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2019 and the Apple Isle: Tasmania. Places are filing fast (already. How did they know?) "If you want an epic adventure, very reasonably priced, you should ride with Cycle Across Oz" says Ingrid Early bird discount applies (up to $700) for riders committing to do both legs. The longer you wait the smaller the discount |
2019 - Apple Isle: Tasmania: Devil's Ride
Apple Isle - Tasmania
Tasmania has so much to explore in a small area, from vineyards to mountains to stunning beaches to big rivers to rugged wilderness. 2019 plans are to take Tasmania at a more leisurely pace to give enough time to explore and to savour. We love Tasmania. You will too.
Start date is February 10, 2019 for East Coast leg from Devonport to Hobart and February 28, 2019 for West Coast leg from Hobart ending in Devonport. Plan 5 weeks to do both legs
Download the itinerary and registration and terms and conditions here
Tasmania has so much to explore in a small area, from vineyards to mountains to stunning beaches to big rivers to rugged wilderness. 2019 plans are to take Tasmania at a more leisurely pace to give enough time to explore and to savour. We love Tasmania. You will too.
Start date is February 10, 2019 for East Coast leg from Devonport to Hobart and February 28, 2019 for West Coast leg from Hobart ending in Devonport. Plan 5 weeks to do both legs
Download the itinerary and registration and terms and conditions here
Cycle Australia - 2019 Tour - Devil's Ride - Tasmania
'Cycle Across Oz' is the leading long distance cycle touring business in Australia.
Tasmania is a very different cycling and touring arena compared to other places Cycle Across Oz has visited. It packs a lot of variety into a smaller area. Think hills, mountains, beaches, forests, wilderness, vineyards, cliffs, pastoral land, rushing rivers, tumbling waterfalls. It's magical. It is a country in two parts. The rugged wilderness of the West and the rolling farmlands and beaches and forests of the East. The 2019 tour will be set up in two parts - one going down the East Coast and then going up the West Coast with a special deal for riders wanting to do both.
Set up in 2002, Cycle Across Oz has now run 13 cycle tours across and around Australia. These tours have included point to point tours covering pretty well every way across Australia and 2 major circumnavigations. 2018 saw a loop ride taking in the South Western corner of Western Australia over a 5 week period. This worked well as riding days could be shorter and there was time to explore a little more deeply. The next edition is also a loop ride - Tasmania. The distances will be shorter again, although there are a lot of hills, and there is even more time to explore.
Tasmania is a very different cycling and touring arena compared to other places Cycle Across Oz has visited. It packs a lot of variety into a smaller area. Think hills, mountains, beaches, forests, wilderness, vineyards, cliffs, pastoral land, rushing rivers, tumbling waterfalls. It's magical. It is a country in two parts. The rugged wilderness of the West and the rolling farmlands and beaches and forests of the East. The 2019 tour will be set up in two parts - one going down the East Coast and then going up the West Coast with a special deal for riders wanting to do both.
Set up in 2002, Cycle Across Oz has now run 13 cycle tours across and around Australia. These tours have included point to point tours covering pretty well every way across Australia and 2 major circumnavigations. 2018 saw a loop ride taking in the South Western corner of Western Australia over a 5 week period. This worked well as riding days could be shorter and there was time to explore a little more deeply. The next edition is also a loop ride - Tasmania. The distances will be shorter again, although there are a lot of hills, and there is even more time to explore.
Can I do it?
Any reasonably fit person can do these trips - whether you are 25 or 70 (the age ranges for previous trips). Tasmania is a lot more hilly than other parts we have toured. So you will need to do more hill training and make sure your bicycle has good gearing to help you over the hills. You don't have to be super fit - just committed enough to ride 5 to 8 hours a day for at least 5 days consecutively and able to ride (or push) a few hills. Of course, making the ride as comfortable as you would like is your priority - increasing your mileage before the ride will help enormously. Doing some hill training is essential.
Every tour is a little different. The 2019 tour has a number of short half days and no rides longer than 110 kms (70 miles). In all there are 4 days with rides over 100 kms (65 miles) - two on each leg. The East Coast leg is less arduous with fewer hills and more explore time. These come along every 2 or 3 days. The West Coast is much hillier and distances between towns are a bit further. There is one stretch of 5 days riding and then it is back to the explore day every 2 or 3 days.
