I’m back from my bike ride since June 27th
1997. I started my trip May 5th 1996 and was at least nearly
14 months away and cycled 33197km (20628miles). Well, why did I a trip
like this? It sounds horrible for most of normal human being. Cycling over
mountains, through deserts and cold, living in a tent for 14 months etc.
I did in the past since I was 13 years old biketrips. Minimum once in my
life I wanted to do a long biketrip. I just love cruising around with a
bike. Switzerland has lots of cyclists. It doesn’t sound that strange to
do a long trip. I think most people couldn’t imagine how many people are
cycling in Lucerne. Traveling by bicycle is different. You meet more people,
smell everything (or smell yourself!), feel the clime and hear everything.
In spring 1996 came the chance to do start. I didn’t need lots of planing
and organizing because I had nearly the whole equipment from other tours.
I did in the past about six bike tours over about 12000km (7500miles).
I quit my job in Leipzig (Germany), sold everything and started my trip
with my girlfriend Sibylle, who cycled already for 3½ months in
New Zealand.
U.S.A
1 5th May - 24th July 1996
[USA 1] [CANADA]
[USA 2] [MEXICO] [NEW
ZEALAND] [AUSTRALIA] [USA
3] [EUROPE]
[Statistic of the
months] [To my person] [Some
other figures] [Route]
We met each other in Los Angeles. We were first heading north to Ventura, where we crossed the coastal range to Bakersfield to the San Joaquin Valley. It was a hard climb for me up to 5048ft (1539m) in the heat and without condition. We crossed the hot Death Valley. Some people couldn’t believe it to see cyclists riding middle of May through the Valley. We had to fight with a stormy headwind and had for nearly 40km(25mil) 4 hours. In Las Vegas we did a bit gambling and ate nearly two days all you can eat buffets. It’s amazing how much a cycle stomach can burn! Since Death Valley, we cycled with Marc, a Belgian cyclist, who was heading to New York. He accompanied us until Monument Valley. We had a good time together with lots of fun. From Las Vegas we cycled to the wonderful Zion Nationalpark, where we did some hiking (Angels Landing, The Narrows). We cycled further to the impressive Grand Canyon. We had to do lots of climbing because the north rim of the canyon is on 8500ft (2600m). We did breakdays in Page and Monument Valley, where we did some mountainbiking. We rode over the National Bridges NM to Moab. We stayed four nights in Moab to do some repairing, service, relaxing, mountainbiking and sightseeing. We had enough time left to do a loop into Colorado. We went on backroads over Dallas Divide to Montrose and further to Gunnison and over the Monarch Pass (11312ft/3448m). That was the first Pass where we crossed the continental divide (Atlantic/Pacific). Afterwards I crossed the divide another fourteen times! We went on over the highest Pass on my trip: The Independence Pass with 12095ft (3687m)! The downhill to Aspen was freezing. Through dry country we traveled over Rangely, Dinosaur NM, Flaming Gorge NRA, Green River to Jackson Hole at Grand Teton NP. In Big Piney WY we got invited to a huge ranch with 22-25000 cattle! Into Jackson Hole we did a very cold full moon ride through the whole night. On the campground at Jenny Lake someone opened our tent and stole few things including films, camera, diary, checks, pump etc.. We had an insurance at home but it's anyway annoying to replace everything. Grand Teton NP was nice but for us Swiss not very special. We had a more interesting time at Yellowstone. We saw geysers, hot springs, bisons, bears, coyotes, moose, huge waterfalls etc. The problem was that we were beginning of July in the park with thousands of other tourists. We had to fight with all the cars and RV’s on the bad, narrow roads! From Yellowstone we cycled eastward over very small dirt roads to Salmon in Idaho. We passed the Red Rock NWR and crossed the steep Lemhi Pass, where Lewis and Clark crossed the continental divide. In Missoula I had to replace my first rim. It was broken by a spoke nipple. It was a good place to do a service and a break. Then we cycled around the cold and very windy Glacier NP back to Kalispell to pick up the general delivery post.
