Doing it too, but haven’t given much thought about how many days etc. Probably will take it on a day-to-day basis.
heyooooooooo
Is this an inside joke or something
It sure is.
Dave and I walked in, I needed a small bag for the day to carry misc items - a guy came up and asked if he could help us, whilst jiggling a teabag in his cup - we asked him if he had any musettes. He walked us over to a coffee table and pointed to the mix of newspapers and magazines “Hmm, usually… um, I think we recycled them”. Dave and I stared at each other all puzzled like, he continued jiggling the tea bag and just stared at us. It was just a stupid awkward moment that we kept re running over a few beers later in the day.
I’m not sure what he thought we wanted. Dave thinks he thought we asked for Gazettes.
Haha.
I’m pretty set on giving this year a crack. Don’t know about days though… Aiming for seven, get swept up and join those on a ten day journey when I inevitably crack is the most likely scenerio
I’m looking forward to being envious of your gourmet lunches again.
I’ll have a thing about good camping/huts for a 10 days route next week
I reckon if I start planning now I should be good for a 10-day attempt in 2019. Who’s in?
Ahaha. I pack a bit more frugally now. There’s something to be said for not having to hike bulk chili oil and cured chorizo up 20% gradients.
Looking forward to your mobile disco and animated chats about the history of metal and punk.
Hahahahaha. Fuck what a time to be alive.
I look forward to your return! You’ll be sweet for 7 days on the new basketpacking sled
Probably not the wisest thoughts Seb. Day-to-day would be fine but you would have to be prepared with enough food, shelter etc. Take a good look at your set up and your current ability/fitness at this stage and then plan it out. Just cos you are any to cruise doesn’t mean you should wing it, so to speak. Over the next 10 weeks I’m sure people will start planning out 10 day routes and even 14 day routes. I know Jorja was planning the 2 weeks option. Perhaps link up with others. Dan also said it’s probably a good idea of the slower lot left before the advertised start date and that way everyone will meet up at one stage or another.
The good thing about bulk Venom, ACDC, and Kylie Minogue mp3s is they weigh nothing! Be great to have ya along, Seb. Real excited to see the crew again.
I agree with Gypsy. There’s not a lot of resupply or accommodation options to ‘just drop into’, or even bail out options. You’ve got to plan at least 2-3 days ahead for most of it.
Haha! Looking forward to this.
Gypo/Adam: Not my intention to go about this without a plan, “day-by-day” was probably a badly chosen expression. By this I meant that I wouldn’t lock myself into an unachievable plan (not enough days to finish it), but rather be flexible and listen to the signs telling me to keep riding or to rest. Planning days ahead with adequate food and a good idea of sleeping stops, absolutely.
Ok, well there were thoughts of doing it in a week, but if I’m honest I’d like to spend a bit more time taking it all in rather than grovelling through it.
Current draft 10 day plan:
DELETED - ROUTE IS TBA
Also I haven’t sorted out a Spot tracker. I have a PLB and I heard there’s Telstra service for large parts of the route. This thread has heaps of comments how the trackers were wrong anyway. Safety-wise I’m not sure what I’m missing that can’t be covered with those two devices?
You most certainly won’t have cellphone service most of the way (particularly between CBR and Omeo through the Jugungal wilderness).
Not sure what you mean by the trackers being wrong? I am assuming you’ll be riding with others, so outside of personal safety/peace of mind for your loved ones (that maybe the PLB alleviate) - you will miss out on the most import aspect of these events: dot watchers stalking you!
Just got my unpaid leave approved, bike is ready. Getting heaps excited!
Idk how long it will take me, especially since the route has been re-jigged to keep things fresh. My plans went to shit last year, so really I’m just looking to chill with the same squad tbh. I just need to be back at work Monday week :\
Yeah I understand its not the whole way… but I do recall Oli from Omafiets saying something like they were grammin the whole way.
Not trying to be a dick, but I just dug out a few in this thread from last year:
Anyway, I’ll try and work out a SPOT, plan B will be a PLB + Find my Friends on my iPhone.
The emergency part of the SPOTs is much much more reliable than the tracking function, if you stop and set it to send a message its very reliable, i used to use one for work and it worked everytime and we used it hundreds of times to send our boss updates. The tracking function works on sending a message every ten mins or so and often as you are moving it doesn’t get thru add in internet stuff and it can be a bit iffy. I have also heard that the sos function will work even if your subscription has lapsed.
Edit: a PLB is better for actual emergencies though. A SPOT is good for letting people know where you are and/or if you need a non emergent pickup, i.e. bike is broken or sickness etc
Yeah, I guess the public tracking has to do with a heap of variables though: Mapprogress service, SPOT’s API, how people are actually using the trackers. The reliability you are referring to here is like the public-facing aspect of the SPOT. You won’t even be a dot if you don’t have one!
In terms of reliability irt safety, there has only ever been one time when I didn’t have a signal (bridge to nowhere in NZ). It’s a pretty solid service IMO (see Mike’s comments about messaging + SOS).
I guess my point is, in terms of safety guarantees - you will probably get more with the SPOT (no experience with a PLB though). Plus, you get to be a dot!
There will be spots where you can 'gram, but having done the route (at least partially), and spending a good 4 days in the Jagungal’s over Easter, I can assure you there will be no phone service for some long stretches (unless you feel like hiking to the top of Mount Jagungal :p)
Eg - be prepared to not have phone service for day 2 and 3 of your ride plan.
Thanks guys. I reckon there’s a higher chance I’d have a use for the non-emergency parts of the SPOT tracker considering all the broken bikes and illness from last year’s ride.