UPDATE SEP 2019
1. We've added a pdf flyer for the May-June 2020 Outback Rail-Road-Ride series which will be our key event in 2020.
2. The next Tour de Front ride is put back to 2021 but Carl has shorter 'general themed' (not so much WW1) rides on offer in Flanders and Northern France that we can book.
OUTBACK QUEENSLAND RAIL-ROAD-RIDE
A ROAD BIKE RIDE IN 4 STAGES
MAY-JUN 2020
Our next Outbike Outback epic will be a road bike ride in four stages on Queensland's growing network of sealed remote roads.
Each stage begins or ends at points serviced by Queensland Rail and with the event we hope to demonstrate how outback road-cycling can match well with QR's trains.
Overnight camps will be in towns, beside remote pubs and rest areas. We may have a camp on a cattle station.
Distances will vary from 64 to 230 km. Longest days are 209 and 230 km. 5 days will do 160 to 200 km.
There are a good number of rest days at key points.
Come for one, two or three stages or come for all!
Companions can travel on our bus at a reduced rate.
1. Dig Tree Dash 1600 km 7-19 May:
Moree - Boomi - Nindigully Pub - Bollon - Cunnamulla - Eulo - Thargomindah - Coopers Creek - Eromangah - Quilpie - Charleville
2. Qantas Roots 535 km 21-25 May:
Charleville - Augathella - Tambo - Blackall - Isiford - Longreach
3. Min Min Lights 840 km 29-6 June:
Longreach - Winton - Boulia - Dajarra - Mt Isa
4. Gulf Country 870 km 9-20 June:
Mt Isa - Cloncurry - Burke & Wills Roadhouse - drive to Lawn Hill Gorge for 2 nights - Normanton - Karumba - Croydon - Georgetown/Forsayth
Stages 1 and 3 are tougher averaging 150 and 170 km per riding day.
Stages 2 and 4 are milder averaging 110 km per riding day.
Details with each day are available on request.
Click here for our A4 pdf flyer.
Costs are based on:
* $200 per riding day with camping, breakfasts, lunches & support
* $50 per rest day with camping and breakfast
Expressions of interest welcome.
OUR TRANSCONTINENTAL EPIC, the Gulf 2 Gulf we just ran again in May-June 2019 (The Bike 'n Wheels Expedition).
Congratulations to our 13 riders who took 30 days to cross Australia's remote outback from Port Augusta SA to Birdsville and on to Karumba Queensland. However, flood waters across the northern end of the Birdsville Track meant we missed out on 4 days of riding - replaced by a 5 day dusty bus adventure via the Strzelecki Track, Innamincka and Coopers Creek.
Next event will be 2021 or 2022. Expressions of interest are welcome.
Brisbane Valley & South Burnett Rail Trails 5 days
SE Qld now has a great 300km corridor comprising two rail trails totalling 250km, linked by a stock route bike trail and 30km of sign-posted back roads.
* Ipswich to Yarraman is 160km on the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail
* Yarraman to Nanango to Kingaroy is about 50km by stock route and back roads
* Kingaroy to Kilkivan is 90km on the South Burnett Rail Trail. We'll be offering rides linking up these trails from 2020.
As Australia's network of rail trails grows, we're keen to link rail trails, back-road cycling and touring/sightseeing on our mini-coaches in South Australia, Victoria, NSW and SE Qld.
This concept will appeal also to international visitors who would like to cycle in Australia free from traffic worries.
Each week would feature 200-500 kms riding.
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: Eastern Riverina, 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).
We're looking at Sept 2020.
MORE OUTBACK RIDE POSSIBLES 2021 & BEYOND
Eyre Peninsula West Coast / Flinders Ranges / Lake Mungo, Darling & Murray Rivers
Ride on quiet outback roads, sealed and dirt.
Accom at farms, holiday homes, pubs, cabins, camping etc.
Transfers will be offered from/to major centres (depending on ride, Sydney, Adelaide, Alice, Brisbane, Cairns etc).
Small numbers. More info to come mid 2019.
ARCADIA TRAVEL - NOOSA JUNCTION
If you're in Noosa call in and say hello at our independent travel agency.
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)
MY EUROPE BASE
ZELL-MOSEL RHINELAND
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 Outbike's Europe page and website myeuropebase.com
EXTENDED RIDES IN EUROPE
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2021 TOUR DE FRONT
Ride WW1's Western Front from the Belgian coast to the Swiss border, Nieuwpoort to Basel over 3-4 weeks via Ypres, key battlefields, memorials, Reims, Verdun and The Vosges.
Operated by Outbike and local guide Carl Ooghe (on bike).
Carl is the #1 battlefields cycle guide and author of a popular cycling guidebook on the subject.
See our Tour de Front page (2020 info coming soon).
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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 start to run small groups on this and other itineraries using Europe's terrific network of 'greenways'.
- For now, see our Europe page.
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SOME OF OUR HIRE BIKES (EUR):
Cube drop-handlebar racers x 2 (L)
Cube straight-bar/cyclocross x 3 (S-M-L)
SOME OF OUR HIRE BIKES (AUS):
Anaconda Fat tyre bikes x 2 (M)
Gary Turner 27.5 MTB x 5 (S-M-L)
Giant 27.5 MTB (XL)
E-bike Bolt (S, suit 150-180cm)
Need ride support?
Mini-coaches + trailers: 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 (mostly on tour with European groups), sometimes with weeks spare and/or relocating. More availability April to Sep.
4x4 + trailer: We have a Nissan X-Trail.
Coaster camper + trailer: From early 2020 our camper will be available for hire or charter, seating/sleeping up to 5 and equipped with shower/toilet, tanks, solar/elec/batteries, big freezer, annex, outside cooking gear etc.
Suitable to support remote rides.
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
The idea of cycling remote Outback Australia trails became Outbike in 2004.
Nowadays Outbike runs an epic outback event most years - and occasional rides featuring Australia's growing rail trails network.
In 2016 and 2018 Outbike ran rides of the WW1 Western Front from the North Sea to Basel.
From 2020-21 we propose rides featuring the rivers and canals of Europe - and rail trails of USA.
Outbike :: Australia & EUROPE
Epic (and shorter) rides of Australia's Outback, Rail Trails, France-Belgium Western Front and Europe's Greenways