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April 26, 2001

Overland Australia - overview 2

Overland Australia - planning notes

Overland Australia will be a 3,000 mile overland journey by mountain bike from the NE Queensland coast to Darwin on the NW coast, taking in Uluru (Ayers Rock) and many other significant areas of natural beauty, cultural heritage and geographical diversity en route. The overall concept is to avoid the sealed roads and explore the heart of the Australian Outback at ground level: meeting the local people, discovering the tremendous range of indigenous flora and fauna on its own terms. Instead of being laden down with heavy bike saddlebags, we'll look to travel super-light, using GPS (Global Positioning System), compasses and high detail topographic maps to follow the less traveled paths and tracks (see the more detailed 'Route Planner' below). A daily average of 40 miles per day will put the total length of the trip at 100 days.

The concept is to avoid the sealed roads and explore the heart of the Australian Outback at ground level: meeting the local people, discovering the tremendous range of indigenous flora and fauna on its own terms. Instead of being laden down with heavy bike saddlebags, we’ll travel super-light, using GPS (Global Positioning System), compasses and high detail topographic maps to follow the less traveled paths and tracks A daily average of 40 miles per day will put the total length of the trip at 100 days including time off for rest days.

The route will take in an antipodal point (23.47.00S, 131.22.00E), opposite to a sister point Steve and I reached on the Atlantic (23.48.36N, 48.37.37W). This will ensue Expedition 360 fulfills the criteria as delineated by Guinness World Records for a human-powered circumnavigation: crossing the equator into the opposing hemisphere, traversing all lines of longitude, and traveling a minimum distance of the equator.

Because of long distances between water supply points and the dangers from possible heat exposure, fatigue and being bitten by any one of the many venomous creepy crawlies that inhabit the Outback, this form of overland travel will only be possible with backup from a support team.

Sufficient time is also being factored in to visit and share story with 4 x schools en route. Some of these ‘schools’ will be little more than homesteads or ‘stations’ where the kids do their schooling by HF radio, telephone or satellite.

A handful of teenage volunteers in Cairns and Alice Springs are also being invited to participate in a cultural exchange program involving students capturing their world through the eye of a still or video camera and sharing it with other participating groups around the world by album exchanges and posting on the website as a film.

A team of 9 - of varying ages, social and cultural backgrounds - are joining up for this leg. Three teenagers from the US, Australia and the UK will accompany six adults Ð two being teachers. Followers of the Internet updates will be invited to share the daily trials and the tribulations of the team on what will be an incredible adventure through the Australian Outback. Broadband subscribers will be as close to the action without actually being there by accessing live video uplinks sent back from the field via M4 satellite phones.

If you know of any British or Australian teenagers interested in coming along, please email expedition_360@yahoo.com.

Kayak leg: To protect the integrity of using only of human power to circumnavigate the earth, the biking element of Overland Australia will be preceded by a kayak leg (just Jason) from the spot Moksha took a tow through the reef

Sufficient time is also being factored in to visit 3 x schools en route, spending enough time to give multimedia presentations of the expedition so far and introduce students to the expedition's Cultural Exchange programs: A handful of volunteers will then be invited to participate in the World Photo Exchange and Video Exchange, which involves capturing their world through the eye of a camera and sharing it with other participating groups around the world.

TIME FRAME
May 10th 2001 Jason arrives Cairns to start 6 x week preparation.
July 1st Remainder of team arrive.
July 5th Jason kayaks in through the Great Barrier Reef from the point where Moksha was towed August 2000.
July 8th Overland trek starts.
Oct 15th Arrive Darwin.

Posted on April 26, 2001 1:39 PM