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This chap's FB has a good description of his bike modifications to take on the Canning Stock Route in Australia.
It's a ride that can kill the unprepared deader than dead...
Carrying a month's worth of water?! Is he insane?
...nice bike though!
jimfrandisco
Carrying a month’s worth of water?! Is he insane?
No. I've lived and cycled in the sort of places he's going.
And I'd want even more water.
I'm always amazed how much water I use when camping. Cooking, drinking, washing pots and pans, washing yourself etc. Factor in the location and being on your own and it makes a lot of sense.
I didn't mean that the amount of water was too little/much...just the inherent risk of a journey that requires you to carry it all with you, with no backup.
A container splits or punctures and there's no filling up in the next village, it's literally life or death.
But then, I usually overpack just for a 2hr loop...
Cooking, drinking, washing pots and pans, washing yourself etc.
The first two are requirements, whereas washing is a luxury.
More info about the Canning-Stock Route here - https://bikepacking.com/routes/fat-bikepacking-australia-canning-stock-route/ from which:
Water is obtained from a number of functional wells that remain from the original 51 (plus ‘native’ water sources). Depending on the timing of your trip some of these may be drier/dry. Well 41 has lots of particulates/suspended chalk, but has been drunk untreated after repeated straining in the past. Most parties carry a ceramic filter (e.g. MSR Miniworks) with water treatment drops as a backup. Consider supplies of oral rehydration salts (e.g. Gastrolyte) especially if the timing of your trip will take you into the hotter daytime temperatures. The biggest stretch without well-water is 200km, but shorter stretches further north often need the same or more water due to higher temperatures.
jimfrandisco
...just the inherent risk of a journey that requires you to carry it all with you, with no backup.
A container splits or punctures and there’s no filling up in the next village, it’s literally life or death...
Very true. I had a 1,000 mile overland trip planned out west and my biggest problem was carrying water.
I tested various methods over rough ground, and invariably something broke or chafed through. (This was 20 years ago - now I'd use a single wheel trailer or a Surly Big Dummy).
It's not just carrying enough water to get you to the next water hole, it's carrying enough to retrace your steps if that waterhole is dry. That's a lot of water. A 10 mile push through deep bull-dust can just about kill you. It's no place for heroics or the under-prepared.
Rather him than me.
That sounds a proper adventure, as in adventure that might kill you!
I was going to cycle from Perth to port headland. I decided that was daft due to a lack of water points and starting to plan 30l of water. As there was the possibility that there might not be water for 3 days.
I got a lift instead. In a week of driving I saw 2 people cycling. I also saw numerous stretches of 300k with no obvious water stoops by the road.
It would have been an adventure, but I wasn’t planned properly.
I had a trailer built out of a child’s trailer for luggage. It had two wheels. I had not considered the drag from the wheels. I tried a 3 day ride down by Margaret river and it was much harder than just riding a loaded bike.
This was on road. I can’t imagine how hard that would be of road!
tall_martin
I had a trailer built out of a child’s trailer for luggage. It had two wheels. I had not considered the drag from the wheels.
My brother has done most of the Bicentennial Trail towing a Bob trailer.
When I was over last year, he loaded it up with bricks for me so I could have a go at riding with his expedition load. There's a definite art to handling a single wheel trailer that heavy. He reckoned that if he went lighter it increases the chance of dying considerably.
He also pointed out the risk of doing it in the bush-fire season. When you're in the middle of nowhere, no one knows you're there and you don't know until it's too late if there's a fire coming at you at about 20mph over the next hill.
There are many reasons I didn’t stay in oz!
Spiders, especially the jumping ones! “I wonder if that multi colored spider is poison... sprong! Aaaaaaa”
Crocks
Sharks
Fires
Sunstroke
Snakes
But a large part was how alarmed city based Australians were when i went for a ride. I there was a reasonable chance of death any time I rode a bike anywhere.
So I moved to Nottingham, where there was loads of gun crime 😯
tall_martin
...But a large part was how alarmed city based Australians were when i went for a ride....there was a reasonable chance of death any time I rode a bike anywhere...
A friend of mine who owned a cattle station out West was always on at me to carry enough water.
The governess of a nearby station was returning from a weekend away when her car broke down about 30 miles from the station. With no traffic on the dirt road she obviously decided to walk. They found her body about 6 miles from her car (which had water). When the temperatures are hitting 40ºC you don't last long in the open without water.
BTW you left out the paralysis tick in your list... 🙂
And the stinging tree....
& Drop Bears.
That trailer seemed to be mostly wheel and not much luggage capacity. I guess it was just not fully kitted out?
Surely if you ignored the advice to wait with your vehicle and await rescue, you would at least wait in the shade until dusk then walk out in the cool of the night?
Perhaps not....
When I worked in the Middle East the protocol was that you stayed with your vehicle. Once you were past your expected return time then base would try and contact you, if they couldn't then they'd start searching. A vehicle is a lot easier to spot than a person plus it provides shade.
The trucks (actually 4.5L Toyota Landcruisers) were always topped up with fuel at night when you returned and always had 50L insulated water flasks filled before leaving in the morning.
I like it... There's not much in cycling that is as committing as something like a mountaineering expedition, relatively few places you can go by bike that have serious consequences if you under-prepare or overestimate your ability. A lot of interest and respect here for those who take on a trip like that. Bit too hot for me though, never mind the rest of it!
I once rode with / raced long-distance against a guy who'd crossed the Empty Quarter unsupported on foot, pulling massive water barrels of some sorts. Told me a few stories about it as we ate dinner one evening. In hindsight it was a good psyche-out-the-opposition method from him : )