We have said our last goodbyes to our trusty bikes. Just abandoned them really, under the verandah at Gill’s place. They served us well, no saddle sores, no break downs or punctures and only tipped me off once. They were slow and heavy but got us there in the end, like reliable mules rather than flighty thoroughbreds. I reckon we averaged about 15km/hr whereas at home it was a slow ride if we averaged under 20, even including Paekak or Akatarawara Hill.

Gill said normally she would drive us into Launceston but she  is on the St Andrews parish committee and they were serving pancakes in the village square, it being Shrove (Pancake) Tuesday. The bus stop was only 300m away and we got the TassLink bus into downturn Launceston. A 40 minute ride via the airport for A$6.20. The bus driver was young and friendly and drove in a very enthusiastic manner, like he was behind schedule, which he wasn’t. It was just an ordinary suburban bus so there was no space in the aisle or between the seats for our big bag.  He told us to put it in the rear exit door well where it bounced around as we sped along. I felt like saying hang on a bit mate there is a well earned bottle of wine in that bag!

We were in town by 10.30 and way too early for our 2pm hotel check-in but thought we would give it a go anyway. The hotel people were happy to see us and we lounged on their cafe balcony for 10 minutes while they made up our room. They have super fast NBN internet which is great after nothing the last three days at Evandale, Scottsdale and Pyrengana.

We are tired. Psychologically down because the cycling is finished but worn out physically. We have cycled the last 10 days including on the two days that were supposed to be rest days. I think the heavy bikes and carrying everything we had in the panniers was harder than we expected.

So we rested in the hotel room for a couple of hours before going out for a four walk in the 28 degree heat. Are we stupid or what? Walked around the River Tamar wharf front and up to the suspension bridge in Cataract Gorge. It was nice and cool under the trees in the gorge. At the first basin the early settlers created a Victorian garden, tea house, band rotunda, play ground and planted many European trees. This is quite nice but is in stark contrast to the natural rugged landscape of the gorge. I don’t think today we would do what they have done.

After shopping at a Coles Supermarket chilled out for a while before going and finding the Avis Rental Car depot where we will pick up our car tomorrow morning. Turns out it is just a desk in the lobby of the Grand Chancellor Hotel. Also checked out how to get from there onto a road out of town. Launceston has a typical one way street system.

We actually felt a bit better after walking around a bit today. The legs seemed to come right. Tomorrow we become your typical seniors tourists tooling around in our little car.