The first of May 2008 is the scheduled start of the trip. From Canberra we will head north along the Hume Highway towards Sydney and after negotiating the M7 and Old Pacific Highway to Gosford, we will head on up the coast using a combination of back roads and the Pacific Highway. The intention is to use the dual lane highway as much as possible, partly for the safety aspect and partly because the gradients are usually gentler and the surface smoother. Initially the pace will be very conservative, with only 50km per day scheduled for the first two weeks, with a rest day every 4 or 5 days scheduled.
By the beginning of June we should be just north of Brisbane winding our way up the Queensland coast. We should be a bit more used to the daily grind and most days will be 60-80km. Although North Queensland is very hot and humid, June is one of the milder months and we don't expect to suffer too much from the humidity. By the time we reach Rockhampton we'll have an idea of whether to carry on to Cairns or turn inland and head for the drier air of the outback.
The first of July should see us a few days west of Cairns having climbed the escarpment onto the tablelands 4000' above sea level. We join the Gulf Developmental Road which gradually descends towards Normanton on the Gulf of Carpentaria. From there it gets more remote and we face the daunting prospect of corrugated dirt roads and long stretches of isolation. Water becomes a priority and it's likely we will be carrying up to 15 litres each for some of the longer stretches between water points. If all goes well we will continue to hug the Gulf coast through Boroloola and Roper River, emerging onto the Stuart Highway at Mataranka.
August sees us in Darwin after having spent a few days in Kakadu on the way. Unfortunately after leaving Darwin we have to backtrack for three or four days to get back to Katherine and the Victoria Highway westwards. This signals the beginning of what will probably be the most difficult section of the whole journey, the isolation and loneliness of the great Western Australian outback. By now we should be fit enough to be putting 80-120 km per day behind us, particularly when the roads are flat and the wind is behind us. If we're not behind schedule we hope to spend about four days riding into and out of the Bungle Bungles on the way to Halls Creek. I will be particularly keen to see Halls Creek and Louisa Downs Station 80km to the west, having spent time with my family in the area as a young lad.
By the beginning of September we intend to be taking a few days off in Broome, resting up and preparing for the long lonely haul down the Western Australian coast. If we're lucky the road south won't present too many problems, apart from the long distances between water and services. If we're unlucky, the prevailing winds will be blowing against us. As most cyclists know, there's nothing more frustrating than a constant headwind, and others who have been before us have had some very strong and constant headwinds on their way to Perth.
October finds us a week north of Perth and gradually easing back into civilisation. After a couple of days rest in Perth we intend to either enjoy the wineries of Margaret River or the majesty of the Karri forests on our way towards Albany. From there we track along the Great Australian Bight and at Esperance we should be able to save a few kms by taking a shortcut to the start of the Nullabor.
By the beginning of November we will be preparing to tackle the Nullabor Plain. After the long empty stretches of the Western Australian coast it should not present too many problems, especially if the winds are favourable, which they usually are. It will quite likely be starting to get hot. Or if the winds are coming off the Bight, it will likely be cold, even in November. We will have to stock up on a wider range of clothing than the minimal attire of the trip to date.
Adelaide should be just behind us when December comes around, and we will be well and truly on the final leg of the trip. If we're a bit behind schedule we will probably head the quickest way back to Canberra which is across the Hay plains. However if not, we'll pass by the Coorong and along the Great Ocean Road to Geelong and Melbourne. The last ten days or so will probably be just a slog up the Hume Highway to get home before Christmas. However... if we're a week or so ahead of schedule we have the option of heading east from Melbourne towards Gippsland and up to the NSW South Coast thereby maintaining the coast -hugging tradition of the rest of the trip.
Whatever happens we intend to complete over 15000km in about 200 days. There are many options open to us, from a minimum of 12000 km to the expected 16500 km based on others who have gone before us. See this site and my spreadsheet for the options that we have considered in planning the route and schedule.