Distance: 100.13 km
Ridetime: 7:54:08
Average: 12.7 km/h
Max speed: 20.4 km/h
Total distance: 15179 km
Horrible horrible headwind all day. It all started at sunrise when the wind picked up so much that my tent could hardly stand. It was difficult to pack together the tent when everything seems to be flying away.
Next I was wondering if it would be possible to cycle at all. It was, but every pedal stroke required all I had – perhaps mentally more than physically.
The thing that makes a head wind so difficult to deal with in the outback is that there are no trees (I have not seen one for 200 km). The landscape is open, and the road rarely turns. Thus, if you have a head wind you will feel it in full force constantly. It also didn’t help that this is probably the most remote part of Stuart Highway. Apart from two rest areas you will not see anything for 254 km between Coober Pedy and the Glendambo roadhouse. That suddenly seems like a long way when you are moving at 8-10 km/h.
I thought the important this was to keep going. As long as the wheels were turning it could only go forward. At a rest area I met a group of friendly Chinese PHD students from Sydney. They invited me to visit their university once I get there, and also offered a bottle of cold water and a snack. I don’t think they knew just how much our short meeting had lifted my spirits. Sometimes it doesn’t take much.
As soon as my cycle computer showed 100 km I pulled over to the side and found a nice spot to camp. I had finally beaten the wind. If I could cycle 100 km under these conditions I knew I could cycle 100 km under almost any condition.