Cycle Across Oz provides a unique opportunity to travel very cost effectively in Australia without risk and without losing that pioneering feeling. The trip is primarily a camping trip. We use 4 star caravan parks wherever possible, which have good facilities for dealing with camp life. We are planing three National Park camping stops On many nights, you can choose to upgrade your own accommodation by staying in a cabin or motel room. You do need to be comfortable in a tent on a few of the nights you have only the tent as an option.
Rather than provide all your food needs, we have had great success in leaving food under your control. We will be providing evening meals on specific nights along the way - 6 in all for the whole trip. We also provide tea and biscuits for morning and afternoon breaks (when a ride includes an afternoon break). For the remainder of the time, you can then choose your own budget, your own styles of food and your own mix of eating out or eating in. Typically what riders have done is provide for breakfast in camp and lunch on the road and use local facilities (the pub or club or restaurant in town) for evening meals. The van does have cooking facilities and most caravan parks have too, making it possible to cook in camp should you so choose and whenever you choose.
What kind of bike?
You need to be comfortable on your bike. You need to be able to get over some hills. Road surfaces are good, meaning road bikes are workable. There are some hills to climb and some are pretty steep. Make sure your bicycle has appropriate gearing, say 11:32/ 50:34 for a double chainring bicycle. A triple will work even better. On past trips, we have had a range of road bikes, more conventional touring bikes, hybrid bikes and mountain bikes. The unusual bike brigade has been represented by a Moulton, a Bike Friday and a Thorn tandem. Whatever you choose, your bike should be in good mechanical shape as there are long stretches between bike shops. You do need to be able to carry 2-3 litres water, provisions and spares for a day - no more than a pannier or handlebar bag will be needed.
Any reasonably fit person can do these trips - whether you are 25 or 70 (the age ranges for previous trips). Tasmania is a lot more hilly than other parts we have toured. So you will need to do more hill training and make sure your bicycle has good gearing to help you over the hills. You don't have to be super fit - just committed enough to ride 5 to 8 hours a day for at least 5 days consecutively and able to ride (or push) a few hills. Of course, making the ride as comfortable as you would like is your priority - increasing your mileage before the ride will help enormously. Doing some hill training is essential.
Every tour is a little different. The 2019 tour has a number of short half days and no rides longer than 110 kms (70 miles). In all there are 4 days with rides over 100 kms (65 miles) - two on each leg. The East Coast leg is less arduous with fewer hills and more explore time. These come along every 2 or 3 days. The West Coast is much hillier and distances between towns are a bit further. There is one stretch of 5 days riding and then it is back to the explore day every 2 or 3 days.
Cycle Across Oz provides a unique opportunity to travel very cost effectively in Australia without risk and without losing that pioneering feeling. The trip is primarily a camping trip. We use 4 star caravan parks wherever possible, which have good facilities for dealing with camp life. We are planing three National Park camping stops On many nights, you can choose to upgrade your own accommodation by staying in a cabin or motel room. You do need to be comfortable in a tent on a few of the nights you have only the tent as an option.
Rather than provide all your food needs, we have had great success in leaving food under your control. We will be providing evening meals on specific nights along the way - 6 in all for the whole trip. We also provide tea and biscuits for morning and afternoon breaks (when a ride includes an afternoon break). For the remainder of the time, you can then choose your own budget, your own styles of food and your own mix of eating out or eating in. Typically what riders have done is provide for breakfast in camp and lunch on the road and use local facilities (the pub or club or restaurant in town) for evening meals. The van does have cooking facilities and most caravan parks have too, making it possible to cook in camp should you so choose and whenever you choose.
What kind of bike?
You need to be comfortable on your bike. You need to be able to get over some hills. Road surfaces are good, meaning road bikes are workable. There are some hills to climb and some are pretty steep. Make sure your bicycle has appropriate gearing, say 11:32/ 50:34 for a double chainring bicycle. A triple will work even better. On past trips, we have had a range of road bikes, more conventional touring bikes, hybrid bikes and mountain bikes. The unusual bike brigade has been represented by a Moulton, a Bike Friday and a Thorn tandem. Whatever you choose, your bike should be in good mechanical shape as there are long stretches between bike shops. You do need to be able to carry 2-3 litres water, provisions and spares for a day - no more than a pannier or handlebar bag will be needed.