Walk for Wiggly Eyes 2.0 was a success!
Walk for Wiggly Eyes 2.0:
Ride a bicycle around the state of Tasmania, plus some hikes and canyoning around this beautiful island state.
17 Days: Saturday 18th December 2021 to Monday 3rd January 2022
Total: 1,212.5km (+ a few extra side trips where I didn't have my tracker)
753.412571 miles
Another Walk for Wiggly Eyes has finished, and like last time, I am relieved and pleased that I finished what I set out to, and extremely proud that I didn't let anyone down, especially as the main point of this is to show everyone with nystagmus or any other condition, that if we really want to achieve something and we truly set our minds to it, we can do whatever we want! Disabilities definitely do provide limitations, no one is arguing that, but it is your mindset that can truly be your best friend or your biggest hindrance. And, on the flip side, I also feel a bit lost of what to do with myself now that I have finished, with all the planning that's involved leading up to these challenges, and then the actual adventure itself taking up most of my time and my thought process. It's a strange and reliving feeling when I finished. A bittersweet! And before people ask, I have not even spared a moment's thought for what Walk for Wiggly Eyes 3 is, nor if there even will be another one. But with that being said, I will add, for a short while after finishing my first W4WE I had convinced myself that that was the first and more than likely the last too. So who knows, I know I don't.
More so than my walk across New Zealand, this one really felt like the norm of living with nystagmus for me. In my usual day to day life I can't drive, so I have to ride around. I can use public transport, but it can be expensive, unreliable and inconvenient, so riding is my way to get around. I could ask people to help me out with lifts, and occasionally I do, but I can't constantly be "that guy". And it was the same in Tassie, I could have booked tours that took me to set places on their set schedules and time frames, or I could ride around the state and do it my way. And yes, occasionally I need help from others, in reality and in Tassie. Like when my pedal snapped at Coles Bay, I was extremely fortunate that Tim from LongHual was able to help me out that day, otherwise I would've been screwed/stuck. It's not like I can just get in a car and pick up a new pedal. Unfortunately that is a reality..... but that's the risks we have to take, I suppose. So it felt pretty cool to do Tasmania on my schedule, the best way that I physically could!
During the ride, I felt bad when I looked behind and I was holding cars up behind me. And I get how annoying it is, but I don't really sympathies. These cars have to go this speed for that brief moment you are "stuck" behind me, but this is my constant reality, this is my constant max speed. I don't intentionally hold you up nor do I enjoy doing it, so when I can/could I would move out the way to let you pass. Fortunately for me, most drivers in Tasmania were pretty understanding, I wish I could say the same for every driver. But the reality is, like you, I am just trying to get from Point A to Point B the best way that I can.
What can be said about Tasmania in a word? "Stunning!" I think sums it up pretty well! The landscape is stunning, from the rolling hills to the sheer mountains, from the bright blue lakes to the golden beaches and everything in between. When you think of Australia you don't generally think of lush green, so in that sense, Tasmania is definitely a different beast from the "norm" that we consider Australia. There's a lot of rain here, so the grass is green and the berries taste awesome! I was so lucky with the weather, I barely had any rain, and when I did it was so minimal and short lived. I did however have a lot of wind, but this would often lead to days changing from grey overcast bleakness to bright blue sunny warm optimism in the blink of an eye.
And what about the people? Well they are stunning too! It really is as simple as that. Extremely helpful, friendly, beautiful, interested and interesting people! Like New Zealand, the whole state has a "small community" feel, so everyone wants to do what they can to help you, and it's always in such a warm inviting manner.
So yeah, Tasmania = Stunning
Tasmanians = Stunning
Done!
