Posts Tagged ‘Cycling’

Day 424. 131km. Dunmarra – Gravel Pit

Posted: August 11, 2016 in Australia, Cycling
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We all live on a sphere, rotating on an axis as it spins around a star. This gives us the different climate zones, and it gives some zones seasons. Clement and I are cycling away from the equator, leaving the tropics, and heading to Adelaide – now in the middle of winter. With every day and with every pedal stroke the heat ebbs away – its an amazing transformation.

Stuart Highway

Stuart Highway

The morning was chilly, and beautiful as we cycled through the scrub and the sky changed from black, through the deepest shades of purple, to its bright daylight hue. We also saw a landscape transition – quite abruptly – from savannah trees and dry grass to short scrubby plants. Distances feel even greater, and objects on the horizon that seem so close are well over 10km away – and take forever to reach.

There are reports of more cyclists on the road. Today we passed 2 Americans on reclining bikes, more cyclists are to be met ahead.

American cyclists

American cyclists

Our morning was spent covering 100km to Elliott – everyone told us to leave it as soon as possible. Well, it was our water and midday stop, and we stayed there for ages. Three hours later after a big feed, some phone calls and chats with backpackers, we headed off into the late afternoon and evening to camp in the absolute middle of nowhere – a place with a perfect view over the myriad of stars.

Evening tree

Evening tree

Day 423. 145km. Larrimah – Dunmarra

Posted: August 10, 2016 in Australia, Cycling
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I love to have a beer with Clement,
I love to have a beer with Clem,
We drink in moderation,
And we never ever ever get rolling drunk.. (just a bit tipsy)
The optimal formula – sunrise start, 90km and then lunchtime beer on an empty stomach in the Daly Waters pub.

Lunch time at the Daly Waters pub

Lunch time at the Daly Waters pub

In the morning there is not much wind, and it is lovely and cool. The 90km rolled past all the way to the famous pub in Daly Waters – a few houses in the middle of nowhere.
After the solitary beer I fell asleep, and, on waking, (a little bit too) merrily ate my lunch, and three hours later, we eased back onto the bikes.
Just near the pub is the Stuart tree – John Macdowal Stuart engraved an S on it when he passed in 1857. I’m blown if I can see the S. Maybe it’s a scam..

The Stuart tree

The Stuart tree

We had left it a bit late to ride the remaining 55km to the next water stop, so we just went, hardly stopping, and arrived in the twilight.

Day 424. 140km. King River Rest Area – Larrimah

Posted: August 9, 2016 in Australia, Cycling
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‘I would fight to protect my country and my family,’ he said – the 65 year-old hippy with his feet up drinking beer out the front of the country pub.
‘You guys are from Europe – it’s going to shit. You should be there working for your country. Paying taxes and working hard.’
Our mate was working hard cleaning the toilet once a day in the Larrimah pub.

Larrimah hotel

Larrimah hotel

‘I’m not from Australia,’ he said. ‘I’m from..’
‘New Zealand,’ I interjected.
He seemed disappointed. ‘Yes.’
We heard all about Kiwi (aka Kevin). Every detail. He didn’t let us say much, though. He still thinks I am from France.

Today was planned to be a day eating kilometres. Early in the morning and late in the evening the wind is weak, and we can make some ground without sweating much. A lunch-time dip in the Mataranka spring pool was great before another long grind against the wind to Larrimah.

Bitter springs

Bitter springs

Stuart Highway

Stuart Highway

Day 423. 82km. 30km from Katherine – King River Rest Area

Posted: August 8, 2016 in Australia, Cycling
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And there she stood, the Chinese girl dressed in her pink nightie and high heels on the side of the road next to the camping area. She followed us after changing her attire, and watched in fascination as we set up our tents. We took a shower (improvised using a drink bottle) in front of her for a bit of titulating amusement. ☺

Our Chinese friend

Our Chinese friend

Today was a day of meeting interesting people.
We crossed a solitary Japanese cyclist with minimal luggage. We had just completed a shopping spree for food for ten days, and our panniers were very very full. He just had two small back panniers and that was it. I don’t know how people like him do it.
We met a very friendly park ranger at Cutta Cutta caves who helped us out with food, water and information as we had a rest in the air-conditioning.

The park ranger

The park ranger

The Katherine hot springs were surprisingly nice. Lovely warm water flowing over rocks into a string of pools. It was perfect for removing 3 days of accumulated dust and dirt.

Katherine hot springs

Katherine hot springs

And then there was the road – straight and onward through the wooded dry landscape. Not many kilometres, though – we spent too much time shopping and relaxing in the hot springs.

Stuart Highway

Stuart Highway

And we slept next to Ned Kelly (aka Tony Abbott).

