Biketour America/Australia 96/97 from Urs Arnold
I’m back from my bike ride since June 27th
1997. I started my trip May 5th 1996 and was at least nearly
14 months away and cycled 33197km (20628miles). Well, why did I a trip
like this? It sounds horrible for most of normal human being. Cycling over
mountains, through deserts and cold, living in a tent for 14 months etc.
I did in the past since I was 13 years old biketrips. Minimum once in my
life I wanted to do a long biketrip. I just love cruising around with a
bike. Switzerland has lots of cyclists. It doesn’t sound that strange to
do a long trip. I think most people couldn’t imagine how many people are
cycling in Lucerne. Traveling by bicycle is different. You meet more people,
smell everything (or smell yourself!), feel the clime and hear everything.
In spring 1996 came the chance to do start. I didn’t need lots of planing
and organizing because I had nearly the whole equipment from other tours.
I did in the past about six bike tours over about 12000km (7500miles).
I quit my job in Leipzig (Germany), sold everything and started my trip
with my girlfriend Sibylle, who cycled already for 3½ months in
New Zealand.
U.S.A 15th May - 24th July 1996
We met each other in Los Angeles. We were first heading
north to Ventura, where we crossed the coastal range to Bakersfield to
the San Joaquin Valley. It was a hard climb for me up to 5048ft (1539m)
in the heat and without condition. We crossed the hot Death Valley. Some
people couldn’t believe it to see cyclists riding middle of May through
the Valley. We had to fight with a stormy headwind and had for nearly 40km(25mil)
4 hours. In Las Vegas we did a bit gambling and ate nearly two days all
you can eat buffets. It’s amazing how much a cycle stomach can burn! Since
Death Valley, we cycled with Marc, a Belgian cyclist, who was heading to
New York. He accompanied us until Monument Valley. We had a good time together
with lots of fun. From Las Vegas we cycled to the wonderful Zion Nationalpark,
where we did some hiking (Angels Landing, The Narrows). We cycled further
to the impressive Grand Canyon. We had to do lots of climbing because the
north rim of the canyon is on 8500ft (2600m). We did breakdays in Page
and Monument Valley, where we did some mountainbiking. We rode over the
National Bridges NM to Moab. We stayed four nights in Moab to do some repairing,
service, relaxing, mountainbiking and sightseeing. We had enough time left
to do a loop into Colorado. We went on backroads over Dallas Divide to
Montrose and further to Gunnison and over the Monarch Pass (11312ft/3448m).
That was the first Pass where we crossed the continental divide (Atlantic/Pacific).
Afterwards I crossed the divide another fourteen times! We went on over
the highest Pass on my trip: The Independence Pass with 12095ft (3687m)!
The downhill to Aspen was freezing. Through dry country we traveled over
Rangely, Dinosaur NM, Flaming Gorge NRA, Green River to Jackson Hole at
Grand Teton NP. In Big Piney WY we got invited to a huge ranch with 22-25000
cattle! Into Jackson Hole we did a very cold full moon ride through the
whole night. On the campground at Jenny Lake someone opened our tent and
stole few things including films, camera, diary, checks, pump etc.. We
had an insurance at home but it's anyway annoying to replace everything.
Grand Teton NP was nice but for us Swiss not very special. We had a more
interesting time at Yellowstone. We saw geysers, hot springs, bisons, bears,
coyotes, moose, huge waterfalls etc. The problem was that we were beginning
of July in the park with thousands of other tourists. We had to fight with
all the cars and RV’s on the bad, narrow roads! From Yellowstone we cycled
eastward over very small dirt roads to Salmon in Idaho. We passed the Red
Rock NWR and crossed the steep Lemhi Pass, where Lewis and Clark crossed
the continental divide. In Missoula I had to replace my first rim. It was
broken by a spoke nipple. It was a good place to do a service and a break.
Then we cycled around the cold and very windy Glacier NP back to Kalispell
to pick up the general delivery post.
Canada 24th July - 28th August 1996
By Eureka we crossed the border into British Columbia
(Canada). We traveled over Fernie and the Crowsnest Pass to Alberta and
northward to Longview where we arrived just on a festival day. We met lots
of people in this small friendly village. In Calgary we did a lot of shopping.
