2013 Australia Ride Stage 20

PRE-RIDE: For those arriving today, unpack your bike, relax and explore Salamanca Place, a collection of harbourside old sandstone warehouses now converted to art galleries, craft shops and restaurants. On Saturdays, Salamanca comes alive with the famous Salamanca Market. Over 300 stallholders sell fresh and gourmet produce, arts, crafts and handiwork crafts from all over Tasmania, interstate and overseas.

For those that stayed here last night we will leave early for an optional ride up Mt Wellington at 9am, with morning tea and full vehicle support. It's only 20km each way but a healthy climb with magnificent views and of course it's all downhill to your hotel overlooking the harbour (ride cost $25).

After returning from the Mt Wellington ride around lunchtime, we will take our bus to the world famous MONA gallery (nominal fee can be paid direct on the day).

later in the afternoon we will go out for a quick skills ride and check over the bikes before official registration and meeting with all your fellow riders. Accommodation tonight is an optional extra.

Day 1: Leaving the beautiful port of Hobart, with Mt Wellington on your left, we follow the Derwent River dotted with bright spinnakers, past gracious buildings and colonial villages like New Norfolk, similar to what you would expect from the English countryside. We gradually climb after morning tea, then finish the day with a beautiful downhill to the quaint little town of Hamilton, with its authentic cottages lining both sides of the main street.

Day 2: The countryside is stunning, as we pass the dam on the Derwent and cross bridges, over tossing waters, with natural lakes and places to explore. Then it's up a few hills and through thick forest to Tarraleah hydro station with a magnificent view from the top and it's quite special to see our route way down there alongside the river. Lunch at Bronte Lagoon in the high country before staying at the grand old hotel in the bush.

Day 3: Derwent Bridge is at the mouth of Lake St Clair and Lake William. Surrounded by small mountains and rugged countryside we enter the southern end of Cradle Mountain National Park and then cross the Collingwood & Franklin Rivers. A short boardwalk and a cuppa at the Franklin River then exceptional cycle touring continues through this pristine area before lunch at Nelson Falls. Cycle around Lake Burbury, past copper mines leading to the magnificent views overlooking Queenstown, before the long descent. Wow, what a great day.

Day 4: An early morning rise will give you time to explore this classic town at daybreak, perhaps a walk along the river before breakfast. We leave the stark bare hills of this old copper mining town and cycle through undulating thick bush to the beautiful port side town of Strahan. An easy day leaving plenty of time to take a boat or seaplane ride down Macquarie Harbour and up into the Gordon river. An area made famous by its convict history and the Huon pine that was logged there for boats that still exist today. Now this rugged and beautiful part of Tasmania is a World Heritage Area. Tonight it's the classic live play 'The Ship that Never Was' right on the foreshore.

Day 5: An easy ride through bush skirting the Southern Ocean, with magnificent marine views. Zeehan and Rosebery are both mining towns and cradled in the veins of some serious hill climbing, both up and down, finishing back at waters edge. This day is quite spectacular for the scenery and beauty of Tasmania's west coast. Take it easy, absorb the atmosphere and revel in our glorious accommodation overlooking Lake Rosebery.

Day 6: Lake Rosebery is low, so we have some climbing through incredibly stunning countryside, stopping along the way to rest, eat and observe the sights of Dove Lake and Cradle Mountain. Exquisite scenery. Most people arrive at Cradle Mountain by car, but to have the privilege of arriving by bike you really set the scene of today's dreamtime getaway. Explore the area after lunch and watch out for natures wildlife roaming the roads.

Day 7: It's a big day today. It should be all downhill, but it's not, however it is a fast ride with breathtaking scenery on both sides. Sheffield township is coated in murals of local life then it's south through Elizabeth Town to our final overnight stop of Deloraine. Tonight we enjoy a final farewell group dinner as we celebrate a wonderful week in an amazing part of the world.

Day 8: After our big ride yesterday, it is just a hop, skip and a jump to our destination of Launceston, completing the western loop of Tasmania. Thank you for sharing this ride with us and we hope to see you on another ride very soon.

