Beechworth to Bright Railtrail

We have just returned to Tasma after a 70 kilometre ride along the Murray to the Mountains Railtrail over 2 days with our wonderful mates Karen, Peter and Indi Mara Bodin Stewart.

Extra Large thanks Karen for organising everything, and to Pete for all the help with the bikes, and to both of you for your super-ace company.

Railtrails are unused railway lines converted to bike paths. I want to write more about this experience later but first I gotta show you a picture ethan (4.5 yrs old) made when he came home. It’s a super memoir and a map all in one. Here is how a traditional cartographer represents the ride. Ethan did it better. You will need to click on each image to see it at full scale.

Here is how Ethan drew it:

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The overall image seen at this level of detail represents the party of seven riders on three bikes ascending the most challenging part of the ride; A 4 Kilometer ascent to Taylors Gap. There we are, almost at the top! He’s captured it: IT REALLY FELT LIKE THAT.

I have indicated some of the detail in his artwork below:

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Here are all the riders shown. Karen and Pete’s daughter Indi-Mara, who was actually in a seat on their tandem bike, is shown out of order, as Ethan forgot to put her in at first. Ethan’s Tagalong bike which clips onto mine has a flag on it, which he has shown.

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Karen, Pete and Indi Mara on the Tandem.

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Ethan’s drawing shows the three bikes really well. So he has the basic narrative details covered: 7 riders, three bikes, a big hill. But he’s telling you what it was like, too, he’s mapping the experience, not just the topography:

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the big hill. I THINK I can, I THINK I can!

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followed by a bumpy bridge which we took too fast which almost threw us both off!

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There were also lots of smaller hills.

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On the descent into Everton, Ethan was pelted with small stones from the wheels of my bike. He was on a tagalong, a kind of articulated tandem arrangement, in shorts. He has drawn in the painful missiles which struck his legs.

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Aftermath.

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Private Rental accommodation available for the Commonwealth Games

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Commonwealth Games Accommodation

“Tasma”, a large 4 bedroom Victorian home, fully furnished in Northcote (inner city Melbourne) is available to rent during the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. A great home away from home for two families or up to 8 people. Wooden floors, 5 working open fireplaces (plus gas heating). Two full bathrooms including gorgeous en-suite. Digital Tv and Wireless Internet Access included. Nice NAD and Tannoy HiFi including waterproof speakers in the bathroom for luxurious soaks.

Open plan living area with stunning renovated kitchen, delight for gourmets. Honey-coloured floorboards awash in natural light throughout. Large established garden & courtyard with BBQ. Large sunny double bathroom with two showers and generous bath. Pets are welcome by arrangement. Available for minimum of two weeks, AUD $4,000 per week. You are welcome to stay on after the Commonwealth Games by negotiation.

The train station is at the end of the street less than 100m away. 10 minutes by train to the from the Commonwealth Games venues and city centre. The groovy cafes, bands and shops of Brunswick Street are just a hop, skip and jump away. Parking permit provided.

Contact Nick or Fiona on mobile +61 418 333 707 or email: tasma@thorpes.org

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We’re Back

We’ve just walked back through the front door of Tasma after a month away. This is such a fabulous house to come back to. The first thing you’re struck by is all the space, and the smell of the wood. We have had the most fabulous time and went pretty much from one extreme of the country to another… You can’t find two locations further apart in this huge continent than Darwin and Tasmania! Check out the itinerary:

  1. First night: Lorne, with Jane and Tahlia Grogan. So great to see Jane again and talk into the late late night. Koalas in the trees by the balcony and flathead for dinner.
  2. Three days in Adelaide staying at Chez Thorpe in Parkville, lots of time with Paige (but never enough). We had an early Christmas here at Luke’s place, which was a sensation. Thanks Dad!
  3. On to Darwin, to stay with Fiona’s dad at Bees Creek. We spent Christmas day here with Fi’s Dad, family and friends, and our old and dear friend Dagga, who has moved to Darwin! You gotta love Darwin. Great Beards.
  4. Then on to Tasmania for a Prayerbabies tour of Tasmania; 5 days of Gigs all over the state. Eaglehawk Nek Port Arthur, Hobart, Somerset, Launceston… from the very bottom of the island to the top.
  5. 6 nights at Swansea in the Freycinet region of Tassie, about 10 minutes walk through scrub to the beach.
  6. Home on the Spirit of Tasmania overnight. It’s hard to leave Tasmania. It’s just so human-scaled, so ridiculously pretty, and overflowing with natural wonders. And more Great Beards. Maybe we should move here.

Here is a rough map of the journey, by road, air and sea:

Map

And we did it all without the aid of this.

Not as many photos as usual, as we took quite a bit of video on the new video camera, a farewell present from the wonderful Digerati folks when I left a month ago.

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Ethan on Christmas day in Darwin with 2 Christmas Friends

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Dagga has moved to Darwin!

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Lucinda’s approach to life: run like hell with your eyes closed!

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Ethan and his beloved cousin Hamish in the Hammock at Bees Creek in Darwin.

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In Hobart, we stayed with Karen and Pete’s lovely warm fabbo friends, Phil, Maria, Ollie and Phoebe. Among the many fabulous experiences at that house (including much pirate swordfighting), there was lots of time spent in mid air on the trampoline.

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We had 6 days in the Freycinet region of Tasmania. Paul, Flic and Perry were nearby and we got to hang out lots with them. Ethan was in seventh heaven, and Paul made the most delicious marinara in creation.

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Lucinda went wild on Tassie beaches.

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