We decided to split for a while. We had to buy everything for a second
time! I rode my bike back to Longview to take the backroad over Highwood
Pass (2205m/7234ft) to Banff. In Longview I met again people I knew. I
had luck I crossed the Pass in one day. The next day was snow in the mountains.
I had then for about four days cold and rainy. I cycled over Banff, Radium
and Golden to Lake Louise (Golden Triangle). It was quite a strenuous time.
I met nearly every day an American cycling group. I shared with them twice
the hostel. At the Icefield Parkway I had then excellent weather. It was
a beautiful ride up to Jasper, where I did some hiking up at Mt.Edith Cavell
Hostel. I also did a hike to Berg Lake at Mt.Robson. The Yellowhead Pass
was my last Pass in the Rocky mountains. I crossed the continental divide
15 times! From Mt.Robson I cycled in two days through endless forests to
Kamloops (366km/ 227miles). From Kamloops I took the empty road over Lilloet
to Vancouver. The road between Lilloet and Whistler is called Duffey Lake
Road and is very, very steep, narrow and real strenuous with baggage. The
downhill dropped in 13km (7 miles) 1100m (3600ft)! I stayed just for one
day in Vancouver. I did some shopping and visited a hockey game (Canada-USA).
I continued North along the hilly Sunshine Coast to Lake Powell and hopped
to Vancouver Island. I had to use four ferries. On Vancouver Island I crossed
to Port Alberni and took a dusty logging road through the backcountry.
In this Section I had problems with falls, broken chains, wasp bits, dust
etc. To relax a little bit I enjoyed three nights in Victoria. It’s a little
bit a different Canadian town with a strong English touch. I liked it.
U.S.A 2 28th August - 11th November 1996
In Sequim I had the possibility to stay for one night
by a pastor I met in Canada. On Vashon Island by Seattle I met again Sibylle.
We decided to go together to the relatives from her by Seattle. We stayed
by them a whole week with doing nothing and lots of relaxing. One day South
after we left Seattle we had a broken pole and a damaged tunnel on my tent.
We went back to Seattle because the Moss factory is there. At least I got
a new tent! We had to stay another three nights in Seattle. In the same
town we had the broken pole, we got this time invited from two bike mechanics.
I got by them a front rim replaced for warranty. By Mt.St.Helens we had
rainy and cold weather. The weather continued bad until Astoria, where
we decided definitely to go separated ways. But we continued anyway together.
Down the nice Oregon Coast we had dry but cold weather. From Astoria away
we met lots of other cyclists on the Hiker/Biker Camps. I liked especially
the southern part of the coastline. South of Crescent City already in California
we rode into the Redwoods! It’s fascinating riding through this giant forest.
After a day riding you get a "cramp" in the neck from watching the whole
day into the crowns of the majestic trees. I continued definitely alone
from Leggett. The whole rough coastline down to Bodega Bay I had foggy
and cold. That was a reason to take the inland route through the famous
wine region of the Napa Valley to San Francisco. I stayed a week by a friend
I met in Canada. I did some sightseeing, relaxing, organizing, repairing
etc. From Halfmoon Bay away I was riding in a group. Usually we decided
the evening before where we stay the next day. In the morning we started
alone to be "free". It was getting like a tradition to stop after an hour
to drink coffee and read newspaper. It was a funny time riding along this
spectacular coast. By Big Sur was a large forest fire. Just behind our
Camp they did a backfire. There were more than 2000 firefighters in action.
Just north of Los Angeles we rode direct into another huge fire. I had
luck to stay by friends over the mountains to wait a day. After this break
I rode in a strenuous long day trough whole Los Angeles. But I was glad
to have this giant town behind me. I stayed three nights private by a friend
in San Diego. After I was two days riding in Mexico
I decided to turn around. The main reason were the short days in November.