Canada24th
July - 28th August 1996
[USA 1] [CANADA]
[USA 2] [MEXICO] [NEW
ZEALAND] [AUSTRALIA] [USA
3] [EUROPE]
[Statistic of the
months] [To my person] [Some
other figures] [Route]
By Eureka we crossed the border into British Columbia (Canada). We traveled over Fernie and the Crowsnest Pass to Alberta and northward to Longview where we arrived just on a festival day. We met lots of people in this small friendly village. In Calgary we did a lot of shopping. We decided to split for a while. We had to buy everything for a second time! I rode my bike back to Longview to take the backroad over Highwood Pass (2205m/7234ft) to Banff. In Longview I met again people I knew. I had luck I crossed the Pass in one day. The next day was snow in the mountains. I had then for about four days cold and rainy. I cycled over Banff, Radium and Golden to Lake Louise (Golden Triangle). It was quite a strenuous time. I met nearly every day an American cycling group. I shared with them twice the hostel. At the Icefield Parkway I had then excellent weather. It was a beautiful ride up to Jasper, where I did some hiking up at Mt.Edith Cavell Hostel. I also did a hike to Berg Lake at Mt.Robson. The Yellowhead Pass was my last Pass in the Rocky mountains. I crossed the continental divide 15 times! From Mt.Robson I cycled in two days through endless forests to Kamloops (366km/ 227miles). From Kamloops I took the empty road over Lilloet to Vancouver. The road between Lilloet and Whistler is called Duffey Lake Road and is very, very steep, narrow and real strenuous with baggage. The downhill dropped in 13km (7 miles) 1100m (3600ft)! I stayed just for one day in Vancouver. I did some shopping and visited a hockey game (Canada-USA). I continued North along the hilly Sunshine Coast to Lake Powell and hopped to Vancouver Island. I had to use four ferries. On Vancouver Island I crossed to Port Alberni and took a dusty logging road through the backcountry. In this Section I had problems with falls, broken chains, wasp bits, dust etc. To relax a little bit I enjoyed three nights in Victoria. It’s a little bit a different Canadian town with a strong English touch. I liked it.
U.S.A 2
28th August - 11th November 1996
[USA 1] [CANADA]
[USA 2] [MEXICO] [NEW
ZEALAND] [AUSTRALIA] [USA
3] [EUROPE]
[Statistic of the
months] [To my person] [Some
other figures] [Route]
In Sequim I had the possibility to stay for one night by a pastor I met in Canada. On Vashon Island by Seattle I met again Sibylle. We decided to go together to the relatives from her by Seattle. We stayed by them a whole week with doing nothing and lots of relaxing. One day South after we left Seattle we had a broken pole and a damaged tunnel on my tent. We went back to Seattle because the Moss factory is there. At least I got a new tent! We had to stay another three nights in Seattle. In the same town we had the broken pole, we got this time invited from two bike mechanics. I got by them a front rim replaced for warranty. By Mt.St.Helens we had rainy and cold weather. The weather continued bad until Astoria, where we decided definitely to go separated ways. But we continued anyway together. Down the nice Oregon Coast we had dry but cold weather. From Astoria away we met lots of other cyclists on the Hiker/Biker Camps. I liked especially the southern part of the coastline. South of Crescent City already in California we rode into the Redwoods! It’s fascinating riding through this giant forest. After a day riding you get a "cramp" in the neck from watching the whole day into the crowns of the majestic trees. I continued definitely alone from Leggett. The whole rough coastline down to Bodega Bay I had foggy and cold. That was a reason to take the inland route through the famous wine region of the Napa Valley to San Francisco. I stayed a week by a friend I met in Canada. I did some sightseeing, relaxing, organizing, repairing etc. From Halfmoon Bay away I was riding in a group. Usually we decided the evening before where we stay the next day. In the morning we started alone to be "free". It was getting like a tradition to stop after an hour to drink coffee and read newspaper. It was a funny time riding along this spectacular coast. By Big Sur was a large forest fire. Just behind our Camp they did a backfire. There were more than 2000 firefighters in action. Just north of Los Angeles we rode direct into another huge fire. I had luck to stay by friends over the mountains to wait a day. After this break I rode in a strenuous long day trough whole Los Angeles. But I was glad to have this giant town behind me. I stayed three nights private by a friend in San Diego. After I was two days riding in Mexico I decided to turn around. The main reason were the short days in November. Other reasons were: I didn’t like riding alone in Mexico, the language problem, the army controls, the dangerous traffic! I turned and went back to San Diego with a tropical storm in my back. It was the first rain while riding I had since Astoria! I decided to fly to the southern hemisphere to New Zealand and Australia. UntiI I got the ticket I did a ride to Anza Borrego Dessert State Park. I really liked the place there. It was a nice clime with dessert, sun, oasis’s, palms etc. The problem was I had to cross twice the high mountains between! I had two pretty strenuous climbs. I did then some relaxing days staying in San Diego and riding back to L.A. I had a good and very interesting time here in the USA and cycled meanwhile 13300km (8260miles).
