January 15th - 16th

Branxholm - St Helens - Bicheno

My first free camping site on Tasmania turned out to be a really good one. I think it may be the norm here as when I left Branxholm I cycled through a small villiage called Derby and there was a top notch site there too. There was time in Derby for me to get a nice coffee and a slice of strawberry cheese cake. I thought that the money I saved on camping would be okay to go on a slap up breakfast and with two 60 mile plus days behind me I certainly thought I had earned it.

Getting to St Helens was very hard, the best bit riding wise was the 8 minute decent that had followed a 40 minute climb. The worst bit was seing my phone fly out my pocket into the oncoming traffic and get run over by a utility vehicle. I won't dwell on misfortune as it spreads and infects so I take positive that I will ride more instead of "surf". I had a warmshower host for the night. A lovely lady called Pip. There wasn't a room for me this time but there was plenty of garden space for my tent. After dinner we were joined by another cyclist who was stopping for the night. This was Judi from the USA, Harlem to be precise. With me having been to Harlem and with Judi having also completed to Pacific Coast Highway we had plenty to talk about. In the morning we went for coffee and breakfast in St Helens town and continued the previous nights conversation. Judi is also going to New Zealand so our paths may cross again.

The ride to Bicheno was another big one. I get the feeling Tasmania is a perfect warmer for New Zealand. It's certainly more hilly here than the main land. I didn't have a campsite or a host for Bicheno so I expected to wild camp and my senses were finally tuned to be on the lookout. I noticed a grassy area by the harbour that looked perfect so I went to buy some chips and wait for darkness to fall. On the way to the fish shop a guy loading his car asked where I was going? "Off to find a camp" I replied. No bother he said. Come stay at mine with me and my wife. I wrote down the address and said I would meet him there. Part of the address he gave me was completely wrong which should have got me thinking. I turned up at 49 Gordon Street and knocked on the door. A different guy opened it so I quickly thought, I'm sure he said wife? I asked this guy and he said he knew nothing of the previous man and that I must have the wrong address. There was another part to the address he gave me that said  number 1 Shirley Court. I managed to find this and once again knocked on the door. This time a lady answered and I asked is thus where Richard lives? She replied yes but he's in bed. From the belly of the house I heard the words, it's ok love he's coming to spend the night! Myself and the women looked at each other with strange expressions. I don't think I am staying am I? I asked. No she replied......he's drunk.
So when I first spoke to him he was not only drunk but getting into his car and had just been fishing. Drunk driving and drunk fishing, some of them are strange folk on this island.