Gear out.

Bits and bobs laid out and strategically grouped... only food to be added.

2-man tent and accessories.
Sleeping bag (feather down -5 deg. rating)
Thermarest (full length)
2x 6 Litre MSR Dromedary water bags / drinking tube
2 standard bidons
1.25L bottle & cage
Trangia stove and cook gear.
USB folding Solar Panel
GoPro & mini tripod
iPod / iPhone
Spot Connect
mini AM radio
Lezyne strobe lights (front-rear)
spare Schwalbe Marathon tyre
6 spare tubes
2 puncture repair kits
mini floor pump
chain whip / chain breaker / 2 master links
cassette tool
spare brake & gear cables /spokes / brake pads
screwdrivers / spanners / pliers
3 Jerseys / nicks
Cable lock
Toiletries / personal gear
Sleeveless sweater / arm - leg warmers / Buff head wear / cycling cap
fly net / spare T-shirt / shorts
cycling rain jacket for wet camping


Pillow & camp stool are the only luxuries.

If I don't get a good nights sleep every night, there aint gonna be too much good cycling!

....Wrapped in plastic...

I think that's a line from an old t.v show ... Twin peaks or something ,,

Plastic RV in plastic wrap, palletised and ready to travel....

Certainly looks well packed!

Bon Voyage. 

Now its really getting real.

Dropped off the Rotovelo to GMK Logistics this afternoon.... now its starting to really feel real.  Over two years of planning and research is coming together quite quickly.  It'll soon be time to "put my money where my mouth is" as my dear Mum used to say.... time to make actions speak.

Bath time

Time to knock off a few months worth of grunge. It can't be helping the aerodynamics if the laminar flow is hindered by filth ;-)

Not to mention all that summer sweat that ends up on the inside.. eeww .. lol. 

Maybe I'll give the RV a polish too, might help with the loaded hill climbing, but I doubt it. 

The Route

Put quite simply, my plan is-

Arrive Perth April 3, 2014.
Leave Fremantle, April 7, 2014.

Arriving Sydney end of May 2014 or there abouts via:-

Perth - Northam - Kellerberrin - Kalgoorlie - Norseman - Ceduna - Port Augusta -

and depending on mind and body, either:


option one:- (which is my preference)  

Adelaide - Mount Gambier - Great Ocean Road - Geelong - Dromana (Trisled factory) - Melbourne - Old Hume Highway - Wangaratta - Corryong - Jindabyne - Canberra - Goulburn - Old Hume Highway - Sydney.



option two:-
Mildura - Hay - Narrandera - Wagga Wagga - Goulburn - Old Hume Highway - Sydney.



I have no set itinerary apart from this... each days ride will be governed by the legs, the weather, and the sights.

Nullabor support crew.

My big sister, a world traveller, was looking for a different holiday experience, and who has a friend that, although also well travelled, hadn't seen the Outback of Australia..... Big Sis was worried about her "nutty" brother attempting to cycle through the wilds of the country, and asked her friend (who also has a keen interest in photography) what she thought about a Nullabor Holiday...... thus, a plan began to form........



The end result being, that I will have a support crew checking up on my welfare between Norseman and Ceduna, covering the Nullabor Plain and surrounds.

Their plan is to meet up with me in Norseman around mid April, checking in on my welfare (i.e., see if I've lost the plot totally... or not),  then they will head out each day in any direction and do their own thing, then meet up with me as I continue East, at the end of the day. We'll either wild camp, or maybe, be civilised at the nearest Roadhouse depending on each days ride.

Big Sis's plan is... to carry a few extra litres of Life's Nectar (water) and tucker, should I require it.

This is my greatest concern... rationing out the 15 Litres of water I'll be carrying with me.
I'd have to make my water last the 200km, (which is probably a 2 day ride) between Roadhouses. It's thirsty work powering a Velomobile, and I take on water like a steam train at the best of times, I don't want to expire from dehydration.
This has put my mind at ease knowing that I'll have extra water there if I need it.

(Not to mention a break down wagon should things really go wrong)

Thanks 'Ran 'n Nic. (aka..Thelma & Louise)

Last training ride

Rotovelo training ride. Parramatta Valley Cycleway. You have to enjoy the weather !  

Where I'm at.....update.

Quite a bit has been organised in the past week...

The Rotovelo is booked with a Freight Company for transportation to Perth.

Many thanks to GMK Logostics 

I've got myself organised with a flight as well.... The RV will arrive before me and GMK Logistics are happy to look after it 'til I get there. Excellent!!

Accommodation for my few days stay in Perth before starting my Expedition has been booked as well.

Camping gear has been finalised.
Carrying capacity for 20 litres of water.

Rotovelo has been serviced and spares parts are ready, hopefullt I'll just carry them, rather than have the need to use them. But ya neva know!


I think I've covered the  "6P plan"  ...

Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.

I'm also looking forward to catching up the the gang from the Western Australian HPV Group

More Go Pro Cam action

..... just a small part of a day out with the Retro Riders. Always a fun time.

.... and the weather's generally pretty good too.

Go Pro cam...

Do I look funny in this?

I probably do, with all those expressions    :-)  LOL

T minus 3 weeks

Hectic is a good way to describe the last, and next few weeks as I try and REALLY get stuff sorted. There's no time for mucking around, but my day job seems to be getting in the way.... so much to think about, so little time.

I have managed to find some time to put some serious miles into the legs, as just last weekend I completed an Imperial Century, cycling 100 miles (160km) in one day.... and not feeling too bad the day after. A bit of tiredness in the legs but otherwise good.

Should cycling such a distance out on the ride be necessary, I know I have it in me to accomplish it.

This link is to my Spot Connect Page, which will show my training rides.

NVsAr8vhttp://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=053vtDLemd4rjd9jFLJcez7ONW


I've been trying to get the RV transported as cheaply as possible.

The airline I'm flying with had told me the RV could go as checked baggage... after a few days reviewing this, I began to think it sounded a little bit "too good to be true"....So upon further investigation, and plenty of help from said airline, I was advised it would be prudent to send the RV as freight "just to be sure" rather than have the disappointment of a "NO" answer when arriving to check-in.
Now it's gonna cost a bomb to ship!!!  damn  :-(