24/08/2016 – leaving Alice
Dist. : 36.40km
Time: 1h56
Tot. Dist : 6121km

It’s the day to leave Alice Springs. I’ve had such a great time here and met so many amazing people.
I like depart days. I take my time to get ready. Go through all my gear. Pack, go for shopping, say goodbye to everyone. This is the most difficult part, saying goodbye to people I’ve had such a great time with. Since I travel it’s happening all the time and I never get use to it but the upcoming adventures are so exciting and it helps. This time I had to say goodbye to so many friends that I’ve finally been ready to go around 5.30pm pretty much 45 min before the sunset. My plan was to reach the tropic of the capricorn which was 36km away. I ended up by night and even at this time road trains are very carreful. I finally arrived at the spot and it was already fully packed. I found a little spot between the highway and the rest area. Not the best but it will do for the night. Before i had time to put my tent out, Daniel came to me and said that i could camp behind a fence on the bush side of the rest area by there truck. I came to check and agreed. I finally changed my mind and set up the hammock under the shelter of a couple of picnic tables. Daniel brings me a slice of bread he just made on the fire. This was seriously delicious! I needed to know the recipe. I came to his truck met his girlfriend Larissa and asked Daniel what is the recipe? You want to know? Well, he said it’s a secret but he gave it to me and stay tuned because soon I will publish it under the new recipes category on the blog.

Daniel and Larissa, two very inspiring people!

Daniel and Larissa, two very inspiring people!

We had a chat until very 10.30pm then we all went to sleep. I jumped into my hammock in the dark night and there was plenty of shooting stars that night.

25/08/2016 – Meeting travelers
Dist. : 120.09km
Time: 5h35
Tot. Dist : 6241km

This morning I am lazy. It’s often like this when the temperature is very low. 2°C I’ll stay in my sleeping bag until the sun warms up a bit the atmosphere. I had breaky with Larissa and Daniel they offered me coffee and we had another very interesting chat. The time flew and when I checked the time it was already 10am… I plan to cycle the most I can ro use the tail wind so we said good bye to each other and I left. The wind was pushing me well until I stopped at a rest area 65km later to have lunch. I met Manuel and Cathy. They are from Austria and currently in Australia for 2 weeks to renew their indonesian visa in those 2 weeks their plan is to go and visit Uluru. I told them to go visit the west Mc Donnel Range as well.

From then, the wind was weird. Sometime blowing from the south sometime from the west. I could even sometime feel it turning all around me.

After 120km I decided to stop at a rest area for the night. There is a water tank so i can remove the salt of my sweat from my skin in order to sleep well. Brian and Shelly came to me and offered me coffee. They are from North Palmerston in New Zealand. We had a chat then I went to bed watching a movie recommended by my friend Flo, Idiocracy. It’s a great movie making fun of the society plugged onto their tv and unable to think by themselves anymore.

The sky is crazy beautiful tonight.

26/08/2016 – Australia is too big
Dist. : 82.40km
Time: 4h06
Tot. Dist : 6323km

“Australia is a too big country to be cycling through” said a guy this morning on the car park of a rest area. It was a statement. He was saying it like people used to say the earth is flat ages ago. That’s it and there is no other possible ways. That was the only “special” thing that happened today in addition of a mango Ice cream bought at the Red Center mango farm.
I will spend the night somewhere in the bush by the road and felt asleep at 8.30am

Along the highway you'll find a lot of these termites man!

Along the highway you’ll find a lot of these termites man!

27/08/2016 – It’s hot out there…
Dist. : 101.7km
Time: 6h13
Tot. Dist : 6425km

This morning I was awake before the sunrise. I started to cycle early when the air is still fresh. It won’t last long. At mid-day a have lunch under the shade of a small plant. That’s not really covering me from the sun but it is the best spot I’ve found. I start to stop longer and longer as the sun is getting harder and harder. When I started back my bike computer stayed in the sun displayed a temperature of 47.6°C. It was hard to finish cycling through this temperature but I finally made it after 101km. Stopped at an official rest area and met Adrian and Stephy. A couple from Spain and Germany travelling through Australia. They offered me a cold beer. So goood. And I realised that I was starting to reach areas where there is sandflies… that’s not a good news. Tomorrow Devils marbles 80km away. It seems to be an awesome spot to visit!

I recorded under the sun 47.6°C...