Congratulations Tassie Tourers!

Thank you for the welcome home, I had a great time, I was not prepared for all the up up and more ups but it was a challenge for which I am proud of my achievement, to finish the ride. The service that you guys provide was fantastic I can not say anything bad. The accommodation was very good, food was great and I can not speak highly enough about Ben and Peter. They were fantastic Ben is a great asset to Alltrails. He knows his stuff and is supporting and it was nice to be around Ben and Peter knowing they were there to back us up if needed. I hope to return one day for another Alltrails ride. Leah B (QLD) Tassie West 2013

Feel free to contact us at any time through our website ‘Contact Us’ page, phone or email. We love what we do and want to get you on the best bike ride for you. Speak to us about what's on your mind and we'll help you make your decision.

You really need to be a reasonably keen cyclist, however not necessarily fast, but consistent. If you can sit on an average speed of 20-25 km/hr on the flat, you will be fine. There is plenty of time to build your kilometre total distance in training, to gradually attain about 90km a day with some good hills for 2 days straight. We will send you a training guide in your Welcome Pack upon booking. Let us know if you would like to look at this now. In situations where you cannot complete a particular section of the ride for any reason we will always have support vehicles to transfer you and your bike.

We always try to obtain great accommodation for you to rest your weary head (and legs) in each town whether it be a motel, cabins, B&Bs, chalets or lodges (3, 3.5, 4, 4.5 star). On occasion we travel through some very small towns and villages where accommodation is limited but we can almost always track down some nice clean accommodation with character and charm.

On the online entry form you can nominate any travelling companions that you would like to share a room with and/or be accommodated close to so that couples or friends can be roomed together. This can be in a double bed or in twin beds. If you are travelling alone like many of our riders, you can choose to 'twin share' where single riders are paired with other riders of the same gender and sometimes changed at each accommodation to create interest in sharing rooms. Single Supplement is also available for those that would like their own room for the whole trip. If you are a chronic snorer or have other habits that may affect your fellow room-mates we suggest booking your own room.

Not a problem! You’ll find other like-minded cycling companions taking part in our rides. If you’re a solo traveller we will pair you with other solo travellers of the same gender in twin share accommodation or you can opt for Single Supplement (additional cost) to receive a room of your own.

If you are a chronic snorer or have other habits that may affect your fellow room-mates we suggest booking your own room (single supplement cost). This is not just a courtesy to your fellow travelling companions, but will also give you the space & privacy you need to enjoy your sleep after a long day on the bike.

Always a big part of any cycling holiday! Check tour details for meal inclusions on your ride. Our emphasis is on fresh food and balanced diet with plenty of carbohydrates, proteins, fruit and vegies catering for a cycling holiday. We successfully cater to most dietary requirements, however feel free to contact us with any questions. Most meals are included as part of our tours, however you may be required to purchase some meals. See the 'Day to Day' tab for more details, or click the 'Generate Itinerary' button.

We have a great safety record and do our best to inform motorists so that they can drive accordingly, however cyclists have to play their part in keeping well over to the left. We have support vehicles on the road showing 'Caution Cyclists' signs and a ‘tail end Charlie’ (vehicle following the last rider) with a flashing beacon to warn traffic about our cycling group. You will also be briefed before each day's ride pointing out parts of the road that may get narrow or have any known hazards.

Absolutely. We will be happy to give you the names and telephone numbers of people who have participated in the ride or a similar ride that you are considering. Where possible we will provide you with the details of someone within your city or state. Another good place to look is our ‘Testimonials’ page on our website.

Contact us if you would like to find out about booking an info session for your group of friends, or if you would like to find out about a travel talk happening near you in the future. Be inspired, hear from the experts, learn more about a destination and even book your tour on the night.