New
Zealand 12th November - 14th January 1997
[USA 1] [CANADA]
[USA 2] [MEXICO] [NEW
ZEALAND] [AUSTRALIA] [USA
3] [EUROPE]
[Statistic of the
months] [To my person] [Some
other figures] [Route]
I was already three years ago (Dec.93-March94) for three months in New Zealand riding around. It’s a ideal country for cycling, but sometimes very strenuous and maybe wet. I arrived in Auckland the largest town. I went up to Cape Reinga (North Cape) fighting through strong headwind. The last bit I rode with a Dutch guy without baggage over lots of hills and partly gravel roads. We got invited for a night and a good meal by a farmer. On the way back to Auckland I took the way along the empty West Coast through the evergreen Kauri-Forest. In Auckland I just picked up my plane ticket to Australia and continued to Coromandel Peninsula. I had luck with wind and weather. In Hot Water Beach, where I stayed for a night, you can dig wholes in the Beach during low tide to have some hot pools. I rode all along the East Coast around the East Cape down to Gisborne. The East Cape is a very empty part of the North Island. I got also for one night invited by Maoris because it was poor raining. In Gisborne and Napier I did a break day. From Napier I turned north to go to Tongariro Nationalpark, which I really liked on my last trip. I did there a hiking trip around a volcano by excellent weather. Already three days later I took the ferry to the South Island. I did in this first month lots of riding for New Zealand relations (2850km/ 1770miles) because riding on the North Island is usually very hilly and I did more climbing than in the Rocky Mountains. On the South Island there are higher and more mountains but it’s possible to follow the valleys. Usually all locals say it’s more strenuous on the South Island but it’s the opposite. There is a big exception: The first day on the South Island I took a small unsealed coastal road. I had to climb in about 40km (25 miles) totally 1400m (4600ft)! The East Coast was not that spectacular. After I crossed the Canterbury plain by Christchurch I went inland to Lake Tekapo. I had the same stormy Norwesterly wind than three years ago. This time I wanted to ride up to Mt.Cook Village to have a look to the highest mountains in New Zealand. Last time it was the strong wind, this time the weather was too bad. It hadn’t done sense to ride up into the rain. Instead I continued over Lindis Pass to Queenstown. It was cold and windy. On Lindis Pass was snow though it was Summer. Cromwell is a crossing place of four Highways. It’s a good place to meet lots of cyclists at the campground. I went on to the famous Queenstown. They expected lots of people for Christmas and New Year. I anyway didn’t like this town. It’s nice when you leave the town for hiking but otherwise there are too many tourists. I went on to Te Anau and stayed there for Christmas. I had the other extreme and no people on the campground. It was a bit lonely for a Christmas Eve. I did a few break days with service, hiking and repairing. I cycled the one way road to Milford Sound. It was one of the most scenic routes I rode. Spectacular is also the Homer Tunnel. It’s 1.5km/1mi long, darker than black, 10% gradient, gravel with water and narrow. For the downhill I stopped a couple in a car to ride just in the front of them to have some light. Even the drivers told me they were unsure if they have the light on because it was so dark. From nearly 1000m in the spectacular mountains I dropped into the rainforest to Milford Sound. About 5km before the Lodge I had a flat and got nearly eaten by sandflies! There were billions of them. I enjoyed staying at Milford Sound in the evening and morning. During the day it’s too crowded with tourists. On the way back through the tunnel I hadn’t a car behind me. I had quite a lot of opposite traffic with a few busses. It’s hell of a tunnel! On the way to Invercargill I got a lift with a Dutch girl I met already the third time. She’s living with her boyfriend on a dairy farm with about 350 cows. We stopped by a nice place to take a picture from some trees. We got invited from a old man for tea and homemade cookies. At least I saw in the guestbook he had with a handsome people in it my brother and also another friend from Switzerland. My brother was the year before here for a three months cycling trip. We went over the southern end of New Zealand (Bluff) to the farm north from Invercargill. I spent the New Years Eve at the hostel in Invercargill. At New Years Day I cycled to Curio Bay. There were lots of Police on the campground because the night before was a guy killed! I got invited from some drunken New Zealanders for Barbecue. In Curio Bay I saw Hector dolphins, Yellow Eyed Penguins, seals and petrified trees! From the South Coast I went straight up north over the rough Cardrona Pass to Wanaka and the West Coast. I had again extremely good weather. It’s usually very rainy. I was already the second time here and had never a drop rain! From Hokitika I cycled up the real steep Arthur’s Pass and stayed some days up in the hostel. It was cold and rainy. At 14th of January I flew from Christchurch to Melbourne in Australia.