I recorded under the sun 47.6°C…

28/08/2016 – 2cv yellow duck team at Devils Marbles
Dist. : 83.08km
Time: 5h14
Tot. Dist : 6508km

I started a bit late this morning and when I hit road the temperature was already high.
It is more and more difficult to cycle through this heat. I should enjoy it because a bit further north it seems to be very humid in addition. A few people advised me to buy some electrolytes because I’m gonna loose a lot of salt by sweating.
On my way there is a UFO Australian Capital. It’s a petrol station and a campground. I heard that I can have a free shower. After 4 days it will be perfect! I must be so stinky.

When I was about to leave the campground I met Chrissy, she is french and living in Australia pretty much all her life. She was in holiday with her husband Bill and few friends. She invited me to have tea with them and we ended up drinking two beers and eating crakers with cheese and avocados. Delicious. We spoke about our lives. Really nice couple. I was about to stay for the night but I wanted to take photographs of the Devils Marbles by night just 25km further. I decided to hit the road again. It’s gonna be night in 25min but at least it’s a bit fresher and I’m clean.

Fire with two cakes and a dumper cooking on the first row

Fire with two cakes and a dumper cooking on the first row

I arrived at the devils marbles at night and the local campground was fully packed. As I was looking for a spot to put my tent, I ended up surrounded by Citroën 2CV. 8 of them. Mostly Germans, Australians and Americans in this team. I met Elizabeth who prepared me a plate of food. Salad and Kangaroo. Delicious! Then Tony her husband. Andreas and Anka and few other passionates. We had a really good night around a fire. Eating some delicious cakes and dumper made on coles.

2CV under the stars

2CV under the stars

When everyone left to sleep, I’ve been discovering the boulders. At this time of the night, the milky way was perfectly aligned on top of the rocks. The moon wasn’t out yet. It was perfect. I played with my camera and headlight in the rocks for 2 hours then gone to sleep. I want to wake up for the sunrise.

Having fun at night at Devil Marbles.

Having fun at night at Devil Marbles.

29/08/2016 –
Dist. : 79.83km
Time: 5h44
Tot. Dist : 6588km

This.morning I woke up early and started to look around for the best spot to take a photographs of the sunrise. I played in the rocks again then had breaky with all the yellow duck 2CV team. I met Ushi and Axel. They are living in America and own more than 35 2CV! They have a website if you want to check it out: www.2cvsrus.com

And in the morning... I slept almost nothing...

And in the morning… I slept almost nothing…

We took a photography all together then Tony offered me drive his 2CV while he was riding my bicycle out of the park. 2.5km further.

Breaky time

Breaky time

It was my first time in a 2CV and on the driver’s seat! It is so comfy and as a bicycle, everyone is waving when we drove past them. Maybe one of my trip in the future will be with a 2CV… who knows.

Such an incredible team!! Thank you guys so much fun!

Such an incredible team!! Thank you guys so much fun!

I’m on the road. It’s hot and the wind is a really strong head wind. I can’t cycle faster than 12/13kmh. There is absolutely no shade. The first tree I found, I stopped to have lunch and then couldn’t keep going. It’s 37°C in the shade. As the sun turns the shade is disappearing…I’ll have to keep going. I don’t think I’ll be able to reach Tenant Creek with this temperature and head wind. I met on my road, not a snow man but a thermite man wearing a shirt with a quote Never give up. It helped me to keep going.

I finally stopped 30km to Tenant Creek. It will be better in the morning.

Another morning on the road

Another morning on the road

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4 Responses

  1. Chrissy Grandjean

    Love the photo of the Milky Way. J’adore ta journée et tes photos . On parle de toi tout les jours et donc on pense à toi Chrissy et Bill

    Reply
  2. Karsten

    Hi Alex,
    thank you for your wonderful photos and your great report about the yellow ducks. We enjoyed the evening with you very much. I think we insired each other that night. We are back home in Europe with nice sunny weather, while you hit the tropics and the heat. We wish you a great continuation of your journey and lots more of good adventures! If you have time, check out our 2CV website http://www.citroenchen.de. There are reports of former Australia Raids. Eventually I will also write something about this year’s raid.
    Cheeeeeeers
    Karsten and Jutta from Germany (with blue and custard 2CV “DUCHESSE”)

    Reply
    • Alex

      Hi Karsten and Jutta!! Yes it was such a great unexpected night! I enjoyed it so much as well you are awesome! Yes we did inspire each other I think a deudeuch is a great of travelling not too far from bicycle 😉 And you all got a very good spirit! I saw so many friend of yours on my way up north haha. I actually saw more 2CV in the middle of Australia than I ever did in France. I checked your website and I’m looking forward to the report about this year Australia raid 🙂 Here it’s getting very humid and warm… Hard to handle…
      Cheersss

      Reply

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