Bicycling along "The Savannah Way" and water purity...

In 3 months I will be bicycling between Cairns and Darwin - with a few
side trips. Self supporting and purchasing supplies as available and as
needed.

Has anyone reading this travelled this route AND know anything about the
state of the water in the streams/rivers between (say) Burketown, Qsld
and (say) Roper Bar NT?

I WILL have plenty to keep me going regarding food etc, but I can only
carry so much water. The supply of H2O along the Savannah Way is
different than that supply on the highway between Port Agusta and Darwin
- different route and different situation.

So far I have not found any information on "the web". If I get no
information here I will just have to start telephoning the Police and
caravan parks/inns along the way and (hopefully) get reputable advice.

In the worst case scenario I will just burn up a bunch of shellite each
day and boil the H2O.

Hope to hear from someone with experience and useful advice.

Ken
Canada

 

Ken

I suggest you get in contact with the Cairns BUG http://cairnsbug.org/
.. Each year, there is a charity ride between Cairns and Normanton ('The
Gulf'), so there would be a few folk up there who are familiar with the
first part of the route for cycling.

You might also want to post on a caravaning or 4WD list - this is a
popular route.

A friend of mine who has spent his life as a 'ringer' (cattle worker)
in that area drinks a glass of water everywhere he goes. The idea is to
toughen his gut. His parasite load could be rather interesting to a
medical microbiologist.

Donga

 

Donga wrote:

> A friend of mine who has spent his life as a 'ringer' (cattle worker)
> in that area drinks a glass of water everywhere he goes. The idea is to
> toughen his gut. His parasite load could be rather interesting to a
> medical microbiologist.
>
> Donga

I just finished reading the newspaper "clippings" that my mother saved when
I went overland from Paris to Dacca - and back. I remember those days:
totally prostrate with "liquids" coming out of the mouth and anus......
That was 1975 - Afghanistan was wonderful then, but Burma was BRUTAL - and
wretched on the internal digestive system............

It is now 2006 and I am 58 years old and bicycling. Been there, done that
;-) I will check with the CairnsBUG folks. Thank you for the "heads up".

Ken
Canada

 

Hi Ken

I live in Townsville 360km south of Cairns. Not surprised you found nothing on the web. There is not much out there. Few/ No houses near the road between towns and its a long way between them.
A friend has done the Cairns - Normanton ride and from what I recall the water was carried by the support crew and filled up in the towns.
Most of the water from the towns out there is bore water so it will be high in minerals, taste terrible and possibly upset the gut. Buy bottled when possible.
Would doubt that you would find much drinkable water in creeks etc as it is cattle country so will be muddied and fouled.

Try http://townsvillecycleclub.org.au/index.htm as some of the members may know the area. They run a race from Mt Isa to Townsville at Easter.

Eugen Schilter rode around Australia in 56 days unsupported in 2004. You might be able to get some info from http://www.aa56.net/Default.aspx?tabid=26
He ended up riding at night over the section you want to do.
If you are going to do side trips I strongly advise that you constantly notify people /police of your location and health. Dont want yet another search for someone not lost or worse, someone dying hundreds of km away from where thought to be.

Good luck, you have chosen the best part of the year.

Hugh

 

Ken,

Check out my mate Den's site.

Somewhere in there is some details on the Savannah Way. He rode the Savanna way last year I think. I can put you in email contact with him if you wish do discuss in detail if you like, re water carrying and stuff... .

Hey out there you can burn wood rather than shellite if you like. Just dont set the country or yourself on fire cause no one is going to help you when your burnt!

Check out:

http://hellorider.com/


Regards,

Tom

 

HughMann wrote:

> If you are going to do side trips I strongly advise that you constantly
> notify people /police of your location and health. Dont want yet
> another search for someone not lost or worse, someone dying hundreds of
> km away from where thought to be.
>
> Good luck, you have chosen the best part of the year.

Thanks Hugh!!
Last year I did a LOT of telephone calls - to Police and others in Borroloola
and in other places. Yes, it is important to let "the coppers" (THAT is
nothing negative - they are really friendly folks who are there to: Help,
Assist and Enforce) know where you are going and when you expect to arrive.
EVERY Policeman I spoke with was really helpful regarding the notification of
saltie crocs, and other bits of local information... That was last year. Now
is now so it sounds like it might be time (in May and June) to make a few
more calls... just to get the latest info. I promised my wife and boys that i
would leave a string of telephone numbers for Police and caravan parks and a
timetable so they could leave messages. No, I don't think I will spend a
small fortune on a satellite telephone. I WILL stick to the road. Looking at
it on Google earth is quite the site.... There are LOTS of folks driving
daily along the Savannah Way.... heck, even the route to Cape York is not
"empty" nor is the road west of "The Olgas (NT) through Giles (WA) and SW to
the WA goldfields (Kalgoorlie).

