7th and 8th June Total Distance – 429km Day 10 We were interested to see how far we could go on the newly bulldozed track we had followed to the campsite the day before. From the Finke River bank, where we camped, the track was an absolute mess of bulldust and deep, loose sand. For […]
Ampire Waterhole – Central Australian Railway crossing – near Danny White’s Yards
5th and 6th June Total Distance – 342km Day 8 Into the second week, and there is still a fair bit to do to get to Finke, but I believe it is achievable. A pack of dingoes awoke all of us at 4am, probably a kilometre or so away. The morning chill is still with […]
Stuart Highway Crossing – Ampire Waterhole
3rd and 4th June Total Distance – 251km Day 6 While near to the main highway, the plan was for Bob and Brian to drive up to Stuart’s Well (approximately 80km from Alice Springs) to top up fuel and water and whatever food supplies were available. They would then use remote station tracks and even […]
Boggy Hole – No.6 Yards (-5km) – Stuart Highway crossing
1st and 2nd June Tota Distance – 178km Day 4 The mornings have been very chilly, perhaps only a few degrees. Ay Boggy Hole the hill adjacent to the campsite blocked the sun just about until I was ready to set off. The first 30km was on the Finke River 4WD track. It cut a […]
Camp 1 – Hermannsburg – Palm Valley – Boggy Hole
30th and 31st May Total distance – 90km Day 2 After the drama of the previous evening when we struggled to find each other, the morning of Day 2 was sublime. There was a chill in the air as the sun rose over the white gums and sandy river bed; the campfire still smouldering from […]
Alice Springs School of the Air and Day 1 on the Finke/Larapinta
Alice Springs School of the Air and Day 1 on the Finke/Larapinta 28th-29th May There was a lot to do to prepare in Alice Springs before heading off to Helen Gorge for the start of the expedition. By 8.30am we were in at the famous Alice Springs School of the Air as I had set […]
Introduction to Following the Finke River (Larapinta)
25th-27th May Melbourne to Alice Springs (driving 2500km) Welcome to the first blog for my third expedition of 2018, Following the Finke River, in Central Australia. So far I have completed an unsupported cycle ride down the Baja Peninsula (North America) in February followed by a polar training trip in Iceland (Europe) in March. My […]
Fire and Ice
23rd – 25th March The night I arrived in Germany I had a terrible fall, slipping forwards down some wet metal steps, crushing and twisting my already damaged right knee. Up until then the knee had been going well and I was feeling particularly fit after the Baja ride. It swelled immediately and I could […]
Here’s the Snow…and Light!
21st and 22nd March After driving another 140km to Egilsstadir, which is not far from the ferry port at Seydisfjordur, where we arrived, and still no snow riding opportunities, I was seriously considering leaving a week early, thinking we would make better use of our time back in Germany. Mike thought it worth a try […]
Where’s the snow?
19th and 20th March As arranged, on Monday morning I presented to students at The International School on the outskirts of Reykjavik. Firstly I spoke at the morning assembly to the primary students, then made two longer 45 minute talks to years 4/5 followed by years 7,8,9 and 10. The school has students who have […]
