Day 35 21st June (Winter Solstice) Hobart – Rest Day
Unfortunately we have to leave our B&B because it’s booked out.
To the relief of many viewers – none of us attended and participated in the nude swim in the Derwent that has become a tradition to celebrate the winter solstice!
Instead, we all gear up and head out in different directions. Hobart is busy with the winter solstice festival and “Dark MOFO”. I’m at a little mum and Dad motel on the outskirts of Hobart on Risdon Road with my sons Stephen and Gavan. We decide to go for a ride out along the river and into some of the hills and have an enjoyable couple of hours before heading back to the Supreme Court precinct where we’ve arranged to all meet up with the boys from TasPol highway patrol. There’s two marked bikes to escort us through the CBD to prearranged parking near police headquarters.
We are all invited in to meet with Commissioner Darren Hine. Darren has been a great supporter of the wall2wall ride since it’s inception and is looking forward to this year’s event. He re-iterates how great it is to have so many from all police agencies together to remember fallen mates and reflect on what that means. Thank you Darren for your time, your continued support and the welcome you extended to us.
We all head off to our different motels. We meet up at the Customs house hotel for maybe not the last supper but one of the best meals we’ll have on this trip. Lairdy has booked the Rockwall Restaurant in Salamanca Place. We eat like kings and hang the expense.
Some of us let what little hair we’ve got left down in Hobart town! We end up in another hotel listening to a rock band and mixing with the beautiful people.
Day 36 22nd June Hobart to St Helens
We are not in a hurry today and that’s probably a good thing. At 10am we ride back down to Salamanca to go to the market, Stephen, Gavan and me meet up with John Laird, wander the market stall, buy gifts for those at home, have a bite to eat and head out of town. others’ are making their own way to St Helens. It’s a slow ride up the main Tasman Highway. The Tassie boys recommended all sorts of back roads and maybe if the weather was better we’d take that option but it’s been a long journey for a few of us, it’s foggy, a little cold and wet in places so we just take in the magnificent scenery on the East Cost of Tasmania. The road is slippery in places too with something on the road near the Richmond turn off that catches a few out. Sliding the front wheel is not fun.
Pulling into the bakery in Swansea there’s three of our mob. Spike Georg and John Foster are just finishing up as we roll in. I get a message Luke and Huddo are already at St Helens. A cuppa and feed and we’re off again.
On the road I spy a white Harley with sidecar coming the other way. It’s my mate from Mildura Terry (Moose) McGowan. Big waves as we head in opposite directions. My son Gavan and I have a play in the hills aw the corners open up and the weather get a little better.
There’s no doubt about it, for motorcyclists, Tasmania is just a great place to visit.
It’s mid afternoon. Some decide to stay, Lairdy and Gavan go for a short ride up to the ‘pub the paddock and return just on dusk. We all have a quiet night at the Bayside hotel motel.