Other reasons were: I didn’t like riding alone in Mexico, the language
problem, the army controls, the dangerous traffic! I turned and went back
to San Diego with a tropical storm in my back. It was the first rain while
riding I had since Astoria! I decided to fly to the southern hemisphere
to New Zealand and Australia. UntiI I got the ticket I did a ride to Anza
Borrego Dessert State Park. I really liked the place there. It was a nice
clime with dessert, sun, oasis’s, palms etc. The problem was I had to cross
twice the high mountains between! I had two pretty strenuous climbs. I
did then some relaxing days staying in San Diego and riding back to L.A.
I had a good and very interesting time here in the USA and cycled meanwhile
13300km (8260miles).
New Zealand 12th November - 14th January 1997
I was already three years ago (Dec.93-March94) for
three months in New Zealand riding around. It’s a ideal country for cycling,
but sometimes very strenuous and maybe wet. I arrived in Auckland the largest
town. I went up to Cape Reinga (North Cape) fighting through strong headwind.
The last bit I rode with a Dutch guy without baggage over lots of hills
and partly gravel roads. We got invited for a night and a good meal by
a farmer. On the way back to Auckland I took the way along the empty West
Coast through the evergreen Kauri-Forest. In Auckland I just picked up
my plane ticket to Australia and continued to Coromandel Peninsula. I had
luck with wind and weather. In Hot Water Beach, where I stayed for a night,
you can dig wholes in the Beach during low tide to have some hot pools.
I rode all along the East Coast around the East Cape down to Gisborne.
The East Cape is a very empty part of the North Island. I got also for
one night invited by Maoris because it was poor raining. In Gisborne and
Napier I did a break day. From Napier I turned north to go to Tongariro
Nationalpark, which I really liked on my last trip. I did there a hiking
trip around a volcano by excellent weather. Already three days later I
took the ferry to the South Island. I did in this first month lots of riding
for New Zealand relations (2850km/ 1770miles) because riding on the North
Island is usually very hilly and I did more climbing than in the Rocky
Mountains. On the South Island there are higher and more mountains but
it’s possible to follow the valleys. Usually all locals say it’s more strenuous
on the South Island but it’s the opposite. There is a big exception: The
first day on the South Island I took a small unsealed coastal road. I had
to climb in about 40km (25 miles) totally 1400m (4600ft)! The East Coast
was not that spectacular. After I crossed the Canterbury plain by Christchurch
I went inland to Lake Tekapo. I had the same stormy Norwesterly wind than
three years ago. This time I wanted to ride up to Mt.Cook Village to have
a look to the highest mountains in New Zealand. Last time it was the strong
wind, this time the weather was too bad. It hadn’t done sense to ride up
into the rain. Instead I continued over Lindis Pass to Queenstown. It was
cold and windy. On Lindis Pass was snow though it was Summer. Cromwell
is a crossing place of four Highways. It’s a good place to meet lots of
cyclists at the campground. I went on to the famous Queenstown. They expected
lots of people for Christmas and New Year. I anyway didn’t like this town.
It’s nice when you leave the town for hiking but otherwise there are too
many tourists. I went on to Te Anau and stayed there for Christmas. I had
the other extreme and no people on the campground. It was a bit lonely
for a Christmas Eve. I did a few break days with service, hiking and repairing.
I cycled the one way road to Milford Sound. It was one of the most scenic
routes I rode. Spectacular is also the Homer Tunnel. It’s 1.5km/1mi long,
darker than black, 10% gradient, gravel with water and narrow. For the
downhill I stopped a couple in a car to ride just in the front of them
to have some light. Even the drivers told me they were unsure if they have
the light on because it was so dark. From nearly 1000m in the spectacular
mountains I dropped into the rainforest to Milford Sound. About 5km before
the Lodge I had a flat and got nearly eaten by sandflies! There were billions
of them. I enjoyed staying at Milford Sound in the evening and morning.
During the day it’s too crowded with tourists. On the way back through
the tunnel I hadn’t a car behind me. I had quite a lot of opposite traffic
with a few busses. It’s hell of a tunnel! On the way to Invercargill I
got a lift with a Dutch girl I met already the third time. She’s living
with her boyfriend on a dairy farm with about 350 cows. We stopped by a
nice place to take a picture from some trees. We got invited from a old
man for tea and homemade cookies. At least I saw in the guestbook he had
with a handsome people in it my brother and also another friend from Switzerland.
