Posts Tagged ‘Cycling’

Day 434. 75km. Bush – Bush

Posted: August 22, 2016 in Australia, Cycling
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‘Have you got any water?’
I wanted to do it without flagging a car down, but that was not to be. The people were lovely and filled up our bottles and let us guzzle more water down before leaving. Bad road cycling in Australia.

On the road to Kings Canyon

On the road to Kings Canyon

When I was 20 I had my nose broken when practicing Tae Kwon Do. Since then I have not been able to breathe properly through my nose. I have never got around to getting it fixed. It was quite annoying today. My mouth was constantly dry, and I had to keep it open. This is a big source of evapouration. I can’t do much about the amount I sweat (which is not much in the not so hot, dry desert), but, a nose operation would help with this problem. I had drunken 10 litres of water since our last water stop at Glen Helen. Clement had drunken 2.

On the road to Kings Canyon

On the road to Kings Canyon

The road continued past a line of rocky hills. It was all amazingly green, and didn’t really feel like a desert at all. It wasn’t possible to look around much, though. Full concentration was required on the road to navigate the path of fewest bumps. Rocks and corrigations made for a slow and bumpy ride, and despite cycling for over 7 hours, we only made it 75km. Tomorrow Kings Canyon.

Day 433. 91km. Glen Helen – Bush

Posted: August 21, 2016 in Australia, Cycling
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This is beautiful country. Rocky ridges which are lines of exposed red rock, and then flat plains with red rocks jutting up to the heavens, visible for miles and miles around. And there is not a soul here. When you stop, you just hear.. nothing. This is the Australian outback.

Glen Helen Gorge

Glen Helen Gorge

We had a little walk this morning to the top of the ridge behind Glen Helen station. It was a fun scramble up to the top of the cliff face with a spectacular view over the plains and ridges of mountains. After talking with a cycling couple and Julie – the cyclist from France – we only ended up leaving around 11.

Glen Helen Gorge

Glen Helen Gorge

View from Glen Helen Gorge

View from Glen Helen Gorge

Lunch was at the top of a mini-pass with the most amazing view out over the plains and Gosse Bluff – a rock formation formed from a meteor strike and then millions of years of erosion – two kilometres of erosion. It’s hard to comprehend such time scales.

Gosse Bluff

Gosse Bluff

We are now on the 150km of dirt road to King’s Canyon, and I am sitting in front of a lovely warm fire at the top of a little crest in the road. The sunset over the endless plains spread out before us. There is not a cloud in the sky, and not a breath of wind. And not a sound. Beautiful.

Day 432. 139km. Alice Springs – Glen Helen

Posted: August 19, 2016 in Australia, Cycling
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Tailwind – our first. Clouds – our first. Mountains – well, hills – almost our first. It was beautiful cycling through the MacDonnell Ranges that once used to be higher than the Himalayas. We passed water holes and rivers as we passed between the beautiful rocky red ridges.

The road to Glen Helen

The road to Glen Helen

We were blown to our lunch destination at a water hole. It popped up out of nowhere. Too cold for a swim for me, but Clement braced the chilly water. This evening we are staying in a sandy river bed near the Glen Helen Resort. We spent the evening speaking with Julie – a French cyclist who is working there for a month, an American cycling couple, and some backpackers.

Glen Helen Gorge

Glen Helen Gorge

It was good to get back on the bikes after a 5 day break in Alice Springs. Our time there was wonderful with lots of food, drink and fun people. We were welcomed in with open arms by Julie (her uncle and my auntie are married) and her husband Lyall. We became part of the local car rally community, joining in on their BBQ and then their rally as they hurtled around a course between the sticks. Thanks for everything!!

Day 431. 90km. Conners Well – Alice Springs

Posted: August 18, 2016 in Australia, Cycling
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Today we left the tropics – although the tropical weather ended long ago. It’s been about 9 months since I entered the tropics in China and about 18000km. Now onward into the temperate winter.

Tropic of Capricorn

Tropic of Capricorn

We’ve arrived in Alice Springs, and are staying with my uncle’s niece Julie and her husband Lyall. A lovely couple who have welcomed us into their family and life here.

Day 430. 99km. Ti Tree – Conners Well

Posted: August 17, 2016 in Australia, Cycling
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Today Clement had his first Golden Gaytime with me. It was delicious.

Clement's first Golden Gaytime

Clement’s first Golden Gaytime

It was a late start today after our conversation until late in the night. It was cool to see the excitement in Elias’ (a backpacker working at the camping ground) when we were talking about the bike trip. I think we have a member of the 2017 trans-Asia cycling club. Clement and I are 2015 members.

Elias and Greg

Elias and Greg

The road was straight and the wind was not too strong. We are now within a day’s cycle of Alice Springs, camping at a roadside rest spot. We had a lovely campfire and dinner with a Polish couple. All ready for the bright lights, big city tomorrow.

Day 429. 130km. Taylor Creek – Ti Tree

Posted: August 16, 2016 in Australia, Cycling
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‘You’re lucky to see it all this green,’ sail Lyall pointing to the dead brown grass along the side of the road. ‘It’s rained a lot here recently.’
It looked pretty dry to us.