Australia14th
January - 4th May 1997
[USA 1] [CANADA]
[USA 2] [MEXICO] [NEW
ZEALAND] [AUSTRALIA] [USA
3] [EUROPE]
[Statistic of the
months] [To my person] [Some
other figures] [Route]
I had nearly a climate shock when I arrived in Australia. I didn’t expect so hot on the southern tip of Australia. It was sometimes more than 40°C (104°F)! At some nights the thermometer didn’t drop under 30°C (86°F). At the time I arrived in Melbourne the Australian Open (tennis Grand Slam Cup) was on. On the center court was sometimes more than 60°C (140°F)! I stayed three nights in Melbourne in a hostel to do some acclimation and organizing. I started eastward to over Geelong and the Great Ocean Road to Warrnambool. Especially the Great Ocean Road was one of the most spectacular road in Australia I saw. It was too bad I was there on holiday time and weekends. There were crowds of people and cars. But after Warrnambool I already got once invited and had two addresses to visit families. I went north to the Grampians, a mountain range in the middle of the flat Victoria country. I cycled over Ballarat and Bendigo to Ecchuca on the Murray River. From there I followed nearly all the way the Murray River to the Snowy Mountains, the highest mountains in Australia. Especially the last part (Alpine Way) was very strenuous. I didn’t expect so steep mountains here. From Thredbo I climbed and cycled up the highest top of Australia, Mt.Kosciusko (2228m/7310ft). It was nice, but not very special for me as Swiss. In Canberra, the new capital town of Australia, I met good travelers in the hostel. I spent six nights there with having and no sleep! I was not very motivated to leave alone and by rain. By Bathurst a truck passed me too close. I had to leave the road and felt in a descent over a whole. I had a pretty deep wound and I had problems with my hips. But the most important thing, my bike Trekky was OK. I went to the hospital to clean the wound. Over night I got invited from a family. Over the Blue Mountains I cycled to Sydney where I visited a friend I met already twice in New Zealand. I was not sure if I should take the coastal road or the inland road up north. At least I took the inland road with less traffic, but more hills. In Byron Bay, Australia’s traveler Mecca, I stopped for two nights. I didn’t like it. In Brisbane I decided to head inland. It was still very wet and humid here on the East Coast. I was a little bit too early. It was a good decision. When I had cycled north I had cycle direct into a huge tropical cyclone. Instead I was heading west into the Outback. I had great tailwind until Three Ways by Tennant Creek. From Roma away I was usually cycling a bit into the night. It was great riding with no traffic, flat roads, strong tailwind and good weather. At some other parts they had unusually amounts of rain. The roads usually closed behind me and opened in front of me. But in Longreach the road was closed because the Thompson River was flooded. The locals told me, it’s possible to cross the river over the railway bridge. That was correct. But the problem came after this bridge. Long parts of the track was flooded (just about 50cm/½yd). I had troubles at two places where there was a short bridge I couldn’t see because the muddy water. I felt twice between the tracks down and were hanging in them. I was lucky to not loose my bike with all the baggage. After this passage I did my two longest days with 341km/212mi and 252km/157mi! I had some great wind and no cars because the closed road behind me. It was like surfing on the water. First I wanted to ride across the Simpson Desert along the Plenty Highway (it’s a long dirt track). But at one spot was 6m/20ft water over the track! The Outback got dryer, emptier and more red westward. I did some breakdays in Mt.Isa, the huge mining town and Alice Springs before I cycled to Ayers Rock, the world famous ‘mountain’ in the middle of Australia. I had to cycle a 250km/155mi one way road to get there. It was like a culture shock. I had to sleep in the hostel in the Yulara Resort. There were thousands of tourists. I like the surrounding area but I was glad to leave back into the desert. In South Australia I got more and more tailwind. I was fighting the whole day against the wind without seeing one building. There were distances of 250km/155mi from fuel station to fuel station. I got a lift with an Australian farmer from Cadney to the strange opal mining town Coober Pedy. And the 230km/143mi South of Coober Pedy I got a lift with a German Traveller. I had a little bit enough of Outback because the wind. But at least over the most distances I was pretty lucky with them. We drove over some dirt roads down to Port Augusta at the sea. I had another three days fighting against the wind to Adelaide. At the last day I got big problems with my bum. I had an abscess and it got bigger so that I couldn’t sit anymore on my Brooks saddle! I had to cut away the abscess in a day surgery at hospital. After the surgery I had to keep quiet to heal it. The nice thing was, I could stay by a nice family. Though the last four nights in Adelaide I went to the hostel to meet some travelers. I was for a long time alone. I saw over about 4000km/2500mi no other touring cyclist! But along Stuart Highway there were a half dozen of them, mostly Japanese. From Adelaide I took the bus to Mildura to win some time. I also expected to get post there. Totally I had about half an month break. From Mildura I cycled South to some Nationalparks. I stayed five nights in the Grampians and did some hiking. On the way back to Melbourne I visited some friends on Morningtion Peninsula and Melbourne. They still have no rain here in Victoria since spring. It was really dry. But the day I left we had very rainy.