My brother was the year before here for a three months cycling trip. We
went over the southern end of New Zealand (Bluff) to the farm north from
Invercargill. I spent the New Years Eve at the hostel in Invercargill.
At New Years Day I cycled to Curio Bay. There were lots of Police on the
campground because the night before was a guy killed! I got invited from
some drunken New Zealanders for Barbecue. In Curio Bay I saw Hector dolphins,
Yellow Eyed Penguins, seals and petrified trees! From the South Coast I
went straight up north over the rough Cardrona Pass to Wanaka and the West
Coast. I had again extremely good weather. It’s usually very rainy. I was
already the second time here and had never a drop rain! From Hokitika I
cycled up the real steep Arthur’s Pass and stayed some days up in the hostel.
It was cold and rainy. At 14th of January I flew from Christchurch
to Melbourne in Australia.
Australia 14thJanuary - 4th May 1997
I had nearly a climate shock when I arrived in Australia.
I didn’t expect so hot on the southern tip of Australia. It was sometimes
more than 40°C (104°F)! At some nights the thermometer didn’t drop
under 30°C (86°F). At the time I arrived in Melbourne the Australian
Open (tennis Grand Slam Cup) was on. On the center court was sometimes
more than 60°C (140°F)! I stayed three nights in Melbourne in a
hostel to do some acclimation and organizing. I started eastward to over
Geelong and the Great Ocean Road to Warrnambool. Especially the Great Ocean
Road was one of the most spectacular road in Australia I saw. It was too
bad I was there on holiday time and weekends. There were crowds of people
and cars. But after Warrnambool I already got once invited and had two
addresses to visit families. I went north to the Grampians, a mountain
range in the middle of the flat Victoria country. I cycled over Ballarat
and Bendigo to Ecchuca on the Murray River. From there I followed nearly
all the way the Murray River to the Snowy Mountains, the highest mountains
in Australia. Especially the last part (Alpine Way) was very strenuous.
I didn’t expect so steep mountains here. From Thredbo I climbed and cycled
up the highest top of Australia, Mt.Kosciusko (2228m/7310ft). It was nice,
but not very special for me as Swiss. In Canberra, the new capital town
of Australia, I met good travelers in the hostel. I spent six nights there
with having and no sleep! I was not very motivated to leave alone and by
rain. By Bathurst a truck passed me too close. I had to leave the road
and felt in a descent over a whole. I had a pretty deep wound and I had
problems with my hips. But the most important thing, my bike Trekky was
OK. I went to the hospital to clean the wound. Over night I got invited
from a family. Over the Blue Mountains I cycled to Sydney where I visited
a friend I met already twice in New Zealand. I was not sure if I should
take the coastal road or the inland road up north. At least I took the
inland road with less traffic, but more hills. In Byron Bay, Australia’s
traveler Mecca, I stopped for two nights. I didn’t like it. In Brisbane
I decided to head inland. It was still very wet and humid here on the East
Coast. I was a little bit too early. It was a good decision. When I had
cycled north I had cycle direct into a huge tropical cyclone. Instead I
was heading west into the Outback. I had great tailwind until Three Ways
by Tennant Creek. From Roma away I was usually cycling a bit into the night.
It was great riding with no traffic, flat roads, strong tailwind and good
weather. At some other parts they had unusually amounts of rain. The roads
usually closed behind me and opened in front of me. But in Longreach the
road was closed because the Thompson River was flooded. The locals told
me, it’s possible to cross the river over the railway bridge. That was
correct. But the problem came after this bridge. Long parts of the track
was flooded (just about 50cm/½yd). I had troubles at two places
where there was a short bridge I couldn’t see because the muddy water.
I felt twice between the tracks down and were hanging in them. I was lucky
to not loose my bike with all the baggage. After this passage I did my
two longest days with 341km/212mi and 252km/157mi! I had some great wind
and no cars because the closed road behind me. It was like surfing on the
water. First I wanted to ride across the Simpson Desert along the Plenty
Highway (it’s a long dirt track). But at one spot was 6m/20ft water over
the track! The Outback got dryer, emptier and more red westward. I did
some breakdays in Mt.Isa, the huge mining town and Alice Springs before
I cycled to Ayers Rock, the world famous ‘mountain’ in the middle of Australia.
