Too cold in the mountains.

It's still too cold in the mountains so, last night, Ben camped by the sea at a place called Diana's Basin, just south of St Helens. He's decided that the temperatures are milder near the ocean and has looked for suitable places between St Helens and Bicheno. There's a place at Bicheno that he's interested in.

On the insurance front, it's obvious that negotiation isn't on the agenda of the other driver's insurance company. They got a ridiculously expensive quote using all new parts, replaced and repainted panels and now want to be paid for it. Didn't bother to get two quotes or ask us first. Not wanting to impose on the very busy legal team we've reverted to plan B which involves claiming on Ben's insurance. Lucky we're with AAMI? Let's wait and see.

Advice from an expert.

Cat at the laundromat,
Scottsdale.

Received this helpful advice via SMS yesterday. The sender has tumbling experience so I do need to take note. Work on the Ducati at Ross Allison Motorcycles in Launceston cost more than anticipated because, as well new timing belts, the bike also required a new chain and sprocket. The chain replacement is no surprise since the rear wheel adjustment has been incorrect for quite some time.

On another motorcycling matter, it turns out that the insurance company hasn't forgotten about that accident way back in March. A letter containing the words "21 days" and "legal advisors" arrived yesterday. It might soon be time to activate our legal team but we'll attempt some negotiation first.

More messages arrived late yesterday afternoon, "Sitting at laundromat with a bag of steaming hot cottage pasties... and a vanilla slice." Followed shortly afterwards by, "Ughhhh stomach ache."

Gemstones have been left for cutting at Beaconsfield, north of Launceston and west of the Tamar, not far from Beauty Point where Ben had his first Tasmanian shower five months ago. The bike travelled over 300km yesterday; it's no wonder the services are due so frequently.

An Elvis sighting?

This photo was snapped in Wheelers Hill only a few days ago. It's the Honda VTR 250 being ridden by someone wearing a blue leather jacket. Back in January, the noisy VTR with its blue-jacketed rider was a familiar sight in our street but now, months later, who is this mystery rider? Whenever an Elvis sighting is reported, I wonder if they're referring to "fat Elvis" or the thinner version of his younger days. And, if this is a Ben sighting, the photo reveals a "fat Ben" and not the tall thin one we all know. Readers may be disappointed to learn that it probably isn't Ben... or Elvis.

Lapidary is off the agemda.

Ultra Tec machine and accessories.

Purchase of a gem cutting machine has been under consideration for a while. It's an old machine but Ultra Tec is considered to be a very good brand (made in USA). The price of $800 was very reasonable considering the machine came with lots of extras and the seller, Mary of Hobart, was most helpful on the phone. She bought it second hand some time ago but hasn't used it since her interests moved from gem cutting to silver smithing. However, further research indicates that the dust and chemicals involved in faceting can be hazardous so, for someone with breathing problems, it's not worth the risk. Fossicking will continue and gems will be sent away for cutting.

Ben's in Bicheno today and plans to go to Beaconsfield to get gems cut there. Bicheno has a motorcycle museum and the personal favourite was a yellow Ducati 750 which you can see in this video (at 1:05 minutes). The Ducati Monster 600 timing belt service is scheduled for tomorrow in Launceston.

Camped on the Blue Tier.

Travel higher up into the mountains, through the tiny settlement at Lottah and on to Poimena (the ghost town referred to in an earlier post) and you're on the Blue Tier, a high plateau overlooking the north east coastline. It's beautifully scenic, very cold and the air feels clean and crisp. We visited last week, climbed the rocks on Moon Valley Rim and watched a wedge-tail eagle glide effortlessly up and down the ridge. The other night, there was only one camper on the Blue Tier. Ben fitted the panniers and packed three sleeping bags, a small tent and some supplies onto the bike then headed slowly up the track from Little Plains Lookout. Facilities are limited and we're unsure about the water in the local streams since the area is a former tin mining settlement.

Today Ben's at Friendly Beaches, north of Frecinet. He's looking at future places to stay between Bicheno and Scamander. Tonight he'll head back north to Weldborough. The bike needs to have timing belts replaced every 20,000km and the next change is due. That requires a trip to Launceston.