From Melbourne I flew for one night to Auckland. I had to pick up some stuff in Auckland.
USA 35th
May - 16th June 1997
[USA 1] [CANADA]
[USA 2] [MEXICO] [NEW
ZEALAND] [AUSTRALIA] [USA
3] [EUROPE]
[Statistic of the
months] [To my person] [Some
other figures] [Route]
My plan was to go back to America and cycle to the East Coast to Washington D.C.. I came exactly one year after my start back to America! In Los Angeles I had a little bit troubles to come through the immigration. I had to go to a second inspection. At least I got six months. I flew direct forward to San Francisco where I stayed a week by a friend. With a stormy tailwind I flew through the San Joaquin Valley. I was in two days in Yosemite NP. I had great weather. I did there some hiking. It’s a great Nationalpark. It’s just a bit sad that it’s so crowded. Because Tioga Pass was still closed I had to ride over Sonora Pass. The worse was that I had to climb up on Tioga Pass Road to over 6000ft to drop to 1000ft. Sonora Pass was then the longest Pass on my trip. I had to climb more than 10000ft because there were also some descents on the climb. The last part up to the Summit (9624ft/2933m) was very steep. I had to fight to get up. East of the Sierrra Nevada I decided to shorten my trip and not go to the East Coast. I also had problems with my bottom bracket and needed a bike shop. When I had crossed Nevada I maybe didn’t find one. Instead East I was heading north to Lake Tahoe. Lassen Volcanic NP was still closed. But with the bike I came up to the Summit. I had some snow walls 4-5m/13-16ft high. After Lava Beds NM I cycled up to Crater Lake NP. There was only the North entrance open. I also had high snow walls. I met there the only cyclists between Yosemite and the Oregon Coast. From Crater Lake I cycled back to Coos Bay/North Bend. The next days I had some pretty wet weather. But the reason to go here was to meet some other cyclists. And since I’m at the Coast I usually meet every day some. In Brookings I did some breakdays to do some service and relaxing. The last 17 days since Yosemite NP I had just two half breakdays and cycled 2000km/1250mi and especially the ascents was with 17500m/57500ft quiet a lot. From Brookings away I had the whole way back to San Francisco great weather. In Prairie Creek I did another break-day with some mountain biking. From Prairie Creek in the Redwood NP I cycled with two girls from Utah to San Francisco. We had lots of fun. It was a long time ago I could enjoy cycling in a group. From Westport away we were four cyclists. We got another friend, a Canadian cyclist. I had better weather than in autumn with nearly no fog. In San Francisco I picked up my ticket and flew to Paris.