I had to cycle a 250km/155mi one way road to get there. It was like a culture
shock. I had to sleep in the hostel in the Yulara Resort. There were thousands
of tourists. I like the surrounding area but I was glad to leave back into
the desert. In South Australia I got more and more tailwind. I was fighting
the whole day against the wind without seeing one building. There were
distances of 250km/155mi from fuel station to fuel station. I got a lift
with an Australian farmer from Cadney to the strange opal mining town Coober
Pedy. And the 230km/143mi South of Coober Pedy I got a lift with a German
Traveller. I had a little bit enough of Outback because the wind. But at
least over the most distances I was pretty lucky with them. We drove over
some dirt roads down to Port Augusta at the sea. I had another three days
fighting against the wind to Adelaide. At the last day I got big problems
with my bum. I had an abscess and it got bigger so that I couldn’t sit
anymore on my Brooks saddle! I had to cut away the abscess in a day surgery
at hospital. After the surgery I had to keep quiet to heal it. The nice
thing was, I could stay by a nice family. Though the last four nights in
Adelaide I went to the hostel to meet some travelers. I was for a long
time alone. I saw over about 4000km/2500mi no other touring cyclist! But
along Stuart Highway there were a half dozen of them, mostly Japanese.
From Adelaide I took the bus to Mildura to win some time. I also expected
to get post there. Totally I had about half an month break. From Mildura
I cycled South to some Nationalparks. I stayed five nights in the Grampians
and did some hiking. On the way back to Melbourne I visited some friends
on Morningtion Peninsula and Melbourne. They still have no rain here in
Victoria since spring. It was really dry. But the day I left we had very
rainy.
From Melbourne I flew for one night to Auckland.
I had to pick up some stuff in Auckland.
USA 3 5thMay - 16th June 1997
My plan was to go back to America and cycle to the
East Coast to Washington D.C.. I came exactly one year after my start back
to America! In Los Angeles I had a little bit troubles to come through
the immigration. I had to go to a second inspection. At least I got six
months. I flew direct forward to San Francisco where I stayed a week by
a friend. With a stormy tailwind I flew through the San Joaquin Valley.
I was in two days in Yosemite NP. I had great weather. I did there some
hiking. It’s a great Nationalpark. It’s just a bit sad that it’s so crowded.
Because Tioga Pass was still closed I had to ride over Sonora Pass. The
worse was that I had to climb up on Tioga Pass Road to over 6000ft to drop
to 1000ft. Sonora Pass was then the longest Pass on my trip. I had to climb
more than 10000ft because there were also some descents on the climb. The
last part up to the Summit (9624ft/2933m) was very steep. I had to fight
to get up. East of the Sierrra Nevada I decided to shorten my trip and
not go to the East Coast. I also had problems with my bottom bracket and
needed a bike shop. When I had crossed Nevada I maybe didn’t find one.
Instead East I was heading north to Lake Tahoe. Lassen Volcanic NP was
still closed. But with the bike I came up to the Summit. I had some snow
walls 4-5m/13-16ft high. After Lava Beds NM I cycled up to Crater Lake
NP. There was only the North entrance open. I also had high snow walls.
I met there the only cyclists between Yosemite and the Oregon Coast. From
Crater Lake I cycled back to Coos Bay/North Bend. The next days I had some
pretty wet weather. But the reason to go here was to meet some other cyclists.
And since I’m at the Coast I usually meet every day some. In Brookings
I did some breakdays to do some service and relaxing. The last 17 days
since Yosemite NP I had just two half breakdays and cycled 2000km/1250mi
and especially the ascents was with 17500m/57500ft quiet a lot. From Brookings
away I had the whole way back to San Francisco great weather. In Prairie
Creek I did another break-day with some mountain biking. From Prairie Creek
in the Redwood NP I cycled with two girls from Utah to San Francisco. We
had lots of fun. It was a long time ago I could enjoy cycling in a group.
From Westport away we were four cyclists. We got another friend, a Canadian
cyclist. I had better weather than in autumn with nearly no fog. In San
Francisco I picked up my ticket and flew to Paris.