I will travel ONLY in the daytime. I want to see things..... Night time is
for sleeping and listening to my satellite radio ;-).

Ken

 

Hi Tom,

Thanks for your offer. Yes, please put me in contact with your friend. I sent
you a private message to your address - but it bounced. hence this public
announcement. Send me an e-mail if necessary. My addy works.

Ken

 

Ken
You can hire satphones in Cairns - not cheap, but presumably less than
buying one.
Donga

 

Donga wrote:

> Ken
> You can hire satphones in Cairns - not cheap, but presumably less than
> buying one.
> Donga

Do you have any details? Web addresses/telephone numbers so that I can
"investigate further"? Send a PM to me if necessary. Thanks for this
information - it MAY be quite useful...'

Ken

 

Ken,

Sorry - I can't find your addy so can you email to
casurina99(remove junk)@yahoo.com.au
and I will put you in contact. Remove junk to reply.

Tom

 

Ken Pisichko wrote:
> Donga wrote:
>
>
>>Ken
>>You can hire satphones in Cairns - not cheap, but presumably less than
>>buying one.
>>Donga
>
>
> Do you have any details? Web addresses/telephone numbers so that I can
> "investigate further"? Send a PM to me if necessary. Thanks for this
> information - it MAY be quite useful...'

Use google groups to search this usenet group for sat phones. They are
discussed regularly.

 

Is a satellite phone really necessary? It is not all that remote you know.
We travelled along the Burketown/Roper Bar road (Savannah) last year.
Although there was not a lot of traffic even on the quieter days there would
have been 15 to 20 vehicles! I think a sat phone is just another burden to
carry. You arent going cross country are you Ken?
Kathy

 

I've only cycled as far as Cairns, not west to Darwin. But water is the
main issue, so best to be prepared.

This might help:

http://www.mvermeulen.com/oneyear/australia.htm

He has good photos, and clickable map.

 

In aus.bicycle on 3 Apr 2006 20:44:43 -0700
Donga <[email protected]> wrote:
> Ken
> You can hire satphones in Cairns - not cheap, but presumably less than
> buying one.

Emergency beacons are cheap, and one of the best investments you can
make.

Zebee

 

"Ken Pisichko" wrote:

> In 3 months I will be bicycling between Cairns and Darwin - with a few
> side trips. Self supporting and purchasing supplies as available and as
> needed.
>
> Has anyone reading this travelled this route AND know anything about the
> state of the water in the streams/rivers between (say) Burketown, Qsld
> and (say) Roper Bar NT?
>
> I WILL have plenty to keep me going regarding food etc, but I can only
> carry so much water. The supply of H2O along the Savannah Way is
> different than that supply on the highway between Port Agusta and Darwin
> - different route and different situation.
>
> So far I have not found any information on "the web". If I get no
> information here I will just have to start telephoning the Police and
> caravan parks/inns along the way and (hopefully) get reputable advice.
>
> In the worst case scenario I will just burn up a bunch of shellite each
> day and boil the H2O.
>
> Hope to hear from someone with experience and useful advice.

For someone with experience, you should have a look at the photos of my mate
Randy at:
http://community.webshots.com/user/bicyclingaustralia/2

and his journal entries at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RandyandJody/messages/43?viscount=-30
(you may need a yahoo ID to look at this). He and his wife Jody toured right
around Australia in 2001, taking some backtracks in the Cape York region.

You could also email him direct at RandyMiller_at_bigpond_dot_com. Tell him
I gave you his details, I'm sure he will be most helpful, and say g'day to
him from me. Randy and Jody toured through your neck of the woods (BC) in
about 1999.

--
Cheers
Peter

~~~ ~ [email protected]
~~ ~ _- \,
~~ (*)/ (*)

 

Ken

I would suggest you re-consider the sat phone. I wouldn't go out there
without one and you can hire them at reasonable rates.

I don't have any specific links (I own my own for work) but tech
rentals is one place to look

john rapley