My Hemingway Moment: Tasmania

[Stardust]

 

Hi all,

 

Been a while since I posted but had a slight dingle on my pushie last year that saw me counting stars at St Vincents and without a licence because of the head injury - until now.

 

I'm also going through a bit of a Hemingway moment so have decided to take 7-10 days off and take the old girl down to Tassie. Estimated leave date: ASAP. No passengers. No convoy. No hold ups.

 

Will need to book a service, get those Bilsteins rebuilt, book car transport down to Melbourne, get the Ferry over, then I'm off.

 

So this is not the usual SMT post. I'm looking for some feedback - particularly from the gents who just did the Tassie trip recently, about the best roads.

 

The plan is to do as many of the 2013 Targa Tasmania roads as I can, in a way that makes a nice loop starting at Devonport.

 

I have the overview map (scroll to bottom of page), the pdf of the stage routes (although they don't have too much detail), a GPS and a toothbrush.

 

I'm planning on not planning at all - so will seek out accommodation wherever i end up at night unless someone tells me Tassie is booked out during the month of February.

 

So, any ideas welcome. I'll use this thread as a diary of the planning (not much) and trip (lots).

 

Cheers, David.

[Stardust]

Quick update. Paul from PR Technology in Sydney has just said they are flat-out with projects but can make room for any man with a mid-life crisis. So she goes in for the repairs tomorrow.

[Simonk]

Don't know anything about Tassie but I have to say I absolutely love that car. The colour, the stance, just awesome.

[J.J.]

sounds like a fun trip!

[Kerry]

Wow David, what a fantastic trip you're going to have!

 

It would be great for us to keep a track on your adventures from this post, that is if scribing a few words and snapping a few pics is not going to represent a planning transgression?!

 

Hemingway was a writer I believe…

 

Lucky dog! 

 

Interested to hear how you go with the rebuilding of the Bilsteins too...

[GC9911]

David,

I drove Targa Tassie 2012 & 2013 with the Porsche tour & it doesn't matter which roads you choose they are all great, you will have a blast. Just watch out for the speed cameras, they hide down there without signage like we have in NSW. Have fun, very envious.

[Stardust]

To flat deck, or not to flat deck, that is the question.

 

Currently fitted is an early turbo tail, but I have a nice matching flat deck.

 

The driver in me says the tail - it matches the front splitter aero for those spirited moments.

 

The aesthetic in me says the deck lid.

 

Hmmm.

[OZ930]

I'm a little biased on the colour and the tail

 

 

Old neighbour said mid Feb to late March is best.  Schools are back, tourists mostly gone, most attractions still open and weather is still good.

 

Tassie might chime in with more info or PM him.

[tazzieman]

Tassy is uncrowded and any B road is a must. Plan for nothing more than to have fun! If you like classics , drop into the National auto museum in Launceston , and there is a small private museum in Ross (check beforehand if open , or if the guy will open up for you).

[nath]

I love driving in tassie, road into cradle mountain is a ball and if you head out behind Sheffield past mount Rowland there are a few TT roads out that way and an amazing road that takes you up and down the mountains. Also queenstown is a must and the road from launceston to the easy coast is great fun.

That being said I agree with tazzieman just about any B road in tassie is brilliant.

[randall]

David,

 

Sorry to hear about your bike accident.

 

Steve and I chose to drive down for the recent "targa" (avoiding main roads where possible) and have had as much fun on some B roads in NSW/VIC as we had in Tassie. IMHO Alpine Way beats every Tassie road I have had a pleasure driving on. 

 

Mark (9fan) was responsible for route planning so he would be the best person to provide info on the routes we drove, may be worthwhile PM-ing him if he doesn't reply here.

[Stardust]

Hi Randall,

 

BTW I like your new stripe! I can't recall it being on at the Bridge drive.

 

Funny, I had considered the trip to the Snowies before I thought of Tassie. I just didn't want to rack up the miles going down there, so I decided on Tassie via the car transporter.

[GC9911]

Hi Randall,

 

BTW I like your new stripe! I can't recall it being on at the Bridge drive.

 

Funny, I had considered the trip to the Snowies before I thought of Tassie. I just didn't want to rack up the miles going down there, so I decided on Tassie via the car transporter.

Forget the transporter, just drive!

[randall]

Hi Randall,

 

BTW I like your new stripe! I can't recall it being on at the Bridge drive.

 

Funny, I had considered the trip to the Snowies before I thought of Tassie. I just didn't want to rack up the miles going down there, so I decided on Tassie via the car transporter.

 

 

Stripe was a temporary thing, has been removed since. Was going to put on a ducktail (surprised you are not considering one) and have the stripe run over the whole length of the car but plans have changed. Your car would look great with a Martini stripe.

 

 

If you are short on time for time you could run up and down Alpine Way for a few days, would be just as much fun as driving around Tassie.

[T-Man]

Forget the transporter, just drive!

Words of wisdom!

But if you do drive through Victoria, you must do Eildon-Jameison Rd that is part of the Targa high country run.

