more point of interest. Their is no Optus reception in Strahan. Again the accommodation came up trumps - $5 for wifi for the length of your stay.