|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Biking perimeter of Australia (Update2)
I have some further questions regardring my trip following the
perimeter of Australia on a trike: 1. Some people suggest the very scenic route from Buchan to Jindabyne. But I will be in this area in late august. Isn't there snow and mud on the roads at that time (if it is gravel)? Maybe because of snow I should stay along the coast almost all the way up to Sydney (Princess HWY)? What do you think about that ... because I'm definitely not going to bike on snowy/icy/muddy roads. 2. In one of my route suggestions I suggested the following section: Oberon - Lithgow - Kurrajong - Singleton. But a forum member suggested the following istead: Oberon - Bathurst - Sofala - Ilford - Rylstone - Mudgee - Gulgong etc. Is that route as scenic at the one I suggested? 3. Is it legal to bicycle on interstates/freeways in Austalia? 4. If one arrives at a small community/town in the evening, and there isn't an official campground - where can a bicyclist usually stay? When I biked in USA I could often stay on fairgrounds, on the lawn at fire depts., in some community recreational areas. But how is it in Australia? Regards Lucas Jensen |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Biking perimeter of Australia (Update2)
In aus.bicycle on 25 Mar 2007 02:31:10 -0700
BikeManiac wrote: 4. If one arrives at a small community/town in the evening, and there isn't an official campground - where can a bicyclist usually stay? When I biked in USA I could often stay on fairgrounds, on the lawn at fire depts., in some community recreational areas. But how is it in Australia? The pub. Most towns will have a hotel whose main business is serving drink but will have a couple of bedrooms with a bath down the hallway. Prices vary but $30-$40 with breakfast is the usual fee I've paid. THere may be a campground but you can't bank on it. Find the pub and ask there. When I've needed to sleep overnight on a trip I've looked for the area off by the side of the road set up for trucks to stop. Parked my motorcycle in the bushes, unrolled the swag and slept by the bike. On the main highways you'll find stops with toilets and tables, you can kip there overnight, but not stay for longer than you need to. Zebee |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Biking perimeter of Australia (Update2)
BikeManiac wrote:
2. In one of my route suggestions I suggested the following section: Oberon - Lithgow - Kurrajong - Singleton. But a forum member suggested the following istead: Oberon - Bathurst - Sofala - Ilford - Rylstone - Mudgee - Gulgong etc. Is that route as scenic at the one I suggested? Scenic as in mountains = No. Actually, it is less scenic then route through Katoomba, but that has a hellof a lot of traffic. It also looks like you are talkig about the Putty road. Go east after Krruajong to wisemans Ferry, then noprth to wollombi, Broke, singelton (or wollombi, maitland (then dungog) The northern route is better and safer 3. Is it legal to bicycle on interstates/freeways in Austalia? Generally yes unless there are specific excaptions. 4. If one arrives at a small community/town in the evening, and there isn't an official campground - where can a bicyclist usually stay? When I biked in USA I could often stay on fairgrounds, Called showground here. on the lawn at fire depts., Highly unlikely in some community recreational areas. But how is it in Australia? Try showground first. Usually any out of the way places will not get you hassled. |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Biking perimeter of Australia (Update2)
It also looks like you are talkig about the Putty road. Go east
after Krruajong to wisemans Ferry, then noprth to wollombi, Broke, singelton (or wollombi, maitland (then dungog) What is wrong with the Putty Road? This is the second time people tell me I should avoid it. To me it looks like a scenic 150 km road (but well, I only have some maps to look at). Regards, Lucas |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Biking perimeter of Australia (Update2)
In aus.bicycle on 25 Mar 2007 08:44:22 -0700