Europe 18thJune - 27th June 1997
I arrived back in Europe early in the morning. I
packed my things, bought a map and left the airport area in Paris. I wanted
to ride so far away from Paris than possible. To leave the airport it was
quite easy. In the afternoon I took a three hour nap in castle garden.
I felt the stressful travel. I had one bad night at San Francisco International
Airport and another one on the plane. The time difference is 9 hours. I
camped out in a forest. The next day I woke up at 1pm (1300 )!
The next four days I had every morning problems to get up. I had every
day rain. Sometimes I got few times a day soaked. I usually slept out in
the forests. I went up to Belgium, rode through Luxembourg into Germany.
Then I followed the nice Mosel River to the Rhine. In Mainz I visited a
friend I met in Australia. From Mainz I had four days to ride home to Lucerne
along the Rhine. I followed mostly some bikeways. I got often lost out
in forests or towns because missing signs. First I wanted to ride a week
longer in Europe. But when you already see the signs to Basel I couldn’t
resist to ride into Switzerland. Well, I came home after 418 days and 33197km/20628mi.
I’m glad to be home though my future is pretty unsure.
And still it’s sad to finish such a nice trip. But I’m pretty sure I will
do another trip by bike.
At least I was pretty lucky. I could start a temporary
work by the company I worked before. They are building new huge tunnels
under the alps. At 20th October I started one year more study.
I will study computer science to get also information engineer.
Statistics of the months:
Legend: BD=Breakdays; D=Days
1km=0.621mile, 1mile=1.609km; 1m=3.281ft, 1ft=0.305m
Month |
Distance [km] km/day " without BD |
Time [h] h/day " without BD |
Speed Breakdays |
climb [m] m/day " without BD |
grade per day " without BD |
May 96 |
1780.0 65.9 (85.8) |
101.4 3.8 (5.2) |
18.1
(8T) |
13540 501 (660;7) |
69 2.6 (3.2) |
June96 |
2453.0 81.8 (96.0) |
132.2 4.4 |
18.4 (7T) |
18650 622 (756) |
89 3.0 (3.6) |
July 96 |
2282.1 73.6 (84.5) |
121.6 3.9 (4.5) |
18.8 (6T) |
18800 606 (728) |
79 2.5 (2.9) |
August 96 |
2583.6 83.3 (104.2) |
140.9 4.6 (5.6) |
18.1
(7T.) |
23895 771 (904;5) |
101 3.3 (3.9) |
September 96 |
1785.0 59.5 (77.3) |
89.4 3.0 (3.9) |
19.5
(8T.) |
14130 471 (619;8) |
61 2.0 (2.4) |
October 96 |
1928.1 64.3 (83.9) |
99.4 3.3 (4.4) |
19.6
(11T.) |
16030 534 (701;10) |
73 2.4 (3.1) |
November 96 |
2299.4 76.7 (85.2) |
128.3 4.3 (4.8) |
17.8
(3T.) |
19990 666 (740;3) |
100 3.3 (3.6) |
December 96 |
2468.2 79.6 (101.3) |
126.3 4.1 (5.2) |
19.1
(7T.) |
24165 780 (914;5) |
91 2.9 (3.5) |
January 97 |
2543.3 84.0 (103.0) |
128.9 4.2 (5.2) |
19.3
(7T) |
17425 562 (659;5) |
78 2.5 (3.0) |
February 97 |
2082.2 74.4 (98.9) |
112.0 4.0 (5.3) |
18.2
(8T) |
19390 693 (940;8) |
70 2.5 (3.1) |
March 97 |
4418.5 142.5 (175.7) |
205.2 6.6 (8.1) |
20.4
(6T) |
9440 305 (370;6) |
111 3.6 (4.2) |
April 97 |
1383.2 46.1 (93.1) |
73.2 2.4 (4.8) |
18.6
(18T) |
8090 270 (486;16) |
53 1.8 (2.9) |
May 97 |
2563.6 82.7 (120.4) |
132.6 4.3 (6.2) |
18.8
(11T) |
22345 721 (1003,10) |
95 3.1 (4.2) |
June 97 |
2523.8 93.5 (104.4) |
136.2 5.0 (5.6) |
18.3
(3T) |
17570 651 (732;3) |
83 3.1 (3.3) |
Total |
33197.5 79.4 |
1729.5 4.1 |
19.0 (110T) |
243460 582 |
1153 2.8 |
To my person:
surname: Arnold
first name: Urs (a real Swiss name; it means bear in Latin!)