Cosy Corner revisited.

Last week we went back to Ben's old campsite at Cosy Corner. Surprisingly there were still a few campers around and, in the distance, we could see a line of caravans at Swimcart beach. We met a man from Burney who, when the factory where he works closes for three months each year, spends the time in a caravan near the beach and goes fishing every day. Ben planned to fish but the water was too rough with waves breaking over the rocks at his usual fishing spot. Instead, we lunched at the fish and chips boat in St Helens where they also sell awesome salads.

Closed till Spring.

Studying the news.

Derby is a pleasant town which after 3pm in mid-winter is all but closed. The General Store is the only place you can buy fuel and fortunately stays open all day. The pub looks to be open but I've never been in there nor seen anyone else go in. The other pub, the one that's for sale, sells pizzas but they're stuck in the past and still permit smoking inside the pub so I haven't been there either. The rest of the town is mostly closed, or for sale, or both closed and for sale. The Tin Centre is new and modern, with a nice cafe and staff who like to discuss gems and fossicking. It has a warm bright courtyard, just the place to be on a sunny winter morning.

Blue sapphire.

I thought sapphires were always blue but there are clear and red sapphires. This one is a deep blue colour and makes for a fine ear stud. Local and international cutting options are under consideration, as too the DIY option which requires equipment, consumables, secure storage and power.

In the Weld.

It's cold today, 8°C at midday.


(Recorded last month while fossicking in the Weld River.)

Winter Solstice

Morning frost.

Winter solstice, the shortest day of the year:
First light: 7.04am
Sunrise: 7.35am
Sunset: 4.48pm
Last light: 5.19pm
(times for NE Tasmania)

When ya nose's runnin' ...

On Moon Valley Rim, The Blue Tier.

When ya nose's runnin'
An ya fingers a tinglin'
Then ya know you're livin'
(to quote one of the Weldborough locals)

Photos of the trip are here.

Visiting again.

Another overnight trip, leaving 7.30pm from Station Pier and arriving around 5am in Devonport after a hopefully smooth voyage. Drive to Westbury for breakfast at Andy's Bakery and then further along the Bass Highway to Launceston. Proceed through the city, watching for one-way streets and trying not to miss the poorly-signposted turn off to Scottsdale. Then head up into the mountains through Targa, Scottsdale and Derby to arrive in Weldborough before lunch time. The worst part of the trip is ... trying to sleep on that boat. The best part is ... getting there!

There are only a few plans for the trip including: looking for gemstones, servicing the bike and keeping warm. We'll visit all the usual eating establishments and travel those twisting mountain roads. There's a ghost town that I'd like to see, if the road is passable, and also the myrtle forest sounds like an interesting experience. Return home on Sunday week.

Wild weather, heavy snow on the Sideling.

Snow on the Tasman Highway.

(ABC news image)

ABC news report: "Wild weather is lashing the entire state of Tasmania. A severe weather warning's been issued across the state, with gusts of up to 100 kilometres an hour predicted. The Tasman Highway at the Sideling near Scottsdale in the state's north east has been affected by heavy snowfalls. Police say the road is still passable, but are warning motorists to drive with care..."

A sapphire earring?

Alan Whittle
Jewellers, Launceston
(web image)

Cold front!
(source BOM)

Did I hear that correctly? Surely it's a stud and not an earring? A jeweller in Launceston is interested in the sapphires, except that they would like three of the same size and colour, to be used to make a sapphire and diamond ring. How hard is it to find three similar sapphires? We'll have to find out. The stone cut in Hobart has been used to make either an earring or, hopefully, a stud, now worn by its finder. Thus far, outlays on fossicking exceed returns but the possibilities remain.

And yes, the weather has been freezing.

Cold weather on the way!

Received late last night.

