It seemed like a good idea at the time...

Introduction

Coolgardie to Albany via the Holland Track - Journal submitted by Alan M. All photos and text © 2007 Alan M.

My riding partner Phil, was off on some ship floating around PNG and wouldn't be back until bloody November. I had planned to do this ride from the beginning of September because the wild flowers would be out and the weather fairly cool.

So, I rode around Albany a bit, not enough to get too fit mind you, whilst I waited for November.

We were going to do the scenic trip from Coolgardie to Albany - via the "Holland Track". A must do trip for anyone with a death wish.

Phil finally shows up, looking bloody chippa and relaxed after 10 days on a cruise ship, wasn't looking so chippa 3 days later, neither, come to think of it, was I.

Day 2 was 47 C and shade was scarce, road was sand and there were 600 million flies. Things could have turned bad, but I digress, lets start from day one, the 6 November 2006.

We had everything packed in the car for an early start. We'd drive to Coolgardie, 800 odd K's NE of Albany using back roads, this would enable us to drop 20L of water off on the track near the old Bounty gold mine.

There was Phil and I, and my fiance Kathleen, who would drive the car home.

The Bounty water drop.

We arrived in Coolgardie around 2PM and unpacked the bikes and gear, we had to clean the bikes down with CRC as we'd done a lot of dirt roads and they were covered in dust, it would've become an excellent grinding paste.

Temperature was very pleasant, < 28C, had a bite to eat and waved Ta Ta to Kathleen who was to drive home via Merriden, jumped on the pushies and were off.

Looking like, well, we do this all the time. (Click for larger view)

So here's the deal.

Phil, the big bloke, rides a Mongoose, fairly standard setup, dual suspension, front panniers, towing a standard BOB Ibex trailer. Water on board is 15L. Trailer weighs in at 32Kg. He's using one of my Hookworm tyres on the rear with a Specialized knobbly on the front due to space constraints.

Alan, the little bloke, rides a Specializes Epic with a Rolhoff 14 speed hub, Hookworm tyres front and rear, some flash crankset he can't remember the name of but cost 600 bucks, (which he''ll never forget) and front panniers. The trailer, a BOB Ibex, has been modified to take a Surly endomorph 3.7 tyre for flotation. On the trailer is an external car phone CDMA antennae, a 20W solar panel to charge the 18AH battery for the toys i.e. laptop, gps, sat phone, cameras etc. Water on board is 26L. Trailer weighs 52Kg, go Al.

Next - Day One