Tasmanian Trail Ride - 30Nov-5Dec 2014
Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 12:12 pm
Hi everyone
This comes to you as an invitation for a challenge ride as a “you might be interested” note. I am organising a mountain bike ride from Devonport to Dover from the Sunday the 30th of November to Friday the 5th of December. Anyone/everyone is welcome to come along with the theory of the more the merrier.
It’s around 480kms on a variety of surfaces but generally on some form of road with a bit of off road stuff in between. From Devonport we head up and over the highlands, back down through to Ouse and the Derwent valley and then over the back of the mountain through to Dover - so there’s a bit of pedalling to be done!
The distances per day are reasonably high but, apart from the ascent of the Tiers the riding is reasonable and we’ve got all day.
The format will generally be the same as the annual “February Ride” that I organise in terms of accommodation and food but will be semi-supported with a trailer/s to carry gear. It won’t be a tail car as such as, for a fair percentage of time, the car won’t be able to follow us. It is more likely that the vehicles will scoot around us and set up a stop point in front of us and wait for everyone to get through. That way we will have a process of being able to get your food and coffee stops on a regular basis as needed.
The evening stop points are going to be limited according to the distances we can cover each day so we will probably have to camp at least at one stop point. There is the opportunity to camp at each stop point. Depending on the number of people coming along we might not have much choice given the scarcity of accommodation in some locations. Organising accommodation is up to you. Similarly organising food is up to you.
I am still working through the various stages but at present it looks something like: -
Sunday - transport to Devonport and then around 40kms to Sheffield
Monday – 90- kms to Liffey
Tuesday – 70+ kms to Miena including the tough climb up the tiers
Wednesday – 90kms to Ouse - downhill
Thursday – 80kms to New Norfolk
Friday – 100+ kms to Dover
These numbers are pretty big but we’ve got all day! If we average 15kmph then an average day starts at 8:30am and we should be finished and settled in by 4pm. The last time I did this ride was in 2004 and we did it four days – madness! We started at 7 and some days finished at 7 – ouch.
If you are not going to make it on any one day then the support crew is going to come in very handy so you need to be very, very nice to them at all times!
In terms of the nitty gritty arrangements and costs the following is what you will likely be up for : -
Insurance: - this is not a commercial enterprise so there is no insurance coverage for you. It is the same as any bunch ride you go on. It is up to you to decide whether you are going to turn up and whether you will act appropriately. No-one is going to tell you what to do so you are responsible for your own actions. If you want insurance you should organise your own for whatever consequences you think may occur. Recognising that – if you are acting inappropriately – someone will ask you to leave – either nicely or otherwise.
Transport: – You need to get to Devonport before 12pm on Sunday the 30th. You need to get home from Dover on Friday the 5th. In between – if you are going to use the support vehicles you need to support them in terms of costs. Their costs are going to include petrol for the vehicle and food and accommodation for the support team. If you are not going to use an organised support vehicle then you can organise your own – easy.
For those who might be planning not to ride every day then you need to manage your transport from finish point on one day to start point on your next day. It is not a given that you will get a seat in a support vehicle – or if you do you will be following their regimen and not yours.
Accommodation: - You are going to be responsible for your own. At each stop point there is going to be a camp site. Similarly, there is going to be a variety of options for other forms of accommodation. It is up to you to organise. I can assist, as necessary, in coordinating other accommodation but “assist” is the word.
Food: - You are responsible for all your food requirements. That means if you want a half strength decaf soy latte in a glass at the appropriate temperature somewhere on the road between Lachlan and Judbury – then your organising skills are going to be tested. If you are using the support vehicles then you can use them to carry your food and drinks in your containers.
By the time we get to the start point we will have a pretty detailed schedule of where the support team will be and when and that will allow you to plan what you need where and when in terms of food, clothing, drinks, etc.
Navigation: - Again – you are on your own. There is a trail book provided by the Tassie Trail network and you can order that on line from their website at http://www.tasmaniantrail.com.au" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; I recommend everyone get a copy which is a download at $17. Things have changed a bit since the last time we did this so there are a significant number of way-points noted in the 30 pages of maps provided. That means you can program the trip into your GPS and are unlikely to get lost - !?!. I assume that when one of us programs the trip into our machine we will be able to transfer them somehow. I just hope we have kids interested who can do that sort of stuff! In any event the trail book has 70 pages of detailed information that is well worth the read.
Break-downs: -The bain of all cyclists is a good old fashioned equipment malfunction. Apart from the start point in Devonport we are unlikely to be anywhere near a bike shop until you get home. You need to be ready for this. There might be some other riders with some mechanical skills coming along but the primary responsibility for having a road/trail/track worthy bike is yours. That means you need to have spares of whatever you need spares for – just like any bunch ride - likely to last five days. If you are half way from Miena to Ouse and need to pull out from a mechanical that means you need to have had a plan in place to get home – and – ideally that plan will work.
Interested?
If you are interested or might be interested – let me know. All I need is an expression of interest so that I get an idea of the number of people interested. While I don’t have much to organise I need to get an idea of volume so I can start negotiating space at the various stop points along the way. That won’t lock anyone into anything. People will pull out at the last minute for all the good reasons and people will come in at the last minute as opportunity arises. I always assume that the first will outweigh the second, and things will go smoothly from there.
What next?
All I need is an email or a phone call to add you on my list. I will send out periodical updates on what is happening and what the known logistics are. Again, there is no commitment on your part – no different to any bunch ride or the multi-day February Bunch Ride – it is up to you whether you turn up on any day - or not.
