I should just learn to embrace the rain. When you think about it, rain is pretty mind blowing (as is the rest of nature). Here I am complaining about not being able to find water, and it's falling from the fucking sky. I am sure some people in the world (maybe someone living in the Atacama
Australia Bike Tour Day 40: Uluru
Uluru, (the big rock you've probably seen on a postcard from Australia) - literally the heart of the Australian Outback (if not for this rock nobody would come out here) - has long occupied a spot on my "things in the world I have to see" list (yes, I have a list). Sure, it might only be a large
Australia Bike Tour Day 39: Hitch To Yulara
Two days of sun and then four of thunderstorms - the unanimous weather forecast for the greater Uluru area. Unfortunately, I am on a bit of a budget as far as time goes (and am deathly afraid of being on a bicycle in the Outback in the middle of a thunderstorm). Instead of spending four
Australia Bike Tour Day 38: The Northern Territory
Today was a big day in the world of solo non-competitive Outback bicycle touring. I crossed my second border - this time, into the Northern Territory. The Northern Territory (NT), the third largest but least populated of Australia's eight states and territories, borders Western Australia (to
Australia Bike Tour Day 37: Road Trains
Australia's Outback isn't the most populated of places. With a population density of 0.015 inhabitants per km², you're more likely to encounter a troop of kangaroos than you are a person - so I hope you brought plenty of water. Despite the definitive amount of nothingness in Australia's
Australia Bike Tour Day 36: The Wave
Before setting out on this bicycle ride across Australia, I wondered how many people I would see in the Outback every day. It turns out the answer to that question is "hundreds". Am I happy about this? Indifferent, I guess. The majority of the people I come across are Grey Nomads, and the
Australia Bike Tour Day 35: Where Are The Animals?
Hey Australians! Do you know what comes to mind when people outside Australia think about your country? As someone not from Australia who has thought these things, and someone currently in Australia who is hearing these things from friends and family not in Australia, I can tell you that animals
Australia Bike Tour Day 34: Fellow Cyclists
Over 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of cycling, and I have found myself largely alone on this bicycle adventure (I haven't even seen any animals). Sure, I've met a few Grey Nomads and the occasional fellow traveler, but no other cyclists - nobody to share in my suffering on the road (or tell me how they
Australia Bike Tour Day 33: Coober Pedy
Nearly a week after entering the Outback and I've arrived in Coober Pedy, the opal capital of the world (apparently). With a population of 1,695 (and a name that roughly translates to "boys’ waterhole") this place has everything I need for an enjoyable day off: plentiful water, a supermarket, a