519 Miles / 835 KM

The Final Day!!! The day I’ve been least looking forward to… but also excited about as it means completing the ride!

I planned to leave at 6.30, but after only waking up at 6.15 it ended up being a 7am start! I was pretty nervous about the ride, not only for the distance and elevations today, but a lot of the ‘shortcut’ roads that google kept routing me down were loose dirt roads which my bike wouldn’t be able to manage. I thought I’d managed to figure it out until I hit my first ‘shortcut’. The side dirt roads were just a no go. It meant I was basically sticking the main road all day.

The first 15km was pretty flat, and took my through Bronte Park, London Lakes and Brady’s Lake (apparently some prime fly fishing location in Tasmania) The weather was shit this morning. The clouds were low, I was freezing and the dampness from the low clouds was soaking me! After Brady Lake I was hoping to cut through to Ouse through a side road – but I couldn’t which meant a detour through Tarraleah… which also meant a 500 metres extra gain in elevation shooting down into the valley and then back up. At the bottom of the of the hill I did stop for toilet and snack break and met a nice guy who just wanted to talk…

and I mean wanted to talk as if we had been friends for years and we were catching up on the last 6 months of our lives… haha! He was a Brisbane man escaping the heat of summer and who had come to Tasmania for a girl. He also proceeded to tell me of his weekend plans in Hobart and how he hoped to see me somewhere around Hobart! 20 minutes later I get out of the conversation and start heading up the dreaded hill.

That hill going up was miserable. It was a straight uphill for 4-5km and my legs couldn’t cycle it. I was miserable going up the hill, and hating everything. As much as I was trying to conserve energy I just wanted to get to the top. I was 40km in at this point, and ready to be in Ouse – the half way point!

At this point I was almost accepting that the milage today was too much and I wasn’t going to be able to do it. I was tired, I was wet, I was cold and I was mentally exhausted. The next 30km to Ouse, were fairly flat, or with rolling up and down hills. The clouds were finally lifting and the sun was starting to shine.

Finally in Ouse and at the halfway point by 1.30pm! I had originally planned to be here by 12.30, so I was a little mad at myself. I totally knew I was being unreasonable with myself and with my body, but at the same time my emotions were just all over the place. Today was already pushing me both mentally and physically, I don’t know how I had another 80km in me! But after a quick lunch break in Ouse and filling up with sugar and shit food from the IGA there, this stubborn girl as back on her bike and focusing on getting to the 100km mark. It was about to be about small victories!

From Ouse to Hamilton it was 15km flat. It was a nice relief for the legs but still felt so long. In Hamilton I was at the 100km mark! The weather was turning… the wind was coming in! I had had head force wind all day but very light that it didn’t bother me. But now it was stronger. My weather app was saying it was 17km p/h. It was now starting to affect my ride, and you know when you’re having to peddle to get down hills that you are fucked. This was taking away any energy I had managed to conjure up at Ouse! I was so frustrated. I was shouting into the wind (not helping at all – but felt good for a split second) The next stopping point was going to be New Norfolk – I was going to be hitting a town and the edge of the city in 35-40km.

I knew after Hamilton I had a hill… yep I had a 2km uphill of about 250 metres. Which in the grand scheme of things wasn’t too bad, but boy I was tired and my legs could barely cycle let alone walk! This was my last real up hill of the day though and I knew this was coming so I was kind of mentally prepared. After the hill we were plain sailing and flat-ish to New Norfolk. I rolled in at 6pm. I had really wanted to be in Hobart by this time. I had been on the bike for about 10 hours solid at this point!

Hello Mcdonalds. Hello some quick greasy terrible fast food. I was starving and in need of a coke to get me through the last 35km. I stopped for half hour and then set off for the last stretch to Hobart at 6.30. The food had given me a little energy but also made me feel kinda gross – my watch later tell me I burnt almost 7000 calories today (I should have eaten more food probably!!)

Grateful for that last 36km being flat, by the water, and on a good hard shoulder. Because my focus was definitely slacking, my legs were still moving but my eyes were sore and just wanting to sleep! It was nice to be biking through the suburbs of Hobart though and seeing more of the ‘city’. I was watching my watch the whole time and counting down every km I was cycling! With 15km left I hit the Innercity Cycleway, a wonderful cycle path which would take me all the way to my hostel and was alongside the railway which meant it was flat! I don’t know where the energy come from but I peddled pretty fast the for this last bit, I was ready to be done, showered and in bed. I couldn’t quite believe I had actually made it today. I had thought about giving up so many times. I was in Hobart, and close to my hostel. I don’t know the last time I felt this exhausted! I don’t know how I’ll move tomorrow.

8.30pm and I get to the hostel. Lock my bike up (don’t want to see that for a while!) check in, get showered and lay in bed. Ready to knock out! It’s been quite a day. My body is tired. My mind is jumping between tiredness and racing at 1000 miles an hour.

Time for sleep. This girl has cycled around the Island!!!