living in: Berne, Switzerland
age: 30
e-mail: ursarnold@hotmail.com
profession: engineer in surveying
bike trips:
1982 Lucerne-Lake Geneva (Switzerland)
1984 Tour through Switzerland, Germany and Austria
1985 Tour in Switzerland
1993/94 3 months trip in New Zealand
1994 Lucerne-Salzburg-Prague-Regensburg
1995 Tour in Spain: Perpignan-Andorra-Valencia-Barcelona-Perpignan
1996/97 USA/Canada/Mexico/New Zealand/Australia/Europe
1998 Tour in Ireland
1998 Tour in Utah/Arizona (USA) from Salt Lake City to Tucson
1999 Tour in France, Savoye Alps
and some other small trips
Some other figures:
Total distance: 33197km; 20628miles
Days: 418days
Average distance per day: 79.4km, 49.4mi (including break days)
Total climb: 243460m; 798750ft
Average climb per day: 582m; 1910ft
Average riding hours: 4.1h
Highest point: Independence Pass Colorado 3687m; 12095ft
Deepest point: Death Valley California -86m; -282ft
Longest distance: Morella - McKinlay Australia 341.2km; 212.0miles
Fastest speed: Jindabyne Australia 87km/h; 54mil/h
Flats: about 40-50
Weight: Without food and water about: 60kg; 132 lb
Costs: about 15’000SFr.=about 10’500US$ incl. flights and everything (i.e. new tent, new clothes, new sleeping bag, bike repairs etc.)
Bike: TREK 950, I spent about 1500SFr=1030US$ in my TREK950 during the trip
Route:
Some people are maybe interested in my route. The
following table shows you my route with towns, kilometers (1km=0.624mi,
1mi=1.609km), the dates (in European format) I stayed in this town, the
days between the towns and the average day distances between these towns.
Town
|
Km
|
Date
|
Days
|
Av. Km
|
Town
|
Km
|
Date
|
Days
|
Av. Km
|
Los
Angeles |
0
|
05.05.96
|
0
|
0
|
Christchurch |
16380
|
17.12.96
|
3
|
87
|
Ventura |
215
|
08.05.96
|
3
|
72
|
Queenstown |
16900
|
22.12.96
|
5
|
104
|
Bakersfield |
440
|
12.05.96
|
4
|
56
|
Milford
Sound |
17220
|
28.12.96
|
6
|
53
|
Death
Valley |
830
|
16.05.96
|
4
|
98
|
Invercargill |
17480
|
31.12.96
|
3
|
87
|
Las
Vegas |
1080
|
20.05.96
|
4
|
63
|
Wanaka |
17900
|
04.01.97
|
4
|
105
|
Zion
NP |
1480
|
26.05.96
|
6
|
67
|
Hokitika |
18340
|
08.01.97
|
4
|
110
|
Grand
Canyon |
1770
|
31.05.96
|
5
|
58
|
Christchurch |
18600
|
12.01.97
|
4
|
65
|
Page |
2010
|
03.06.96
|
3
|
80
|
Melbourne |
18670
|
14.01.97
|
2
|
35
|
Monument
Val. |
2280
|
06.06.96
|
3
|
90
|
Warnambool |
19110
|
21.01.97
|
7
|
63
|
Moab |
2680
|
11.06.96
|
5
|
80
|
Halls
Gap |
19330
|
23.01.97
|
2
|
110
|
Montrose |
3110
|
17.06.96
|
6
|
72
|
