2000 VA. 59 dB @ 7 m. 21 kg. Merde!

Mark (L) and Steve (R) firing up the motive power for the coffee machine. And for the outdoor cinema rig. And for the laptops. Etc. Out of sight is Steve's injured ankle (view injury log for more details). Just one day to go. Here's hoping we don't do any more injuries to ourselves or our bank balances.

Not Exactly Roughing It

Apparently we're taking a generator. And an industrial strength coffee maker. And enough gear to run an open-air theatre: boom-box, data projector, Monty Python DVD and "1 KKK certified white sheet" for the screen (should scare the locals off).
[The photo has nothing to do with Tasmania. It's just here because I like it. Taken on a 211 km ride to Sandy Point one day at the beginning of January this year. Taken at this very spot because I was shagged and needed a rest.]

Less Than Two Weeks to Go

The entire group got together for the first time yesterday morning. For all the wiki activity in recent months and occasional training rides by a few, we hadn't previously met as a complete group. The riders are Steve, Dave, Andrew, Stephen and me. The support crew comprises Mark and Lee. Steve and Dave work together, as do Andrew, Mark and I. Stephen is Andrew's nephew. Lee is Mark's fiancee and has just moved down from Brisbane, presumably to be with Mark.

The Bike

2004 Merida Matts Special Edition Disc. Pictured on the Melbourne Museum forecourt. The bike is only a month or two old in this photo and hasn't been anywhere near anything even remotely resembling a dirt road. The Maxxis 26 x 2.1 MTB knobbies that came with the bike as standard have been replaced by Continental SportContact 26 x 1.6 slicks for city riding and commuting. These tires are great - sticky and confidence inspiring (although you wouldn't think that by looking at the almost treadless casings). Disc brakes - Shimano Deore BR-M525 - are great, too. First time I've had a bike with them and I can't fault them - plenty of feel, work well in the wet, allow rapid controlled stops, etc.

About this Blog

This blog chronicles the nine-day journey along the Tasmanian Trail by five guys and a support crew of two over the period 19-27 November 2005. The website for the journey is tastrail.wikispaces.com.