Europe18th
June - 27th June 1997
[USA 1] [CANADA]
[USA 2] [MEXICO] [NEW
ZEALAND] [AUSTRALIA] [USA
3] [EUROPE]
[Statistic of the
months] [To my person] [Some
other figures] [Route]
I arrived back in Europe early in the morning. I packed my things, bought a map and left the airport area in Paris. I wanted to ride so far away from Paris than possible. To leave the airport it was quite easy. In the afternoon I took a three hour nap in castle garden. I felt the stressful travel. I had one bad night at San Francisco International Airport and another one on the plane. The time difference is 9 hours. I camped out in a forest. The next day I woke up at 1pm (1300 )! The next four days I had every morning problems to get up. I had every day rain. Sometimes I got few times a day soaked. I usually slept out in the forests. I went up to Belgium, rode through Luxembourg into Germany. Then I followed the nice Mosel River to the Rhine. In Mainz I visited a friend I met in Australia. From Mainz I had four days to ride home to Lucerne along the Rhine. I followed mostly some bikeways. I got often lost out in forests or towns because missing signs. First I wanted to ride a week longer in Europe. But when you already see the signs to Basel I couldn’t resist to ride into Switzerland. Well, I came home after 418 days and 33197km/20628mi.
I’m glad to be home though my future is pretty unsure. And still it’s sad to finish such a nice trip. But I’m pretty sure I will do another trip by bike.
At least I was pretty lucky. I could start a temporary work by the company I worked before. They are building new huge tunnels under the alps. At 20th October I started one year more study. I will study computer science to get also information engineer.
Statistics
of the months:
[USA 1] [CANADA]
[USA 2] [MEXICO] [NEW
ZEALAND] [AUSTRALIA] [USA
3] [EUROPE]
[Statistic of the
months] [To my person] [Some
other figures] [Route]
Legend: BD=Breakdays; D=Days
1km=0.621mile, 1mile=1.609km; 1m=3.281ft, 1ft=0.305m
| Month
|
Distance
[km]
km/day " without BD |
Time [h]
h/day " without BD |
Speed
Breakdays |
climb [m]
m/day " without BD |
grade
per day " without BD |
| May 96 | 1780.0
65.9 (85.8) |
101.4
3.8 (5.2) |
18.1
(8T) |
13540
501 (660;7) |
69
2.6 (3.2) |
| June96 | 2453.0
81.8 (96.0) |
132.2
4.4 |
18.4
(7T) |
18650
622 (756) |
89
3.0 (3.6) |
| July 96 | 2282.1
73.6 (84.5) |
121.6
3.9 (4.5) |
18.8
(6T) |
18800
606 (728) |
79
2.5 (2.9) |
| August 96 | 2583.6
83.3 (104.2) |
140.9
4.6 (5.6) |
18.1
(7T.) |
23895
771 (904;5) |
101
3.3 (3.9) |
| September 96 | 1785.0
59.5 (77.3) |
89.4
3.0 (3.9) |
19.5
(8T.) |
14130
471 (619;8) |
61
2.0 (2.4) |
| October 96 | 1928.1
64.3 (83.9) |
99.4
3.3 (4.4) |
19.6
(11T.) |
16030
534 (701;10) |
73
2.4 (3.1) |
| November 96 | 2299.4
76.7 (85.2) |
128.3
4.3 (4.8) |
17.8
(3T.) |
19990
666 (740;3) |
100
3.3 (3.6) |
| December 96 | 2468.2
79.6 (101.3) |
126.3
4.1 (5.2) |
19.1
(7T.) |
24165
780 (914;5) |
91
2.9 (3.5) |
| January 97 | 2543.3
84.0 (103.0) |
128.9
4.2 (5.2) |
19.3
(7T) |
17425
562 (659;5) |
78
2.5 (3.0) |
| February 97 | 2082.2
74.4 (98.9) |
112.0
4.0 (5.3) |
18.2
(8T) |
19390
693 (940;8) |
70
2.5 (3.1) |
| March 97 | 4418.5
142.5 (175.7) |
205.2
6.6 (8.1) |
20.4
(6T) |
9440
305 (370;6) |
111
3.6 (4.2) |
| April 97 | 1383.2
46.1 (93.1) |
73.2
2.4 (4.8) |
18.6
(18T) |
8090
270 (486;16) |
53
1.8 (2.9) |
| May 97 | 2563.6
82.7 (120.4) |
132.6
4.3 (6.2) |
18.8
(11T) |
22345
721 (1003,10) |
95
3.1 (4.2) |
| June 97 | 2523.8
93.5 (104.4) |
136.2
5.0 (5.6) |
18.3
(3T) |
17570
651 (732;3) |
83
3.1 (3.3) |
| Total | 33197.5
79.4 |
1729.5
4.1 |
19.0
(110T) |
243460
582 |
1153
2.8 |
To
my person:
[USA 1] [CANADA]
[USA 2] [MEXICO] [NEW
ZEALAND] [AUSTRALIA] [USA
3] [EUROPE]
[Statistic of the
months] [To my person] [Some
other figures] [Route]
surname: Arnold
first name: Urs (a real Swiss name; it means
bear in Latin!)
