Tasmania - the secrets unlocked...

Stredda

Stredda

Runs naked through virgin scrub
LPG said:
That would be awesome, Friday or Saturday morning 16th and 17th Feb will be when I am in Penguin. I'm at a farmstay near the base of Iron tor so. I'll send you a pm close to the date to see if you are free.
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I might just be able to do that. It's the Tas Gravity round at Wild Mersey the week before and Red Bull Hardline the week after.
Is it the Rustic Huts that you are staying at?
 
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bigdamo

bigdamo

Likes Dirt
If your going to Scottsdale with the family perhaps drop into https://bridestowelavender.com.au/ not sure if the lavender will be in bloom( i hear parts of it has started) kids love that place.It's about 10 minutes drive from Scottsdale.

Also Launceston Gorge https://www.launceston.tas.gov.au/Recreation/Parks-and-Gardens/Cataract-Gorge-Reserve-First-Basin there is a kids play area there and walking tracks and MTb tracks up in Trevallyn Nature Recreation Area up behind the gorge.

https://georgetownmtbtrails.com.au/tippogoree-hills-trails is a 30 minute drive from Launceston if you have time.
 
LPG

LPG

likes thicc birds
Stredda said:
I might just be able to do that. It's the Tas Gravity round at Wild Mersey the week before and Red Bull Hardline the week after.
Is it the Rustic Huts that you are staying at?
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Looks like I chose the right time to squeeze between events! The Airbnb is a cabin on Crawford Rd, less than 1km from the base of Iron tor trails on Montgomery Rd.

bigdamo said:
If your going to Scottsdale with the family perhaps drop into https://bridestowelavender.com.au/ not sure if the lavender will be in bloom( i hear parts of it has started) kids love that place.It's about 10 minutes drive from Scottsdale.

Also Launceston Gorge https://www.launceston.tas.gov.au/Recreation/Parks-and-Gardens/Cataract-Gorge-Reserve-First-Basin there is a kids play area there and walking tracks and MTb tracks up in Trevallyn Nature Recreation Area up behind the gorge.

https://georgetownmtbtrails.com.au/tippogoree-hills-trails is a 30 minute drive from Launceston if you have time.
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The lavender fields could be good to check out. I might be there in the harvesting season but I'll see.

Cataract George looks awesome I've thrown that in with the plan if the weather suits.

Tippo looks awesome. I may miss it as most of the plans involve early morning rides close to accommodation. I did look at spending a day or 2 there but ultimately decided more time in fewer places was the better plan. If I can convince my wife to find something to do there with the little one then I will try and get out there.
 
Stredda

Stredda

Runs naked through virgin scrub
LPG said:
Looks like I chose the right time to squeeze between events! The Airbnb is a cabin on Crawford Rd, less than 1km from the base of Iron tor trails on Montgomery Rd.
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You are close then! Would be a crime not to hit the trails.
 
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Stredda

Stredda

Runs naked through virgin scrub
wkkie said:
Hitting up Derby this weekend if there's any Burners about do a lap or 2, have a beer and say gday!

First 13 / Blue Tier & Atlas Saturday.
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I did these three a couple of weeks ago, and the trails are riding great!
 
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beezlbub

Likes Dirt
LPG said:
I booked a Tassie trip with the family for a week in Feb. We have a 2nd little person (3rd including my wife) on the way and realised that the trip would become more complicated so let's do it now.

The way I've found works best is to do my riding early and spend the rest of the day doing family things, bushwalks, swimming, taking the little one to the park and making sure my wife gets her fix (the gym) at some point most days. This works best if we stay a short ride from trails and then get in the car to explore during the day.

I am the planner and my wife has no inclination to plan or even consider the places we might go. As long as I promise to deliver a good time and don't treat her like a babysitter so I can ride all day she is happy. Fortunately Mr 2 yo is easy going as long as we provide adventures for every waking moment (that's exaggerated, but only slightly). Wandering around the bush, waterways or parks is perfect for him.

Were flying in and out of Launceston and planning to stay in the northern bits of the atate. We are booked to stay in Derby for 5 nights and Penguin for 2 (+ the last night in Launceston before the flight home).

Give me advice!

Bike choice: My big but pedallable enduro bike will go for the trip making the harder and rockier trails at Derby possible without beatibg me up too much. Sensible?

Family Day trips: From Derby: I'm thinking bay of fires/ Saint Helens one day, hiking local forest areas/ Blue Tier another. Drive the east coast towards Bicheno, maybe with a trip to natureworld another, Scottsdale/Bridport another?
From Penguin: Cradle mountain area, if the weather suits maybe a day on the west coast, squeeze a shuttle up and ride at Mt Owen if I manage to earn that somehow.

I've only been to Tassie once years ago and that was to hike the south coast track. I flew in and did it with a couple mates and flew back without ever showering for the 9 days before flying back home. Was awesome, apparently my wife wants more luxury than that.
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Hey mate, a few other thoughts to throw in the mix...

The Scottsdale pool is excellent for kids - it was re-done two years back and now has a couple of water slides and a splash zone type thing, plus a couple of different sized pools. And it's free. Well worth a couple of hours with the kids (or while you're on the bike!).

