Around Australia madness take 2

On the one hand guys at work here in Perth say that the roads I’ve chosen to traverse are liable to get me killed if I go in unprepared. They are right – so I will be prepared.

They also tell me that doing all of the route in a couple of months is lunatic behaviour. They are right again, so the route, as all routes I lan, is subject to rapid change depending on circumstances. Such circumstances include rainy weather, presence of beer, stormy weather, presence of sand, cold weather, tiredness and so on..

However these guys do a cross-Australia trip in just 14 days.

That sounds like hell to me – all slog and no let-up if you just want a day off. I’m not into organised travel, and I’m not realy into extended group travel – it becomes more about the group than the travel. But it is an impressive route:

They say the route is 90% dirt and 10% road, which is cool. But at 5600 km that’s 400 km per day on average, and you’d want a few slow days in there. I’m not at all beyond the 400km on rough roads per day – I’ve done a lot more. It’s the prospect of doing that with no break that would get me.

They charge $7200, or $5800 if you bring your own bike. That’s a good extra $1400 spent, $100 a day to trash someone else’s bike is cheap. But the $5800 would get you around Australia on your own for 2 months or more depending on how you travel. They do provide 4WD backup, which is nice, and fuel, which is very nice in these days.

On the other hand there is one leaving Perth on the 5th of July. Let’s see – 4th of July party on the Friday, early morning 5th July departure.. What could go wrong?

and it would be good practice for a Dakar. Even better would be an Australian Safari:

That’s in August, leaving from Kalgoorlie, up the road. 5500 km of racing in 9 days. Outback adventure treks offer a package just $18450 including bike hire, which actually is not entirely unreasonable.

Sadly (luckily) entries are closed for 2008, but there are 2009 slots available.