Ned Kelly

Ned Kelly

Day 422. 119km. Hayes Creek – 30km from Katherine

Posted: August 7, 2016 in Australia, Cycling
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Cycling down the long, endless road, I was wrenched from my podcast by a toot. This was not a car – it was from above. A helicopter was flying above us. The toot could only have been for us. We were the only ones there. Outback cycling in Australia.

The Stuart Highway

The Stuart Highway

Today was cycling into the wind from resthouse to resthouse – between 30 and 50km apart. We ended up in a hidden little camping area and got chatting to a French couple. They’ve been travelling around Australia and New Zealand for several years, and had lots of stories to tell. They told of the road ahead. It is long, with a lot of nothing. I am looking forward to it.. ☺

Day 421. 135km. McMinns Lagoon – Hayes Creek

Posted: August 6, 2016 in Australia, Cycling
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His friend came up from Adelaide. It’s cold there. She said she will keep on driving north until the butter melts. Many people are heading north. For us, the weather is cooler, but for those coming from the Adelaide winter, it’s hot. And, yes, the butter melted.

The butter melts

The butter melts

We sat in front of their caravan, towed by the Nissan Patrol – our first ‘grey nomads’. They’d come all the way from Perth, through Adelaide, and were heading north to Darwin. They gave us water, and then some more, as we talked and talked. The time flew by. The plight of the aboriginals was a big topic. It is true, the ones we have seen are in a bad way. History has left this people drunk at the bottom of society, and there seems no way up.

The road was straight and mostly flat and we made good speed until a slight wind picked up. We are camping in a little river bed next to a camping ground and pub. It was lovely cooking outside, and watching the stars. The outback is beautiful.

A long way to go

A long way to go

Day 420. 37km. Darwin – McMinns Lagoon

Posted: July 22, 2016 in Australia, Cycling
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Clement and I followed the Stuart Highway to my school-friend Bec’s house 30km out of Darwin. We experienced a string of firsts on this, the next very different leg of the adventure. The new orchestra of birds – familiar for me, new and exotic for Clement. The ‘fuck-off you wanker!’ abuse that cyclists get dished out all the time from motorists in Australia. Clement’s introduction to Aussie Rules football as we kick a footy around the back yard. And an amazing dinner with food we haven’t seen for so, so long.

Is there a resemblance here? :-)

Is there a resemblance here? 🙂

Bec and I spent the late evening looking through our old school magazines, spotting us and our class-mates – the girls with their frizzy hairdos and the boys with their haystack ones – so popular in the 80s. It’s been almost 30 years. Ouch!

It was great to see Dad again, who came up from Adelaide to meet me. When I see him again I will really be in the home stretch – in the last kilometres before Adelaide. The end is nigh, and I am excited and scared at the same time.

New Video: Cycling from Tawau (Indonesia) – Dili (Timor Leste)

Posted: July 18, 2016 in Cycling, Indonesia, Timor Leste
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Yes. With a little break, it’s time for another video – probably my second to last one.. Indonesia and Timor Leste are beautiful. A fantastic end to the trip before the last leg in Australia. I hope you like the video!

Day 419. 83km. Lientuto – Dili

Posted: July 17, 2016 in Cycling, Timor Leste
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‘Sure! You can come along!’
The sailors of the Darwin to Dili yacht race were sitting around the table drinking, laughing and telling stories. One of them will be returning to Darwin, and Clement and I are allowed to join them. A dream come true!

Darwin to Dili trophies

Darwin to Dili trophies

Today’s cycling was a dusty affair. I popped over the high pass into a new, much drier valley, and over a second little pass into the dry, Australian-like landscape. Timor has two climates, and the border is the mountains. It is fascinating to see everything change so suddenly. Water is the bringer of life.

The green middle valley

The green middle valley

The dry side

The dry side

Day 418. 70km. Wedauberek – Lientuto

Posted: July 16, 2016 in Cycling, Timor Leste
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Today was a ride up from the beach into the heavens – over the highest mountains in Timor Leste. Its good to climb again – and to climb on a half descent road. Riding in the sun, it was a lovely slow climb to a less hot night at just below 2000m.

On the way up

On the way up

The road just got better and better. Approaching and leaving the town of Same, I had pristine new road which made climbing a breeze. Even the road in construction about 5km out of Same was pretty good. I spent the climb listening to podcasts and trying not to get my earphones stuck in my ears.

Mountain road

Mountain road

Mountains

Mountains

My place of residence tonight is with a family in the mountains. I spent the evening talking to the grandpa in Indonesian – one of my last chances to use the language for a while.. Tomorrow Dili again, and then we’ll see how I get to Darwin, Australia.

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