Outbike :: Australia & EUROPE
UPDATE MAR 2018
Our next multi-day event is the Tour de Front, tracing the WW1 Western Front across Northern France in the centenary of the Armistice, from Belgium's Flanders to Basel on the Swiss border.
Dates 28 June to 19 July 2018.
Event is confirmed, 8 riders are booked, 4 places remain.
For our 2019 Gulf to Gulf(The Bike 'n Wheels Expedition!) across Australia's remote outback from Port Augusta SA to Karumba Queensland, 15 riders have made deposits - just a handful of places left.
Our 2018 Australia programme offers:
* day rides on Qld's South Burnett Rail Trail from April
* 7 day Pub Crawl of the Rail Trails 6-12 August (South Burnett and Brisbane Valley Rail Trails)
* 27 day SE Australia Rail Trails 3-29 September
* 12 day Gt Southern Ocean Bike Ride 5-16 December
* 4 day NE Victoria Rail Trails Oct-Apr, dates to come
Brisbane Valley & South Burnett Rail Trails 4-9 days
With the completion of the last link in the 160km BVRT by July 2018 and opening in late 2017 of the 90km South Burnett (Kingaroy to Kilkivan) RT, we'll be offering rides that link up the 2 trails.
We can offer a choice of motels, pubs or camping.
Faster paced rides will be 4-5 days.
Slower paced rides will be 'pub crawls' of 7 days with optional afternoon loop rides to explore surrounding country.
Start/end points will be Ipswich and Nambour rail stations, both on Brisbane's suburban network.
We will provide bus transfers to link up the trails and carry luggage. We can hire out bikes and camping gear.
NEXT EVENTS:
Pub Crawl of the Rail Trails 6-12 Aug 2018, from $600pp with pub accom. See our Australia page.
NE Victoria basing in Beechworth 5 days
Ride the Mountains to Murray and High Country Rail Trails.
Stay 4 nights in beautiful Beechworth in the Asylum's Gatehouse (up to 10 riders) and/or Armour Inn motel.
Transfers to/from Albury Rail Station.
Optional transfers on our bus Melbourne>Beechworth>Sydney or vice versa may also be available.
NEXT EVENTS:
These events will be in the warmer months Oct-Apr.
Dates and rates to come.
SE Australia Rail Trails up to 4 weeks
We've just released our first itinerary to link rail trails, back-road cycling and touring/sightseeing on our mini-coaches in South Australia, Victoria, NSW and SE Queensland.
This concept will appeal also to international visitors who would like to cycle in Australia free from traffic worries.
Each week includes 200-500 kms riding.
These events will be in the Spring and Autumn months Sep-Oct and Mar-May.
Destinations may include:
SA: Clare Valley, Barossa Valley, McLarenvale, Coorong, Mt Gambier region
VIC: Port Fairy, Great Ocean Road, Goldfields, Gippsland, Dandenongs, Alps, Murray River, Portland region
NSW: Southern Highlands, Great North Road, New England, Northern Rivers (in NSW there's movement at the station!)
SE QLD: Brisbane Valley, South Burnett, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Boyne Valley (inland from Gladstone).
NEXT EVENTS:
SE Australia Rail Trails 3-29 September 2018, from $4000 pp with motel and lodge accom. See our Australia page.
OUTBACK RIDE POSSIBLES (2019)
Eyre Peninsula West Coast
Flinders Ranges
Lake Mungo, Darling & Murray Rivers
Ride on quiet outback roads, sealed and dirt.
Spectacular scenery.
Accom at farms, holiday homes, pubs, cabins, camping etc.
Transfers will be offered from/to major centres (depending on ride, Sydney, Adelaide, Alice etc).
Suit MTB, cross-country or hybrid bikes.
Small numbers.
Months Aug to Nov. More info to come later in 2018.
Need a mini-coach and trailer? Talk with us!
We have 3 sets now, with coach seating and extended legroom for 18 to 21 passengers. We also have special trays to secure bikes. They run around between Noosa, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Alice, sometimes with weeks spare and sometimes relocating. More availability April to Sep. Great opportunity to get the club on the road with a fab support bus!
2018 EXTENDED RIDES IN EUROPE
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28 Jun to 19 Jul 2018 TOUR DE FRONT
Ride WW1's Western Front from the Belgian coast to the Swiss border, Nieuport to Basel over 3+ weeks via Ypres, key battlefields, memorials, Reims, Verdun and The Vosges. Operated by Outbike and guided by Carl Ooghe as far as Verdun and Ralph for the remainder.
In 2018 we're including Compiegne, site of the Armistice
Limit of 12 riders.
Our guide Carl is the #1 battlefields cycle guide and author of a popular cycling guidebook on the subject.
See our Tour de Front page.
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Carl's website:www.cyclingthewesternfront.co.uk
Email: carl.ooghe@gmail.com
Emma Thomson from the UK Independent goes riding with Carl. http://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/flanders-fields-pedal-into-the-past-9608055.html
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THE RIVERS RIDE DIY
Over 3-4 weeks, basing in Zell-Mosel with some Fri & Sat nights away. Tour on canal and river paths 700kms all the way from Strasbourg to Rothenburg riding the Mosel, Rhine, Main, Saar and Tauber and more rivers. Add the Venn Rail Trail and Hesse Rail Trails.
This is a DIY idea but we hope to sometime run a small group ride on it.
For now, see our Europe page.
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RIDER STORIES, IMAGES & media 2015-16
The Border Mail reports on our 2016 series of Victoria rail trail events
Outback Rail-Road Ride Jun-Jul 2015, ABC journalist Chrissy Arthur finds us on the road to Longreach
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-06/riders-sample-cycle-of-life-in-outback-qld/6596830 (dead link, will search web archives)
RIDER STORIES, IMAGES & MEDIA 2004-6
Photos from the Bike 'n Wheels Expedition:
www.flickr.com/photos/outbike/
www.flickr.com/photos/outbike/sets/72157594518637635
Chistine's story and photos / Wayne's photos
Helmut's epic and photos / Lucy's story and photos
ABC on the Bike 'n Wheels Expedition: to be tracked down in web archives
MY EUROPE BASE
mosel, RHINE riverS & RAIL TRAILS
Enjoy the continent from our delightful riverside holiday apartments in a key cycling spot, Zell on Mosel, Rhineland.
Zell is midway on the Mosel River Bike Path that runs from Trier to Koblenz and popular for downhill and x-country riding.
In easy one day reach by train are bike paths along the Rhine Gorges, Saar, Sauer, Kyll, Lahn, Nahr, Ahr and Main Rivers.
Rail trails within reach include the Venntrail (125km), Hessen network (245km) and shorter trails in neighbouring Eifel and Hunsruck regions.
Our bikes are free for guests staying one week or more.
Fly Ryanair all over Europe from nearby Frankfurt-Hahn Airport.
Visit our Europe page and website myeuropebase.com