Bendigo |
19660
|
27.01.97
|
4
|
83
|
Aspen |
3480
|
21.06.96
|
4
|
93
|
Albury |
20200
|
01.02.97
|
5
|
108
|
Vernal |
3860
|
26.06.96
|
5
|
76
|
Thredbo |
20480
|
04.02.97
|
3
|
93
|
Green
River |
4040
|
27.06.96
|
1
|
180
|
Canberra |
20720
|
06.02.97
|
2
|
120
|
Jackson |
4380
|
02.07.96
|
5
|
68
|
Cowra |
21150
|
13.02.97
|
7
|
61
|
Yellowstone
NP |
4590
|
06.07.96
|
4
|
53
|
Sydney |
21480
|
17.02.97
|
4
|
83
|
Salmon |
5090
|
11.07.96
|
5
|
100
|
Tamworth |
21790
|
23.02.97
|
6
|
52
|
Missoula |
5320
|
14.07.96
|
3
|
77
|
Byron
Bay |
22270
|
27.02.97
|
4
|
120
|
Glacier
NP |
5640
|
19.07.96
|
5
|
64
|
Brisbane |
22510
|
02.03.97
|
3
|
80
|
Calgary |
6400
|
28.07.96
|
9
|
84
|
Longreach |
23650
|
09.03.97
|
7
|
163
|
Banff |
6700
|
03.08.96
|
6
|
50
|
Mt.Isa |
24280
|
11.03.97
|
2
|
315
|
Golden |
6940
|
05.08.96
|
2
|
120
|
Alice
Springs |
25470
|
18.03.97
|
7
|
170
|
Jasper |
7320
|
10.08.96
|
5
|
76
|
Ayers
Rock |
25920
|
23.03.97
|
5
|
90
|
Kamloops |
7790
|
13.08.96
|
3
|
157
|
Port
Augusta |
26720
|
01.04.97
|
9
|
89
|
Vancouver |
8290
|
20.08.96
|
7
|
71
|
Adelaide |
27060
|
04.04.97
|
3
|
113
|
Powell
River |
8440
|
23.08.96
|
3
|
50
|
Mildura |
27210
|
16.04.97
|
12
|
13
|
Victoria |
8810
|
26.08.96
|
3
|
123
|
Halls
Gap |
27750
|
24.04.97
|
8
|
68
|
Seattle |
9000
|
30.08.96
|
4
|
48
|
Melbourne |
28290
|
02.05.97
|
8
|
68
|
Astoria |
9550
|
15.09.96
|
16
|
34
|
San
Francisco |
28360
|
05.05.97
|
3
|
23
|
Eureka |
10360
|
26.09.96
|
11
|
74
|
Yosemite
NP |
28740
|
13.05.97
|
8
|
48
|
San
Francisco |
10980
|
02.10.96
|
6
|
103
|
Sonora |
28910
|
16.05.97
|
3
|
57
|
Ventura |
11960
|
20.10.96
|
18
|
54
|
Twin
Lakes |
29100
|
18.05.97
|
2
|
95
|
San
Diego |
12360
|
25.10.96
|
5
|
80
|
Lake
Tahoe |
29330
|
20.05.97
|
2
|
115
|
Ensenada |
12540
|
29.10.96
|
4
|
45
|
Lassen
NP |
29800
|
24.05.97
|
4
|
118
|
Los
Angeles |
13300
|
11.11.96
|
13
|
58
|
Crater
Lake NP |
30220
|
28.05.97
|
4
|
105
|
Auckland |
13300
|
13.11.96
|
2
|
0
|
Coos
Bay |
30550
|
30.05.97
|
2
|
165
|
Cape
Reinga |
13840
|
19.11.96
|
6
|
90
|
Eureka |
31050
|
07.06.97
|
8
|
63
|
Auckland |
14360
|
23.11.96
|
4
|
130
|
San
Francisco |
31930
|
16.06.97
|
9
|
98
|
Tauranga |
14760
|
28.11.96
|
5
|
80
|
Paris |
31930
|
18.06.97
|
2
|
0
|
Napier |
15460
|
05.12.96
|
3
|
73
|
Luxembourg |
32330
|
21.06.97
|
3
|
133
|
Tongariro |
15720
|
10.12.96
|
5
|
52
|
Mainz |
32650
|
23.06.97
|
2
|
160
|
Wellington |
16120
|
14.12.96
|
4
|
100
|
Luzern |
33200
|
27.06.97
|
4
|
138
|