I sent an SMS today: 'Warning. Cold weather on the way including rain and snow. Tomorrow: Hobart four degrees, zero at Launceston. A good time to be back at W'borough. J'

Ben was in Hobart this morning and picked up the cut sapphire. The next step is to get it valued either somewhere in Hobart or travel north to the jewellers in Launceston, then head back to Weldborough. Given the weather forecast, heading back to the relative comfort of Weldborough is a good idea. He spent a cold night in a one-person tent last night. The sleeping bag was reasonably good but, without a sleeping mat, it was very cold on the ground. According to news reports, it snowed on Mt Wellington overnight. There's only $46 in the bank, it's definitely time to make a contribution.

7pm update: Thawing out at St Helens after riding up the east coast road from Hobart. Visited Cambridge and caught up with friends at the caravan park pizza restaurant. Very lucky to reach Scamander without running out of fuel. High praise for the new motorbike boots that keep the toes warm on long trips. And finally, looking forward to a good night's sleep (in three sleeping bags!) at Weldborough.

The lapidary guild.

A hurried phone call from Hobart today, cut short (as usual) by flat phone batteries. Ben spent last night at Lake Sorell, arriving well after dark and unable to find the camp ground on a pitch black night. There were log cabins and one had windows aglow so he knocked on the door to ask directions. Inside was a large group of men who turned out to be Vietnam veterans on their annual outing. He stayed for the night, drinking tea while they drank other beverages. He told them he was part-Vietnamese and made sure to mention that the 'part' was from the south and not the north. Today he met a member of the lapidary guild and has arranged to have three topaz and one sapphire cut. Ben has only met two gem cutters; they both were old and had really poor eyesight. Not sure I'd entrust valuable gems to people who couldn't see properly. The cheapest way to have gems cut is to send them to Thailand. The recommended company is Lambert Holdings where stones are cut for a few dollars per carat. Not sure I'd entrust valuable gems to strangers overseas. He'll stay somewhere in Hobart tonight. I asked if he needed some money and the phone cut out before he could answer. I'll assume he's OK then.

Stuck in mud.

These guys were stuck in snow,
I wonder if it snows in Weldborough?
(The Motorcycle Diaries - web image)

You have to have plans and when you've got plans, life becomes more interesting. If you don't have plans, it's like being stuck in mud. The other thing you need, at least for some of the time, is company and when you've got company, experiences can be shared. A really useful time to have company is when you're stuck in mud. The Ducati travelled the muddy track without much difficulty but a local, riding a heavy Triumph touring bike, got bogged after rain turned the track into a quagmire. Fortunately Ben was there to help out and, after some effort, they managed to extract the bike. By all reports it was a busy and very enjoyable day with plenty of walking as well as riding. All that exercise builds up an appetite and our traveller spent $28 on a big dinner at the fish and chip boat in St Helens. As for plans, there seem to be many hatching at the moment. Plans and company, that's what you need.

Eating healthy.

Myrtle forest Weldborough
(web image - Rob Blakers)

Ben tells me he's been buying food in supermarkets and eating healthy. Breakfast, for example, consisted of bread, fruit, nuts and "a few handfuls or cereal". Those would be literal handfuls, since he hasn't got a bowl or spoon at the current campsite. He's "almost vegetarian" however, when asked what he ate for lunch, there was a slight delay before the reply, "two sausage rolls and a pie!" Can't blame him, those local bakeries are really good. Two local gem collectors kindly left a folder of information on the seat of his bike. The folder had maps and details of seldom-visited sites. Finally, when asked about a favourite place in NE Tasmania, the answer was very definitely Weldborough. Another favourite place is the Myrtle forest and a walking trail just off the main highway.

Autumn becomes winter.

It's the very first day of winter and our traveller is happily striding around in a brand new pair of boots which arrived yesterday; thanks to the purchasing power of the credit card and a remarkably fast postal system. Last night, the Weldborough Hotel owner brought out a large package received in the mail. The locals in the bar were so curious that Ben had to open the box immediately to show them what was inside. One of the locals rides a bike and happens to have a 1940's Matchless in his shed but is unable to kick start it due to a back problem. He does, however, comfortably roar around the countryside on a Triumph. Today, the plan is to ride to St Helen's to buy a pen and that's a long way to go for a pen. Hopefully the trip will include a visit to a Service Tasmania office to finally complete the registration transfer for the Ducati.