By air you can fly directly into Hobart and directly out of Launceston. You can also depart by the Spirit of Tasmania ferry from Devonport (100km from Launceston) which goes to Melbourne. For ferry information visit www.spiritoftasmania.com.au

Our tours have been specifically scheduled to take into consideration the best time of year to travel to that destination. This takes into account the temperate range, possible rainfall, prevailing winds and the best times to view the attractions on route. Of course, we can’t ever control the weather however this only adds to the adventure and excitement of your travel experience! For more specific weather and climate information visit bom.gov.au

A bike mechanic will be part of our crew and is there to help you with minor adjustments and servicing of your bike and will have a good stand pump for different valves. We will have limited parts available for replacement which will be charged at shop prices. Labour is free for the first fifteen minutes, there after costs may be incurred at the mechanic's discretion. Cyclists with rare or different bikes are asked to contact us at AllTrails and advise our mechanic.

We do not have a fleet of hire bikes however we can usually help you out with organising bike hire through our local contacts near our office in Melbourne, or closer to a ride departure location. When you make your booking just let us know that you would also like to hire a bike and we will get the ball rolling for you and put you in touch with the right people where possible. You can also bring your own seat and/or pedals to give you that little bit of 'home comfort'.

Travel Insurance for lost deposits and cancellations:

www.travelinsurancedirect.com.au/

www.travelinsurancecover.com.au/

Lost deposits: We very strongly recommend you take out travel insurance for your trip. This should include cover for cancellation fees, lost deposits, and stolen or lost luggage (including your bike). We cannot emphasise enough how important this is. There are many unforseen reasons why cyclists may need to withdraw from a ride - injury, health, weddings, business, personal and many more. Cancellation fees can be a major financial loss to you and as a small business we need to adhere to our cancellation policies. Please go to the ride page on our website for your ride and click the 'Terms & Conditions' button to see the ride's cancel policy.

Travel Insurance: Domestic travel insurance cover tends to be significantly cheaper than international cover (approx $50 for one week). Above are two websites that offer both international and domestic travel insurance that you can look at. You can also speak to your local travel agent, or often airline booking websites will offer travel insurance as an optional extra as you book your flight.

Cyclist insurance for accidents & medical:

http://www.bicyclenetwork.com.au/general/join-in/91741/

http://www.bq.org.au/join/insurance/

This is also very strongly recommended. We cannot emphasise enough how important this is. Cycling can be a dangerous activity and you must be prepared for the worst. You may have an accident in training for the ride, on the ride itself, or cycling down to the corner dairy. If you are a cyclist coming on our tour you should be 100% prepared for the unexpected.

Cyclist insurance can be bought separately, or it comes with cycling memberships such as Bicycle Network Victoria or Bicycle Queensland. If you are involved in a crash or collision they will support you with personal injury costs, loss of income, third party liability insurance, assistance in completing your claim paper work & free legal consultation.

Life Insurance and TPD Insurance (often paid through your superannuation), and Private Health Insurance are also worth considering.

We suggest you carry a spare tube, a full water bottle and your own personal goods such as camera, wallet and perhaps rain gear if it’s threatening. We transport your luggage, day packs, food & extra water. A detailed list of what is required and provided will be sent to you in your pre-tour info pack.

Welcome! Traditionally most of the clientele on our rides have been from Australia or New Zealand, but we also have had many riders from USA and UK/Europe. You just need to make sure that your passport and visas are in order and check the cost of transferring your bike to Australia, or rent one here.

A comfortable racing bike, road bike or touring bike with a good seat and road tires with slick or near-slick tread. A hybrid or mountain bike is also possible if you are comfortable riding the daily distances and average speed of the tour (ask us for the 'Training Tips' document for this ride).

People from all parts of Australia and overseas. Ages generally range from 30 - 70 with the average age about 50 years old. Adventurous cyclists usually about 40% women & 60% men with a mix of singles, friends and couples.

We recommend you bring a soft bag or backpack. We advise against bringing a suitcase as they are bulky, difficult to stow on board vehicles or trailers and heavy. You may be required to lift or carry your own luggage from time to time, e.g. into accommodation. Any excess luggage may need to be stored or forwarded on to your final destination at your own expense. Information about what to pack is included as part of your Pre-Departure information. Generally we advise that you pack as light as possible.