Cycle ­Trip

I booked a couple of weeks off work for September a while ago. The original plans evaporated leaving me with two delightfully free weeks. Of course I am going to take my bicycle and ride The Mawson Trail, a popular ride which is relatively local to me which I have wanted to ride for yonks.

I am going to try and get to the Flinders Ranges and follow the Mawson Trail to Adelaide. Today I will investigate buses from Broken Hill to Peterborough then up to the Flinders (see Footnote). I will also have a go at finding a way to skip the bus ride and ride directly to Wilpena/Blinman across a few Stations. Station owners don’t generally like doofuses crossing their properties for good reasons, so this one is unlikely.

Other things I need to sort before I go include:

• get a sleeping mat
• a large bottle holder
• some new tyres
• service my bike
• an oil change for my rohloff
• large capacity battery

A reading list:

• davidhume.net/mawsontrail
• sa.gov.au/mawson-trail
• orsr.sa.gov.au/mawson-trail
• southaustraliantrails.com/mawson-trail
• weareexplorers.co/mawson-trail
• youtube - Back Tracks from Broken Hill to Flinders Ranges

I am not going to bang on about it.
I am just writing this to commit myself to the endeavour.

Footnote:

The South Australian Trails 2018 Mawson Transport Guide is unfortunately now out of date. I emailed (no response) then called Genesis Transport and was told they no longer have a route up to the Flinders.

I then contacted Transport NSW about the bus to Adelaide but it’s non-stop which means they cannot drop me and my bike off on the way.

I then spoke to Richard from Spirit Safaris who told me they may have a seat free for a trip to the Flinders. He was not keen to take me though, it will only happen if they get no paying punters to fill the gap which is fair enough.

Another option is the fellow who is repairing my ute. He has a little aeroplane, I’ll ask him if it could fit me and my bicycle.

If I only had more time I would just ride.

Transport in the Outback is limited.