Traveling around Tasmania on my rapidly disintegrating bike, I recently had the honor of spending a few days with the crew of the “Fatman”, Tasmania’s smallest, remotest ferry. In the course of of my visit, I had a chance to take a turn at the helm.

So what’s it like to drive the “Fatman”?

A lot, it turns out, like driving my ten-dollar bike. In places where you’d expect high dollar, legit parts, you’ll… Continue reading →

It’s a curious thing. Travel down Tasmania’s rugged west coast on a bike, as I did recently, and about half way down, the gravel road comes to an abrupt stop at the Pieman river. Full stop. No bridge. Some days there’s not even a safety barrier to keep cars from driving into the river.

Sort… Continue reading →

Biking the back roads of Tasmania for almost 5 months now, I’ve had plenty of time to mull things over. Like Paradise.

Paradise. Ever since early man struck a rock to a stick, this notion of Paradise has been around taunting man. The deal was simple. Life here on Earth is tough. If you behave – don’t cave you’re neighbor’s head in with a large rock, think pure thoughts, don’t steal sheep – one day you’ll get to Paradise.… Continue reading →

The old pushie (push bike) and I have just rolled to a halt in Strahan, Tasmania.
The past 2 weeks on the road have yielded a bumper crop of audio footage – from interviewing a man and dog in Paradise to riding the Fatman across a river named after a cannibal. Yep, at this point that makes no sense to you. But check back shortly. A shower after 2 weeks on the… Continue reading →

It happens. Biking around Tasmania on a junk shop bike, I come across stuff I’d like to take with me. But often there’s just not room.

Take the apple season. In these late summer days, wild, well, lets call them feral, apple trees drape their bounty across the dirt road shoulders. (Quick apple lingo: “feral” means you can reach them from your bike. “Someone else’s” means you have to climb across a fence and sidle up next to an apple… Continue reading →

Recently, while traveling across Flinders Island on my cast off bike, I took a break next to a sign welcoming me to the Roaring Forties. After toasting the event, I whipped out my audio recorder to capture the sound the sign was making. I bottled it up in my audio recorder and today you’ll have a listen.

What you’ll hear is the wind blowing over two bolt holes on the Roaring Forties sign.… Continue reading →

In the last update, I was on Flinders Island toasting the Roaring Forties. To be precise, I was beneath the “You are crossing the 40 South Parallel” sign lifting a jar of scotch to my lips. That’s when I heard the buzzing in the air.

What the hell was that?

It didn’t sound like an albatross, cliff or flapping sail, all the sounds I associate with this way-south part of… Continue reading →

Roaring Forties. The words conjure images of the salt captain braced against the ship’s helm, sparks flying from his pipe. Sails tattered. Lee shore looming, hard and horrible, under the dolphin striker stay.

But just what are the Roaring Forties? Where do they lie? What do they sound like?

A few years ago, I got close to them in my sailboat “Sea Bird”. Sailing… Continue reading →

It’s the little luxuries that bring the most pleasure. Out here traveling Tasmania on my junk store bike, I have to dispense with most of the fancy pleasure in life. Refrigeration, showers, internet, single serving yogurt, underwear, 10 year scotch, a bed….

But that doesn’t mean I’m immune from extravagant pleasures.

Like a perfect Flinders Island peach.

Recently, while traveling Flinders Island, Tasmania, on my bike, I was given a perfect, tree ripen peach. Trouble is, it was the end… Continue reading →

You see them here in Tasmania. Hats so beat up the only thing keeping them together is gravity and nostalgia. But really, it’s sorta rude to ask a guy “hey mate, why’s your hat all wrecked lookin?”.

No matter. I ask anyway.

This week I had a gam with Mark, a fruitpicker looking for work in Tasmania. Me met along the Tamar River outside Deviot where we’d set up our respective travelling… Continue reading →