10 Deserts Solo Cycle Epic

This morning I awoke from deep slumber with the feelings of apprehension and euphoria of venturing into the unknown which I have grown to like and welcome; but treat with respect.

My first similar endorphin rush was through mountaineering; stepping into the unknown on "summit day". I had a similar sensation on the Canning Stock Route, and was very happy that I at least passed three full days there before I saw the first 4WD. Some people do not like to venture into the unknown, but I thrive on these challenges. My sister once joked that I should have been born 100 years earlier Isn't it amazing to take just one more step into the unknown and expand your horizons, physically and metaphorically?

This afternoon I head off into the Simpson. My chest infection is much better. The horrendous winds have finally dropped away, but left scars in the form of very losely packed sand at the crest of every single dune; 1100 in total. The Simpson is the largest parallel dune desert in the world.

I have had a little luck on my side. Eyre Ck is still in flood, and flowing water is present. Eyre Ck lies directly on my chosen path, but also means I have a creek crossing to negotiate with bike and all my equipment. I have also been told by 4WD'ers there is lots of bird-life present, so I look forward to seeing this oasis first-hand. This means I will be able to travel a little lighter over the first 50km, including Big Red and some of the other biggest dunes, with reduced water load. I can defer taking on board my full water compliment till this point; although it will cost me in terms of time to sufficiently boil / filter this water in case it is contaminated from upstream.

Beyond Big Red (the biggest dune on the east of the desert), Eyre Ck is the only point where I am likely to see anyone en-route until I either successfully come out on the west, or need to abandon (for whatever reason) and head south to the French line.

My reasons for travelling remote of 4WD tracks for this crossing are very akin to those of Lucas Trihey's first crossing on foot; to see this beatiful country in it's purest form. This is also a tremendous challenge for bike and body; an experience I will cherish forever, no matter how it all unpans. My bike and equipment have already well surpassed my expectations and similar achievements of any of their competitors. I can personally vouch for their quality and performance in the toughest conditions, so please check out the sponsors tab for more detail.

Thanks for well wishes, and continuing donations for the RFDS. Please take the time to follow my "snail trail" across the desert over the next 10 or so days. Warning: it will be VERY SLOW.

Following arrival at Mac Clark Acacia Reserve on the western side of the Simpson, it should hopefully be a relatively easy 300km back to Alice Springs.

How hard could it be?!?! Bye for now, Russ.

A highway or not a highway? After the end of my first cruisy days' riding, I thought this leg of my ride may be easier than I had been anticipating. Full-width excavated road (due to mining activity near Laverton), and only occassional sandy patches. Holy cow, is it possible to ride the AB on a conventional bike???

Slowly, day by day, the amount of soft sand and corrugated 4WD tracks increased. Very quickly any thoughts of recommending to anyone that this route could be comfortably ridden on anything other than a 4" fatty were soon dispelled. The western side of this "highway" (yeah right - don't know what Len was smoking at the time) was relatively tame. There were patches of hard pack intermixed with all the soft sandy sections, so I was still able to maintain a decent average distance travelled per day. I was aiming for 90/100km/day for my food to last full distance.

Fortunately for me, conditions (weather) were very mild. After topping up with 30lt water at Yeo, this carried me right through to the WA/SA border, although I did top-up with another 5lt at a new r/water tank only 60km west of Ilkurlka "just in case". Based on this relatively light water consumption, I allowed myself an additional margin for the "tougher, sandier" going I had been warned about on the SA side. I opted to carry only 50lt, down from my original 80lt allowance. This top-up needed to carry me all the way through to Coober Pedy as there were no rain/water tanks on the SA side. This was a carefully calculated but risky move. In hindsight it was a good move. That extra 30kg water would have been a cursed burden through all that soft sand; hundreds of kilometres of it. So often I was considering myself so fortunate to have a 4" Fatback so that this terrain was actually rideable. The Extrawheel type trailer (using Extrawhel fork) worked brilliantly. There were still so many rough rocks and deep rutted hard pack sections. With so much load on board, a conventional 2-wheel bike would have been overloaded and prone to failure one way or another.

In the end, I arrived in Coober Pedy with 16lt water remaining. It's always my plan to finish each "stretch" between reliable water supplies with at least 10lt water left-over. It's too easy for something to go terribly wrong out here, any that 10lt buffer is cheap insurance. I figure the extra weight is great HTFU training

Some of the flora of the AB does not grow in any other latitude. The marble gums were always majestic and a relaxing presence. On several occassions I'd try to plan to stop riding a little before sunset, walk across a few dunes and find an oasis seeming untouched by man. You have to see it to believe it. I doubt any photo can do this amazing place justice.

Campfires were always a welcome night-time distraction. Most nights were freezing, so getting going in the morning was always hard work.

My tyres eventually succumbed to all the prickly terrain "way out west" and I got my first punctures (front and rear bike tyres) because I'd run out of Stan's latex solution. More Stan's will be going in very soon. It's been great not having to repair flats until now!

I'd like to extend a special thanks to all those nice and very generous 4WD'ers I met en-route; roughly one 4WD party/day on average. Your RFDS donations will be processed today. It's always great to chat with those I meet en-route. Sometimes I feel like a koala in a Japenese zoo at the amazement of 4WD'ers meeting a bike rider in such remote locations.

Sorry I haven't already sent on photos from the CSR. I needed to hold onto my memory card. Hopefully I have a replacement waiting in the post office so I can send on CSR (and now A.B.) photos soon.

I'll take two days off here in Coober Pedy. I've only had 2 days not riding in the past 5 weeks. The body is very much in need of a rest and the bike also needs a 5000km service. Yes, I've now travelled the equivalent distance from Perth to Sydney "off-road" on this epic ride.

Riding on through the painted and moon deserts will also be nice. I don't necessarily need a 4" tyre bike for these "dirt-roads", but the 4" tyres roll over all the gibber and corrugations so much easier than a conventional bike. I will need gas for all my cooking from here on in since wood for fires becomes a scarcity in many places for the remainder of my ride. It will be "relatively" easier terrain from here through to Birdsville. I am quitely sh!tting myself about what awaits in the Simpson, but more on that later.

Woowee, Anne Beadell solo and unsupported. It feels great. I can't believe how much I am eating, or devouring. At least my weight is holding stationary.