My 38000km rest spot

My 38000km rest spot

We were cycling along the endless road without a bend, when a driver, standing next to his stationary truck called out to me: ‘Matthew?’
I stopped.
‘Yes.’
It was Lyall – husband of my uncle’s niece. I was contacted by my uncle’s niece, who I haven’t met (yet) a few days ago, and we were invited to stay with them in Alice Springs. Now Lyall – a truckie – was looking out for me on his drive from Alice Springs to Tennant Creek.

Today the kilometres passed a lot easier. We even had tailwind for some of the way. We find ourselves sleeping with the backpackers working at the local caravan park. Very cool guys – we stayed up into the night talking and got another view of Australia.

Day 428. 78km. Devils Marbles – Taylor Creek

Posted: August 15, 2016 in Australia, Cycling
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I didn’t sleep last night. The tent was shaking and flapping in the gale force winds, and I lay supporting the frame from gusts in all directions. The rest of the day I was like a zombie staggering on – pushing against the strong winds and dreaming of sleep in a warm, wind-free place.

Devils Marbles

Devils Marbles

When I got up, Clement’s tent was gone – he’d dismounted it to prevent the wind from destroying it. Mine was only held in place by my panniers placed at the four corners.

The weather had changed. Stronger winds and colder. A few rests at roadhouses (including an alien roadhouse) was an attempt to regain my will to continue. I was never motivated today, though, as the road was absolutely dead straight and flat into the wind, and I was quite simply tired.

Stuart Highway

Stuart Highway

Day 427. 128km. Threeways – Devils Marbles

Posted: August 14, 2016 in Australia, Cycling
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‘We eat kangaroo, emu, goanna,..’
‘How do you kill the kangaroo?’ I ask.
‘Shoot it,’ he replied, ‘or run it over.’ He chuckled.
Waiting for Clement in the supermarket in Tennant Creek I had a short lesson on bush tucker.

Devils Marbles

Devils Marbles

A group of aboriginals were hanging around the entrance to the supermarket, so I went and started talking to them while Clement was shopping. They told me of bush bananas and bush oranges. They told me how to cook a kangaroo, and they told about the bush version of marijuana. Clement is keen on cooking a road-kill kangaroo (if it is fresh). Now I know how to cook it..

After Tennant Creek there was an awful lot of nothing. The road was dead straight which plays on the mind. Clement ran out of water for the first time (I gave him some of mine). In the dry he doesn’t drink much less than me (compared to 1/5 of what I drink in Indonesia).

We arrived at Devils Marbles just as the sun was setting. They are very beautiful.

Devils Marbles

Devils Marbles

Day 426. 81km. Banka Banka – Threeways

Posted: August 13, 2016 in Australia, Cycling
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It used to happen to me a lot just after she died. Doing something else, thinking of something else, and bang. I would burst into tears. That was in 2005. And it happened to me today. I am nearing where I grew up, and nearing where her ashes are scattered. The scenery looks familiar, and suddenly I was transported to that hospital room. The last time I saw mum alive – in 2005.

Banka Banka

Banka Banka

I guess noone noticed my contorted face behind the sunglasses. They pass by quickly anyway. The scenery rolled past, and I was in another world.

Our start was late, after having a glorious hot shower, and then talking with almost everyone in the camping ground. We met some other cyclists today – one was from Thailand and has cycled 100000km over 5 years. That puts everything in perspective.

The thai cyclist

The thai cyclist

We only made 81km today to Threeways before chatting with a French cyclist and 2 French backpackers. Tomorrow will be a long day – shopping in Tennant Creek and then on to the Devil’s Marbles for sunset.

The gang at Threeways

The gang at Threeways

Day 425. 117km. Gravel Pit – Banka Banka

Posted: August 12, 2016 in Australia, Cycling
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Standing on the side of the road with Clement’s shorts pulled down, I carefully wrote 40,000 on his bum with black marker. He then preceded to remove all his clothes while cycling as the evening blue turned to indigo in the sky. I joined him and we cycled naked in the night, the amazing panorama of stars above us, and the truck drivers shining their bright headlights at us. And we sang – ‘Un kilometre à poil, ça use, ça use..’
Celebrating 40000km for Clement in outback Australia.

40000km for Clement

40000km for Clement

Today was awesome. It’s great to be alive!

We met some cool people at our lazy lunch stop (after 60km of headwind). ‘Just go up and say g’day!’ said Peter, as I told I wanted to know more about aboriginals, their culture and their knowledge and wisdom of this land. ‘They just want to be taken as they are, as people.’
I know he’s right, and it’s an obvious thing to say and do, but it gave me the courage to do it. I had a short conversation with an aboriginal as he walked past our picnic lunch spot. He was from Elliott, and coming back from a trip to Tennant Creek. It will be something I do forward. Like maybe many white Australians there is a barrier – maybe a subconscious fear. I want to break this barrier. And I will

Today had vista panorama views – over nothingness. Complete, wide and immense – nothing. Cycling through this I feel happy, and I feel free.

Stuart Highway

Stuart Highway

Stuart Highway

Stuart Highway

Sunset orange

Sunset orange

We were welcomed with open arms in the camping ground at Banka Banka and had quite an alcoholic evening around the campfire feeling happy with life.

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