Halfway around...

and I think Tassie has a hold of my heart.

Unplanned, I started the bicycle circumnavigation around Tasmania in an anti-clockwise direction, starting with the more mountainous, moist, and rugged western area first, along with a new friend also on two wheels - Freddie!

A stunning place the west of Tassie is - remote, full of wild moist rain forests, mountainous roads, and abundant wildlife (wombats, padmelons, tiger snakes, honeyeaters, rosellas, wallabies, lizards, echidnas, quolls, and of course, possums). The thing about Tasmania that is so impressive is that its got an amazingly small population (500 000 people, 215 000 which live in the capital, Hobart, from where I write to you now) and an equally amazing amount of protected national parkland and other protected reserves - they are massive tracts of land. I took two days "off" in two of these National Parks. My first day off the bike seat was in Cradle Mountain National Park where I proceeded to hike to the 18km to the summit of the mountain, at an elevation of 1545m. My other day "off" was in Lake St. Clair National Park where again, I went on a bush walk to an elevation of 1416m. These all day, 15+ km hikes were stunning, exposing me to so much more of the Tasmanian wilderness (glacial lakes, alpine environments, including Pandani forests - my new favourite plant, that I promise I will write a children's book about - its a magical setting that they grow in - willy wonka's choco land style, cushion plans, little boardwalks, trickly brown streams...) Climbing to these peaks with new found friends was amazing - never have I scrambled over massive dolerite protrusions to meet alpine summits - so special.

After some more mountainous riding, Poppy decided she was tired, and my back derailleur cable snapped just as I arrived safely in the quaint fishing village of Strahan after bidding farewell to Freddie a couple days earlier. After learning there was no bike shop in town, and there was not very many camping spots left either, I was feeling somewhat defeated. But as the universe has provided so many times before - that day was not an exception. Tony and Lisa introduced themselves, welcomed me to camp on their site, and reminded me of the fact that on that very day, there just so happened to be a cycle race finishing in Strahan, with 300 cyclists bombarding this little town - there just had to be some technical bikey support of sorts! And there was! The wonderful Michael fixed Poppy up, and we were ready to tackle more mountains en route to Hobart - this time, with Brian and his bicycle T.J. (another cycling buddie that I had met a couple days before!)

And cycle on we sure did - all the way to Mount Field National Park. After some amazing summing, pleasantly warm weather, challenging bike days, amazing serene free (and not so free) camping spots, new and inspiring friends, I met up with Krista! She flew to Hobart to 'hang for the weekend in the big smoke of Hobart. Over the weekend, we ate amazing food, browsed the famous Salamanca Market, spent time on the magical Hobart harbour, hiked in Mount Field National Park, took in some live jazz, checked out the ever so unique MONA museum and shared fellowship. She's truly one of my favourite people in the whole wide world, and we had a ball of a weekend.

Poppy had a visit to the "bike doctor" where the lovely Cam at Tassie cycles gave her a new cassette and chain. And now, we are all ready to go again. Up the east coast of Tasmania. I can't wait to get back into my tent after a few days of staying indoors. I can't wait to cook over my camp stove again, pitch my lovely tent, and shop at the smallest grocery stores ever. So far, the Tasmanian people and places I have been have been wonderful, and perfect for cycle touring. I can only hope for as safe and amazing adventures for the eastern half of this island state.

Sending you pedal strokes from the seat of my bicycle...

Love, Kayla