If you're going to head over towards St Helens / east coast way you could combine it with the Bay of Fires descent, ending at Swimcart Beach (just north of St Helens) and meet the family there. People rave about the top 13kms (which is great, don't get me wrong) but I loved the whole thing - though it's a bit pedally.... If you do head south towards Bicheno I'd recommend a stop in a Waubs Beach - it's a stunning little beach and good for the kids.

In Derby make sure you do the floating sauna (or at least get your wife to go and earn yourself some brownie points!) - I did it last weekend for the first time and it was bloody excellent. It's books out ages in advance often though, so sort it early.

And bike choice - definitely the big bike. As you're cannoning through the rock gardens of Roxanne or detonate you'll be glad for it.
 
LPG

LPG

likes thicc birds
beezlbub said:
Hey mate, a few other thoughts to throw in the mix...

The Scottsdale pool is excellent for kids - it was re-done two years back and now has a couple of water slides and a splash zone type thing, plus a couple of different sized pools. And it's free. Well worth a couple of hours with the kids (or while you're on the bike!).

If you're going to head over towards St Helens / east coast way you could combine it with the Bay of Fires descent, ending at Swimcart Beach (just north of St Helens) and meet the family there. People rave about the top 13kms (which is great, don't get me wrong) but I loved the whole thing - though it's a bit pedally.... If you do head south towards Bicheno I'd recommend a stop in a Waubs Beach - it's a stunning little beach and good for the kids.

In Derby make sure you do the floating sauna (or at least get your wife to go and earn yourself some brownie points!) - I did it last weekend for the first time and it was bloody excellent. It's books out ages in advance often though, so sort it early.

And bike choice - definitely the big bike. As you're cannoning through the rock gardens of Roxanne or detonate you'll be glad for it.
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More awesome advise!

The Scottsdale pool looks awesome. I can see myself going there with the little one while my wife gets some gym time in nearby. The little one will happily spend hours in a pool, then a couple more hours going up and down the waterslide.

The floating Sauna is definitely on the list. We quite enjoy our saunas including our Russian woodfired sauna tent that we set up every winter for the last few years. Sauna with a swimming spot is heaven, particularly after a ride. My wife won't be doing it as she is pregnant and not worth the risk/probably not allowed. She is really keen for it and I had to negotiate to get a pass to go when she couldn't. We'll just have to head back again.

I'm keen for the bay of fires trail and will get my wife and little one to meet me at the other end. I think I'll organise a shuttle to the start. The rental car isn't covered for unsealed surfaces and my wife is pretty clueless off tarmac / has a rubbish sense of direction so getting dropped off and saving a bit of coin might not be worth the risk.
 
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Stredda

Stredda

Runs naked through virgin scrub
LPG said:
More awesome advise!

I'm keen for the bay of fires trail and will get my wife and little on to meet me at the other end. I think I'll organise a shuttle to the start. The rental car isn't covered for unsealed surfaces and my wife is pretty clueless off tarmac / has a rubbish sense of direction so getting dropped off and saving a bit of coin might not be worth the risk.
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Sounds like the shuttle will be well worth it for you, as the back roads to get to Blue Tier aren't straight forward and there's a lot of gravel.
 
LPG

LPG

likes thicc birds
Stredda said:
Sounds like the shuttle will be well worth it for you, as the back roads to get to Blue Tier aren't straight forward and there's a lot of gravel.
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Agreed, it seems to make more sense.

My only struggle is getting my wife to agree to letting me take time off from family time in the middle of the day. She will be ~ 26 weeks pregnant and our 2 year old little ball of energy may be hard to handle, particularly away from home. He seems to think that being on holidays is adventures 24/7
 
Stredda

Stredda

Runs naked through virgin scrub
LPG said:
Agreed, it seems to make more sense.

My only struggle is getting my wife to agree to letting me take time off from family time in the middle of the day. She will be ~ 26 weeks pregnant and our 2 year old little ball of energy may be hard to handle, particularly away from home. He seems to think that being on holidays is adventures 24/7
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Yes, I can see how that would be a challenge to get that over the line.
There is Mini Shredders Baby Sitting Service in Derby that might be able to take the load off your wife.
Mini Shredders Babysitting Service | Facebook
They seem to have good reviews and look after 2 year olds.
 
LPG

LPG

likes thicc birds
Stredda said:
Yes, I can see how that would be a challenge to get that over the line.
There is Mini Shredders Baby Sitting Service in Derby that might be able to take the load off your wife.
Mini Shredders Babysitting Service | Facebook
They seem to have good reviews and look after 2 year olds.
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I think it will be ok but it is something I need to be mindful of. That's why the morning ride is preferable. The little ball of energy seems to sleep from 8.30-9pm until about 7.30-9 am so If I rode from 6 to ~9.30 then I'm in a good position to get around 700-1000m of climbing and descending and still be present for practically the whole day. I'll push for a day ride or 2 for BOF and maybe Atlas but they are not locked in as the pregnant lady comes first.
 
rstim

rstim

Likes Dirt
wkkie said:
Hitting up Derby this weekend if there's any Burners about do a lap or 2, have a beer and say gday!

Doing Black Stump shuttles Friday and Sunday and the first 13 / Blue Tier & Atlas Saturday.
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Only just seen this I'm heading to Derby right now (Friday) might see you there.
 
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