The trip itself, overall, it was great fun. There was definitely the odd occasion when I really didn't feel like riding, but you just get on with it. This is a fundraiser, it's not meant to be easy! I did enjoy the long days riding, and the Tasmanian landscape was so varying it kept me engaged for the most part. I particularly enjoyed covering large distances, and then still having plenty of time to stop off at nice locations/spots through the day and/or having plenty of time to explore the location I was staying in, something I quite often didn't get to do when I was doing my longer days hiking on my New Zealand challenge two years ago. I got to see some beautiful locations, many that I have never been to before. Mostly road riding, with the conditions of said roads being pretty decent. Google did take me down a few gravel roads, and on a bike with no suspension, that was definitely a challenge..... put it this way, I don't think I have a need for a vasectomy anymore. And let's face it, Tasmania is not flat. Sometimes the up hills felt like they were never going to end, and the down hills always ended too soon. Going around each corner I was always in anticipation of what would come at the end of the bend, always hoping for a fun downhill but always expecting a grueling uphill. Same as in New Zealand though, a phrase that I kept reminding myself when I was needlessly trying to bargain with the landscape, "it is what it is". I also got to meet some amazing people on my travels. The weather was kind enough to me to allow me to summit Cradle Mountain and Mount Field. So much achieved!
I didn't have too many issues with my body, by the end my knees where starting to feel it, the same as when I was coming to the end of my New Zealand walk, but like before I can walk that off. I was having issues with my right shoulder for a couple of months leading up to the ride, which was also causing me random numbness in my right hand. Through physio and strength work, my shoulder had pretty much recovered before I arrived in Tasmania, but whilst riding, my right hand would get extremely numb at times, especially when riding up hills, making changing down gears at critical moments quite challenging at times.
Mentally though, I was okay throughout. I think having a full belly most of the times helped that.
Low points: Maybe on the first day, there was a couple of moments where I thought to myself (and probably out loud) "oh s***! What have I got myself into. I don't know if I can finish this" but that's usual for me on these big challenges, and that's a head game.
I also didn't particularly enjoy the last day riding, there wasn't much to see, it was an overcast day, and I was ready to just power through and finish.
Riding uphill in some of the stronger winds or having to really pedal downhill because of the winds. But like I mentioned, this is a fundraiser, a challenge, it's not meant to be easy.
Highlights: Finishing! But I always say that!
Hooning it down some of the winding roads.
Summiting Cradle Mountain was so much fun. Canyoning in Dove Lake.....just Cradle Mountain National Park as a whole was awesome.
I really enjoyed my time at Tullah and Lake Rosebury, pretty awesome location.
Ahhhh, there were so many. Put it this way, there are so so so many more highlights than low points that this list could be endless.
A big thank you to:
Kirra Lea Jewellery for your amazing jewellery designed especially for W4WE, what an honour.
OverBoard bags for donating the waterproof gear, does exactly what it says.
K2 for so much gear. Always top notch outdoor equipment.
Evolved Fitness for the training and maintaining of my aging body.
Spring Bay Hotel, Tullah Lakeside Lodge and Big4 for the discounted accommodation.
LongHaul Tasmania for the bike hire, and for going above and beyond when my pedal snapped off.
ArmaSkin socks, your support throughout is amazing! And the products you provide me with are awesome. Using the anti blister socks again on my hikes, but also this time wearing your anti friction top was so comfortable. Don’t forget to apply code wiggly20 to receive 20% off of your order.
Radix Nutrition for providing me some amazing food! Honestly, easily the best dehydrated foods on the market, for taste, quality and nutrition.
Cradle Mountain Canyons for providing such an epic, amazing and enjoyable trip in Dove Canyon! Whata great day that was!
And lastly a massive Thank You to Nystagmus Network and Gift of Sight for your continued and amazing support! I am so proud to take on these challenges and do what I can to support such amazing charities. The work/research you guys do to improve the lives of so many blows my mind, and I'm extremely honoured to have the opportunity to help support you out the way I can!
Finally, I know I say it a lot, but I truly do mean it, THANK YOU TO YOU ALL! Thank you to everyone who, followed, commented, liked, messaged, encouraged, donated, shared, asked questions about nystagmus, asked questions about Walk for Wiggly Eyes, and everyone who just generally supported me! It means more to me than any words I can find and rustle a sentence together with! You're all legends, and make this all worth while.
And don't forget, it's not to late to donate here!!!
For further updates and day by day accounts of Mikey's bicycle ride around Tasmania, please check out our Facebook and Instagram pages.