Thorn Nomad in the outback - Red Centre Tour.

[il padrone]

It's 10 years ago now, but last year I put together this slideshow on YouTube of the Red Centre Tour. Rob and I both rode Rohloff gear-hub bikes and had a great time out there, even if we struck some unseasonably hot weather for the time of year - 37C for a succession of 4 days in 5, with some later equally hot days. If you are travelling to Central Australia, plan to ride it in May to August. We were also stonkered by the deep sand near Andado Station and did not get to ride the Andado Track through the edge of the Simpson Desert to Santa Teresa Mission. It was four fantastic weeks nevertheless.

https://youtu.be/yhd41uyO9Dg

[PH]

WOW!
What a fantastic set of photos, such glorious light, and a nicely put together slideshow.  I really enjoyed that and will watch it again for bits I missed.

[geocycle]

Thanks for sharing that and great to see your nomad in its habitat. What an adventure! Hard to imagine cycling in that heat though.

[il padrone]

We departed camp by 6-7am and rode in the relative cool of the morning. By 12noon we were at our camp (on three occasions with air-conditioned rooms at hotel-roadhouses) or we found a shady place to rest out the heat of the afternoon with water on hand. Such conditions demand an altered cycling routine. There are reasons for the Mediterranean siesta..

[Moronic]

That was fabulous to watch. Bicycles Out There! That is spectacular.

Fab tour planning too, it sounds like. Love that concept of getting all the riding done in the morning. Now that is adapting to the conditions. 

[B cereus]

Thanks for sharing that, fabulous photographs. Is that an Exped Vela tent I spied?

[John Saxby]

Brilliant!  Magnificent colours, and some high-end lizards too.  Bad-ass corrugations, OTOH.  You had the bikes for the journey.

[Andre Jute]

It's a real thrill to see that uncompromising landscape again (not to imply that I toured there by bicycle -- I saw it from air-conditioned cars). Super photographs and, as Moronic says, I like your tour planning: the mornings in deserts are always cooler, as the anticipated evenings hardly ever are. Thanks for sharing!

[il padrone]

That was fabulous to watch. Bicycles Out There! That is spectacular.

Fab tour planning too, it sounds like. Love that concept of getting all the riding done in the morning. Now that is adapting to the conditions. 

Thanks. Our major aspect of tour planning was ensuring we could carry sufficient food and water for some sections. We left Alice Springs with enough food for seven days, and along the way on the 210km Mereenie Loop had to carry all water for 3 full days (actually turned out to be 3 &1/2), as it was real desert with no surface water and no towns or facility to get any water. We had two 10 litre waterbags each, plus 3 litres each in frame bottles. Food resupply along the way was whatever the local stores had, which was often a bit hit & miss, and never ultralight foodstuff. The morning riding and rest through the heat of the day was essential, and something that I applied even more in the Kimberleys where the heat seemed even more intense, probably due to the fact that I was riding with consistent tail-winds.