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September 3, 2001
Overland Australia - Update 36
Day 42 Update
Moon miles…riding at night
Earlier this year when the bike team started corresponding via email on
the planning details of the trip mention was made of riding at night to
avoid the heat of the day. However, since leaving the Starcke River 42
days ago we've settled into a routine of riding during the day, partly
because it's been cooler than we expected - especially now we're in the
middle of the country, far from any maritime influence - and also
because we've been hard pushed to keep up with all the things needed to
get done in an average day. To suddenly change the routine for this
size of group would be a major logistical headache. But yesterday, with a
short 25km hop to Trephina Gorge National Park (where we are now) and
with a layover day intended for the following day, a rare opportunity
was presented to us. And, more to the point, it was FULL MOON!
A few of the team members had earlier voiced some concerns about biking
on off-road surfaces that might be difficult to negotiate safely. I know
for myself having skated a few road sections by night in the US, a worry
would be riding over existing road-kill. More than a few times during my
Trans-American rollerblade marathon I'd gone flying after piling into
the rotting carcass of an armadillo hidden in the shadows. But on the
plus side the route we would be taking was for the most part bitumen,
and the light of the moon was so bright and cloud cover so minimal we
would be able to see any untoward obstacles a long way in advance. So,
at around 8 p.m., with the occasional whoop of expectation punctuating
the night and a generous slice of John's most excellent quiche warming
the inside of our bellies, we stole out from Ross River Homestead under
the cover of darkness to lay down the first moon-miles of the trip.
The experience of biking through an environment totally changes without
light being the primary stimulus. Instead of relying on the sense
perception of sight I found myself tuning into the lesser known
sensations of touch, sound and smell: cutting through parcels of warm
and cold air, the scent of roadside Acacia and Flowering Bloodwood
blending into the sound of crunching gravel under our wheels
accompanied by the backdrop chorus of crickets. The whole group was mute by the
time we reached the turn off to our campsite. Normally we're like mob of
chattering monkeys, reacting and remarking at almost every new thing
that comes across our path. But not tonight. Everyone just stood out on
the road, basking in the milky blue light, rolling the experience
around in their mouths like a fine wine before succumbing to the familiar
bustle and confusion of expedition camp life.
This morning we awoke blinking up at blood red canyon walls that reared
up for 500 metres or more either side of our campsite beside the
Trephina Creek (dry at present). This, our layover day would be spent
doing all those legitimate things we never seem to have time for
normally: like lying in until 7a.m. taking time to eat breakfast
thoroughly before wandering off to explore the area or sitting in camp
catching on journal writing or a host of other chores that seem to
otherwise be semi-permanently on the back-burner. You can find out more
about our day by going to the following sections in EDUCATION:
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES >>
Environmental Studies
Geography
Science
Posted on September 3, 2001 2:11 PM