[Stardust]

My mum lives at Mount Beauty - I've always wanted to do the Mt Beauty to Falls Creek dash in the Porsche (I did it about 25 years ago in my 205 GTI ). It's just not the same waddling up to the snow with a barge-mobile filled with ski gear

[Airhead]

 

Hemingway was a writer I believe…

Hemingway was a raging alcoholic as well.

[Stardust]

OK, so if I drive to Melbourne here is the planned route (which includes the Alpine Way and Eildon-Jameison Rd).

 

Also, car dropped off this morning. Hopefully Bilsteins only take about a week.

 

Because I've got a full welded cage, am changing over the old foam protection on the cage to the newer FIA approved padding. It might be harder than the foam but will probably serve better for a head without a helmet if it comes to the worst.

 

Also getting a dyno run and ECU tune at the same time. Why the hell not?

[9fan]

Hi David,

Like your must do attitude. Will PM suggested change of route into Melb, quite narrow backroads but better than stop/start traffic/lights on the main drag,although you already have done plenty of twisties.

PM me re date time and maybe we can meet up for drive into Melb.

Cheers,Mark.

[Stardust]

For all of those who are suggesting the "drive to Melbourne" option, please consider the luxo-recliner-auto-massage Chesterfield I will be travelling in. Not saying it's impossible, I'm just saying I may have to suffer for my art:

 

[TrevMcRev]

Unless your wearing a helmet, i would say keep the original cage padding. 

[Stardust]

The bar padding might look nice and fluffy, but it's really only good for a helmet-less head at slow speed. A reasonable push with the finger depresses the foam to the bar without too much effort.

 

Anyway, after the initial moratorium on outlawing that padding on non-National racing until December 2013, it's now illegal.

 

The new FIA stuff might have more initial "ouch", but is ultimately safer. The added bonus is I now get a better view around the A pillar.

 

I've always got my helmet in the "helmet hammock" in the back of the car anyway. What's the law on driving on the roads with a helmet on?

[Stardust]

Well, the car is back. The cost has killed me and I will be due for a divorce soon.

 

The good news:

 

• Bilsteins are rebuilt. Old shocks had worn shafts and was valved more like a road car than a race car. New shafts and re-valve for tarmac rally. Unbelievable difference!
• New rotors and Pagid RS4-2 all round
• New Toyo R888
• All new front lower suspension ball joints (front left had a vertical movement of 10mm!!

The really good news:

• Custom retune saw an extra 14 rear wheel horsepower!
• Horsepower at the engine is now a much improved 245hp!!

The bad news:

• 2 inch crack across one of the rear 8x16 Fuchs petals (yes, they are genuine). Re-welded for the Tassie trip, but only a temporary measure. Anyone have a spare 16x8 Fuchs they no longer need?

So I didn't end up getting car transport and am leaving shortly to go down to Melbourne. I'm running late so am doing the dreadful Hume and stopping overnight at Mum's place at Mt Beauty. Then leaving early tomorrow morning - hopefully to follow Mark's (9fan's) recommended route.

 

Trip update to commence soon ...

[Stardust]

Stage 1:

 

New semi-slicks, new pads, and wet and greasy Sydney roads does not a happy camper make. Awful traffic heading out on the M-whatever-it-is.

 

As soon as I pass SW Sydney it becomes just me and the semis. A few later on in the night decide to do the no-doze waltz as they wander across the lanes. The B-doubles were dancing particularly beautifully as their dog trailer shimmied and salsa-d out into the middle of my lane.

 

For those of you who wonder how to remove the drone from 2-in 2-out exhausts on long, lonely stretches of highway (I have the wonderfully spicy M&K flavour), you should look at the latest Bose inserts:

 

Me, my Bose, and my new "Hemingway" look

 

It was around about Goulburn that I became acutely aware of an important item I'd left behind: a seat cushion. My back-side was showing what it just might be like to have DVT. Yes, I was suffering for my art. And no, the servos do not sell bum cushions. The friendly chap at the Goulburn Shell offered to sell me a fluffy Ram (for you Mexican's, the Goulburn Shell is the site of Australia's "Big Ram"). I told him I could do without the kiwi jokes and declined the purchase.

 

The Big Ram, with equally big cojones

 

After an initial discussion with my wife on the phone about the cost of the repairs, I decided to drown my sorrows in a delightful Big Mac Meal, complete with freshly steamed coffee, and a light and fluffy Junior Burger. Apologies for the sarcasm - it's about the best I can muster this time of night.

 

Back on went the Bose, the towel from the tool box was strategically placed around my glutes, and I amazingly approached a bit of a zen moment on the Hume - to the wonderful sounds of Melody Gardot singing La Vie En Rose - as the sun went down across the plains of Jugiong. How poetic.

 

Sorry about the camera mount - and the sunset was much better in the flesh

 

For those of you who don't know, the Hume is now dual carriageway all the way to Albury. Gone is the 50km/h crawl through Tarcutta, and though I hated the similar crawl through Holbrook, I will miss the submarines.

 

Anyway, landed at Mount Beauty with minor turbulence and a bit of cross-wind at about 11:20pm. Hitting the sack.

 

More to follow. Over.

[Tit]

Send. Over.