Dale 0400985333
daleandrewcarney@gmail.com
Bicycles.net.au - personal message to - BenevolantDictatorD
This comes to you as an invitation for a challenge ride as a “you might be interested” note. I am organising a mountain bike ride from Devonport to Dover from the Sunday the 30th of November to Friday the 5th of December. Anyone/everyone is welcome to come along with the theory of the more the merrier.
It’s around 480kms on a variety of surfaces but generally on some form of road with a bit of off road stuff in between. From Devonport we head up and over the highlands, back down through to Ouse and the Derwent valley and then over the back of the mountain through to Dover - so there’s a bit of pedalling to be done!
The distances per day are reasonably high but, apart from the ascent of the Tiers the riding is reasonable and we’ve got all day.
The format will generally be the same as the annual “February Ride” that I organise in terms of accommodation and food but will be semi-supported with a trailer/s to carry gear. It won’t be a tail car as such as, for a fair percentage of time, the car won’t be able to follow us. It is more likely that the vehicles will scoot around us and set up a stop point in front of us and wait for everyone to get through. That way we will have a process of being able to get your food and coffee stops on a regular basis as needed.
The evening stop points are going to be limited according to the distances we can cover each day so we will probably have to camp at least at one stop point. There is the opportunity to camp at each stop point. Depending on the number of people coming along we might not have much choice given the scarcity of accommodation in some locations. Organising accommodation is up to you. Similarly organising food is up to you.
I am still working through the various stages but at present it looks something like: -
Sunday - transport to Devonport and then around 40kms to Sheffield
Monday – 90- kms to Liffey
Tuesday – 70+ kms to Miena including the tough climb up the tiers
Wednesday – 90kms to Ouse - downhill
Thursday – 80kms to New Norfolk
Friday – 100+ kms to Dover
These numbers are pretty big but we’ve got all day! If we average 15kmph then an average day starts at 8:30am and we should be finished and settled in by 4pm. The last time I did this ride was in 2004 and we did it four days – madness! We started at 7 and some days finished at 7 – ouch.
If you are not going to make it on any one day then the support crew is going to come in very handy so you need to be very, very nice to them at all times!
In terms of the nitty gritty arrangements and costs the following is what you will likely be up for : -
Insurance: - this is not a commercial enterprise so there is no insurance coverage for you. It is the same as any bunch ride you go on. It is up to you to decide whether you are going to turn up and whether you will act appropriately. No-one is going to tell you what to do so you are responsible for your own actions. If you want insurance you should organise your own for whatever consequences you think may occur. Recognising that – if you are acting inappropriately – someone will ask you to leave – either nicely or otherwise.
Transport: – You need to get to Devonport before 12pm on Sunday the 30th. You need to get home from Dover on Friday the 5th. In between – if you are going to use the support vehicles you need to support them in terms of costs. Their costs are going to include petrol for the vehicle and food and accommodation for the support team. If you are not going to use an organised support vehicle then you can organise your own – easy.
For those who might be planning not to ride every day then you need to manage your transport from finish point on one day to start point on your next day. It is not a given that you will get a seat in a support vehicle – or if you do you will be following their regimen and not yours.
Accommodation: - You are going to be responsible for your own. At each stop point there is going to be a camp site. Similarly, there is going to be a variety of options for other forms of accommodation. It is up to you to organise. I can assist, as necessary, in coordinating other accommodation but “assist” is the word.
Food: - You are responsible for all your food requirements. That means if you want a half strength decaf soy latte in a glass at the appropriate temperature somewhere on the road between Lachlan and Judbury – then your organising skills are going to be tested. If you are using the support vehicles then you can use them to carry your food and drinks in your containers.
By the time we get to the start point we will have a pretty detailed schedule of where the support team will be and when and that will allow you to plan what you need where and when in terms of food, clothing, drinks, etc.
Navigation: - Again – you are on your own. There is a trail book provided by the Tassie Trail network and you can order that on line from their website at http://www.tasmaniantrail.com.au" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; I recommend everyone get a copy which is a download at $17. Things have changed a bit since the last time we did this so there are a significant number of way-points noted in the 30 pages of maps provided. That means you can program the trip into your GPS and are unlikely to get lost - !?!. I assume that when one of us programs the trip into our machine we will be able to transfer them somehow. I just hope we have kids interested who can do that sort of stuff! In any event the trail book has 70 pages of detailed information that is well worth the read.
Break-downs: -The bain of all cyclists is a good old fashioned equipment malfunction. Apart from the start point in Devonport we are unlikely to be anywhere near a bike shop until you get home. You need to be ready for this. There might be some other riders with some mechanical skills coming along but the primary responsibility for having a road/trail/track worthy bike is yours. That means you need to have spares of whatever you need spares for – just like any bunch ride - likely to last five days. If you are half way from Miena to Ouse and need to pull out from a mechanical that means you need to have had a plan in place to get home – and – ideally that plan will work.
Interested?
If you are interested or might be interested – let me know. All I need is an expression of interest so that I get an idea of the number of people interested. While I don’t have much to organise I need to get an idea of volume so I can start negotiating space at the various stop points along the way. That won’t lock anyone into anything. People will pull out at the last minute for all the good reasons and people will come in at the last minute as opportunity arises. I always assume that the first will outweigh the second, and things will go smoothly from there.
What next?
All I need is an email or a phone call to add you on my list. I will send out periodical updates on what is happening and what the known logistics are. Again, there is no commitment on your part – no different to any bunch ride or the multi-day February Bunch Ride – it is up to you whether you turn up on any day - or not.
Dale 0400985333
daleandrewcarney@gmail.com
Bicycles.net.au - personal message to - BenevolantDictatorD