living in: Bern, Switzerland
age: 30
e-mail: ursarnold@hotmail.com
profession: engineer in surveying
bike trips:
1982 Lucerne-Lake Geneva (Switzerland)
1984 Tour through Switzerland, Germany and Austria
1985 Tour in Switzerland
1993/94 3 months trip in New Zealand
1994 Lucerne-Salzburg-Prague-Regensburg
1995 Tour in Spain: Perpignan-Andorra-Valencia-Barcelona-Perpignan
1996/97 USA/Canada/Mexico/New Zealand/Australia/Europe
1998 Tour in Ireland
1998 Tour in Utah/Arizona (USA) from Salt Lake City
to Tucson
1999 Tour in France, Savoye Alps
and some other small trips
Some
other figures:
[USA 1] [CANADA]
[USA 2] [MEXICO] [NEW
ZEALAND] [AUSTRALIA] [USA
3] [EUROPE]
[Statistic of the
months] [To my person] [Some
other figures] [Route]
Total distance: 33197km; 20628miles
Days: 418days
Average distance per day: 79.4km, 49.4mi(including
break days)
Total climb: 243460m; 798750ft
Average climb per day: 582m; 1910ft
Average riding hours: 4.1h
Highest point: Independence Pass Colorado
3687m; 12095ft
Deepest point: Death Valley California -86m;
-282ft
Longest distance: Morella - McKinlay Australia
341.2km; 212.0miles
Fastest speed: Jindabyne Australia 87km/h;
54mil/h
Flats: about 40-50
Weight: Without food and water about: 60kg;
132lb
Costs: about 15’000SFr.=about 10’500US$ incl.
flights and everything
(i.e. new tent, new clothes, new sleeping bag, bike
repairs etc.)
Bike: TREK 950, I spent about 1500SFr=1030US$
in my TREK950 during the trip
Route:
[USA 1] [CANADA]
[USA 2] [MEXICO] [NEW
ZEALAND] [AUSTRALIA] [USA
3] [EUROPE]
[Statistic of the
months] [To my person] [Some
other figures] [Route]
Some people are maybe interested in my route. The
following table shows you my route with towns, kilometers (1km=0.624mi,
1mi=1.609km), the dates (in European format) I stayed in this town, the
days between the towns and the average day distances between these towns.
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| Los Angeles |
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Christchurch |
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| Ventura |
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Queenstown |
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| Bakersfield |
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Milford Sound |
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| Death Valley |
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Invercargill |
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| Las Vegas |
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Wanaka |
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| Zion NP |
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Hokitika |
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| Grand Canyon |
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Christchurch |
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| Page |
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Melbourne |
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| Monument Val. |
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Warnambool |
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| Moab |
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Halls Gap |
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| Montrose |
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Bendigo |
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| Aspen |
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Albury |
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| Vernal |
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Thredbo |
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| Green River |
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Canberra |
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| Jackson |
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Cowra |
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| Yellowstone NP |
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Sydney |
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| Salmon |
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Tamworth |
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| Missoula |
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Byron Bay |
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| Glacier NP |
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Brisbane |
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| Calgary |
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Longreach |
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| Banff |
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Mt.Isa |
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| Golden |
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Alice Springs |
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| Jasper |
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Ayers Rock |
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| Kamloops |
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Port Augusta |
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| Vancouver |
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Adelaide |
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| Powell River |
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Mildura |
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| Victoria |
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Halls Gap |
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| Seattle |
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Melbourne |
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| Astoria |
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San Francisco |
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| Eureka |
|
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Yosemite NP |
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| San Francisco |
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Sonora |
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| Ventura |
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Twin Lakes |
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| San Diego |
|
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Lake Tahoe |
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| Ensenada |
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Lassen NP |
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| Los Angeles |
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Crater Lake NP |
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| Auckland |
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Coos Bay |
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| Cape Reinga |
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Eureka |
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| Auckland |
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San Francisco |
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| Tauranga |
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Paris |
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| Napier |
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Luxembourg |
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| Tongariro |
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Mainz |
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| Wellington |
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Luzern |
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