Regarding Bicycle tour Sydney / Perth?

Question

I have read your concerns, most people seem to think I am planning to travel the shortest route. Ken E I want to thank you for your concern, as well as the other Australians out there. I plan to travel the coastal roads, even though it may be longer. Also, try to avoid the bush country, and do most of my bicycling early in the morning between 5 to 10am to avoid traffic, especially trucks. I think it will take me 6 months to a year to plan out this whole trip. Also, if I can make e-mail contacts between now and then, with you friendly Australians I may get some ideas on how to do it as easily and safely as possible. Again thank you, all you nice folks down under from Dennis in Canada.

Answer 1

you will still hit the nullabour plains , it would be unwise to do that bit in summer( people do do it though).
no need to worry about the trucks any more than you would anywhere else. 5 hours cycling a day isn't much though you have a longggggggggggggggggg way to go


Around Australia by Bicycle - The Complete Guide
??Paul Elwood's guidebook has route descriptions for the entire 15,000 km journey around Australia [except Tasmania?] and includes information on camping areas, towns and facilities. Cost: $32 [US $ 32 ?? ] ??

Cycling Outback Australia due for publication mid 2003.

Author's description ".. a guide that is as much about what you can see as how you can see it - an invaluable resource to anyone travelling in the Top End, between Cairns and Perth....The guide answers those logistical questions such as "Which route should I take?" "Where can I camp?" "Is there water and food?" and "What is there to see?" Finding out as much as you can before leaving will help ensure a safe and enjoyable trip. Climate, safety and hazards are of particular importance. Good planning makes all the difference." http://www.cyclingoutback.com/

Cycle The Tasmanian Way by Ken White. Published 2001. AU$23

Travel guide describing cycling from Devonport on the north coast of Tasmania to Cockle Creek in the far south, a distance of 586 km.

Cycle The Tasmanian Trail by Ken White. Published 1997. AU$20

http://www.tassie.net.au/~kwhite/book_index.htm

Bob's Bike Book of the Gold Coast City and Surrounding Areas

http://www.bikebook.com.au/

"Great Ocean Road Bicycle Touring - a cycling guide to Geelong, Bellarine Peninsula , the Great Ocean Road & hinterland" (? 2001 , joint publication, 57 pp, pocket format ). This is a free guide produced by local tourism promotion organisations, featuring some useful information specifically of interest to bicycle travellers. Available via www.greatoceanrd.org.au or by telephone [phone]. Good value at free !

"Bike Australia: Cycling Australia from Perth to Sydney" (2001, Paul Salter, 135pp) Covers a direct, main road route from Perth to Sydney, includes detailed route descriptions, maps, listings for accommodation, camping, and bike shops, and a lot of historic and geographic data. Also has photos every 100km across Australia. (ISBN 0-9582256-0-5) A$21.90 http://www.epicguides.co.nz/index.htm

"Cycling Northern Australia" (1997, Bob Craine 104 pp ) a useful route guide, with a slightly misleading title, for the Sydney-Cairns-Darwin-Perth highway, written by a practical, low tech cyclist with some idiosyncratic ideas ( eg no cooking). Sealed roads only. Good information about camp sites, food and water. About A $10.00 from bike organisations. ( Pandanus Publishing ISBN 0 646 32077 7)

"Crossing Australia's North [by Bicycle ] " ( 1990, Julia Thorn 141 pp ) pocket size format . Detailed route guide for Townsville-to-Broome and Darwin / Kakadu region. Useful history and other observations.( Kangaroo Press ISBN 0 86417 305 9 )

"Bicycle Tours of Southeastern Australia " (1989, Julia Thorn 119 pp + index) pocket size format. Detailed descriptions of a number of tours in the region between Northern NSW and Adelaide. ( Kangaroo Press ISBN 0 86417 277 X)

" Bicycle Touring in Australia" (1991, Leigh Hemmings 175 pp with index) medium size format. Detailed route guide for most popular areas. (ISBN 0 7318 0197 0)

"Bicycling Tasmania" ( 1991 Ian Terry 75 pp A5 format). Very useful , independent guide. (ISBN 0 646 07057 6 )

"The Pacific Bicycle Route" (Australian Coast , Sydney to Brisbane) (1986 collaboration , 66pp A5 format) . A thoughtful and detailed route guide to existing roads, as distinct from off road "trails", includes its own lift out maps .Published by Bicycle Australia. No ISBN . http://www.woa.com.au/ba/routes/pacific/

"Cycling Australia: Bicycle Touring Throughout the Sunny Continent", ( 1996, Ian Duckworth . Detailed route guide for "eight rides ?from Perth to Melbourne and Sydney. " Soft cover, 224 pages 12 x 21.5cm ,published by Bicycle Books .

ISBN- 0-933201-76-1 about A$ $24.95 / http://www.vianet.net.au/~ianduck/

'Bonkers' rider sets cycling record
A Perth man has shattered the record for cycling from Sydney to Perth by just over 14 hours.

Tristan Barnes, 23, travelled the 4,000 kilometre journey in nine days, nine hours and 17 minutes.

The previous record was set in 1999.

Mr Barnes says he is thrilled to have made it from one side of the country to the other in one piece.

"I think my family and friends know I'm a bit of a nut so they weren't amazingly surprised," he said.

"I think most people think I'm mad.

"Everyone who we tried to get to witness driving across thought I was bonkers, which was quite funny."

Answer 2

YES