Cycling through the Centre of Australia

[Slammin Sammy]

Thanks for resurrecting this thread, Ian! It gave me a serious case of nostalgia.

I arrived in Australia from the USA in 1985 to manage a coal exploration project in far northern South Australia - about 180km northeast of Coober Pedy. I spent three days in Sydney, and three in Adelaide, and then led a convoy up the Oodnadatta Track to William Creek - about 900km north, population 7! Our camp for the next few months was an out station called Mary's Yard about 150km away. Our nearest neighbors were 65km at Nilpinna Station - the Williams family. We're still in touch 28 years later! 

I spent three years on that project, and eventually immigrated, married a "Sheila" and gravitated to the Hunter Valley. But the red centre will always remain my first Aussie home. I've not yet cycled there, but now I've got Atilla the Nomad and inspiration from il padrone, I'm going to start planning my journey! My buddy, who's a crazy Israeli ex-kibbutznik cowboy is already up for it. I'm thinking of May 2014 (cooler time of year), which will mark 29 years in Oz for me!

Thanks, guys!
Sam

[Andre Jute]

Wonderful photographs. Link first posted to RBT by James Stewart of Melbourne:

http://veloaficionado.com/australias-bicycle-riding-shearers-of-the-early-twentieth-century/

(Did we have a thread on this, Dan? Feel free to move this.)

[FrogPrince]

Fantastic pictures

[JimK]

Here is a bit of a small world story. There is an advertising in the link posted above for a Shearer's bicycle, a principal feature of which is the Shelby seamless tubing. Well, my partner Wendy grew up in Shelby, Ohio! It seems they still celebrate seamless tubing there:

http://ohiofestivals.net/22-shelby-bicycle-days-july-7-2012/

[Andre Jute]

What a connection, Jim!

I know a woman who grew up in Ashtabula, the town which gave its name to the strongest bicycle crank ever made, forged in a single unit of cranks and axle. http://sheldonbrown.com/opc.html

[Pavel]

I've just discovered this thread.  Marvelously inspiring! Thanks all.