BikeManiac wrote: It also looks like you are talkig about the Putty road. Go east after Krruajong to wisemans Ferry, then noprth to wollombi, Broke, singelton (or wollombi, maitland (then dungog) What is wrong with the Putty Road? This is the second time people tell me I should avoid it. To me it looks like a scenic 150 km road (but well, I only have some maps to look at). From memory it is single lane most of the way, not much of a shoulder, highish speeds including a fair few speeding motorcycles but the cars aren't hanging about either, lots of corners meaning poor vision. Which does seem to make it a bit dicey for a bicycle. (That said, it is scenic if a bit up and down. Pick a weekday to avoid the motorcycling heroes and the city-based holiday makers and ride on what shoulder there is if you can.) Realise that in Oz there's a hell of a lot of roads maintained by the taxes of not very many people. So outside the big freeways the roads tend to be narrrow and shoulderless. Weekend drivers tend to be much less skilled than they think they are, and any twisty road within 75km of a major city will have boy racer motorcyclists all over it on the weekend. Zebee |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Biking perimeter of Australia (Update2)
On Mar 25, 7:31 pm, "BikeManiac" wrote:
I have some further questions regardring my trip following the perimeter of Australia on a trike: 1. Some people suggest the very scenic route from Buchan to Jindabyne. But I will be in this area in late august. Isn't there snow and mud on the roads at that time (if it is gravel)? Maybe because of snow I should stay along the coast almost all the way up to Sydney (Princess HWY)? What do you think about that ... because I'm definitely not going to bike on snowy/icy/muddy roads. As a would be skier, I say unfortunately it is extremely unlikely to be snowy at or below Jindabyne, without some freak climate change event - the snow line is well above Jindabyne. The snowy area is quite large, but tiny in comparison to the country. If you stay at the coast, you would have a margin of hundreds of kilometres from the snow. Even above the snow line, the main roads would not have snow and ice on them. It's not a populated area, so the only public roads are the main ones. What you are likely to find, in August, is cold and rainy. For that reason, August may be better spent north of, say, Sydney, where the rain tends to fall more in summer the further north you go. The further north the warmer and clearer the weather will be. If you came back south in Spring, and the likelihood of rain and cold would get ever less. The quality of roads is good for the most part. Even in rainy weather you would have to be on a minor track to be really bothered by mud. Donga |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Biking perimeter of Australia (Update2)
BikeManiac wrote:
It also looks like you are talkig about the Putty road. Go east after Krruajong to wisemans Ferry, then noprth to wollombi, Broke, singelton (or wollombi, maitland (then dungog) What is wrong with the Putty Road? This is the second time people tell me I should avoid it. To me it looks like a scenic 150 km road (but well, I only have some maps to look at). Umm, actually parts of it are fantastic. Nice, wide, sealed shoulders. So the friggin cars zoom along way over the limit. oh, it has lots of bends so they don't see you until the last second. A really bad spot is the climb from the Colo river up. It is very steep and you'll be walking or grinding in very, very low gears. The road is narrow two lanes and there are NO edges. What edges there were are taken up by heavy steel guard rails designed to stop motor vehicles going over the edge. You have absolutely no where to go. On top, where it levels out, one side is cliff and the other is guard rail and it is very windy. To do this section, perhaps after midnight would be the best time. It was the main truck route to northern inland NSW and beyond, but the new freeway seems to have taken most of them. The second bd section is the bends in the northern part. gain narrow roads, flat and windy and traffic screams along way over safe speeds. You could time bends to avoid the traffic if you are patient. OTOH, I am not driving it much these days, so it might be a fair bit quieter. There are no facilities along it (two toilets, Colo Rr and picnic ground). The rest would be bush camping (if you can avoid the private property sections) It is your choice. You could make a final choice at Colo Rr. You will descend a massive hill to cross the river. That is how much and how steeply you have to climb, but the road is far worse. You could always follow the river downstream to wiseman's Ferry. |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Biking perimeter of Australia (Update) | BikeManiac | Australia | 10 | March 19th 07 07:36 AM |
Tips for biking the eastern part of Australia. | BikeManiac | Australia | 12 | March 15th 07 01:02 AM |
When to bicycle the perimeter of Australia | [email protected] | Australia | 22 | November 22nd 06 08:44 PM |
Cycling the perimeter of Australia | [email protected] | Australia | 26 | October 9th 06 01:05 AM |
Cycling the perimeter of Australia (additional info) | [email protected] | Australia | 4 | October 2nd 06 02:03 AM |