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Report of a self-supported and self-planned bicycle tour on the famous Birdsville Track, Australia. Monsoon rains added an unexpected degree of difficulty...

Summer, Sun, Sand and Mud - cycling the Birdsville Track, Australia

Waltraud
2004-03-05 13:53:55

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Through the Australian Desert by Mountain Bike

Andreas Heßberg & Waltraud Schulze; (2001)

Heat and thirst

It is amazing to feel how the human body is able to compensate various physical stresses and suffers. Soon after a thorough drink and an hours rest in the shadow of a tree, we are ready for new adventures. However, it is still too hot outside – outside the shadow. Today again it is a very hot day. We have to adjust our daily schedule: at temperatures over 40°C every movement is too much, so we get up before sunrise and have a long break over noon. At temperatures over 50°C our body does not seem to be able to cool down to 37°C, even though we are drinking regularly. Today we measure 52°C in the shade.. Luckily we have shade...

Again it is above 50°C – but today is a resting day. We have already used the cooler hours in the morning to explore the rugged landscape and gorges. Now it is noon time. These high temperatures appear unreal, the body moves in slow motion, the mind seems blurred. The cypress pine trees (Callitris glaucophylla) only give very small shadows, under which we try to cover ourselves in moist towels. We spend hours like this sleeping, eating, trying to write. Luckily there is enough water in the tank at the campground. However, at noon the water is hot, good enough to wet the towels, but already too hot to drink. We start dreaming of a cool mountain creek.

Farms ad fields all the way to the horizon

Luckily we started our bicycle tour in Adelaide at cool 20°C and were then able to gradually adapt to the increasing heat – especially since we came from winter in Germany. We then had two days with friends in the Barossa Valley, where we went food shopping, packed our gear, and planned our trip with the advice of our friends. However, at our departure, the worrisome advice was clearly dominating: "you are crazy – no Australian would do this".

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