2024 Indian Pacific Wheel Race

[Mububban]

A workmate is doing this ride from Fremantle to Sydney:

The Indian Pacific Wheel Race is a solo, single-stage, unsupported, 5,500km road cycling race ocean-to-ocean across Australia. The course is 100% sealed. Tradition dictates that the race starts at 6:22am in Fremantle, Western Australia on the third Saturday of March, and finishes at the Sydney Opera House whenever you get there. The clock does not stop. There is no prize money. Nothing is at stake except honour.

My friend did a very reasonable ~150km first day, but the leader did about 400km on day one


https://ipwr24.maprogress.com/#


Not sure my body would cope with that level of back to back punishment, but what an adventure.

[Dodgy-Knee]

I wasn’t even aware it was on … back to being a dot watcher I suppose

[g-boaf]

I also didn’t know it was on, but I guess it’s gone off the radar now, everyone prefers the latest reality TV shows…

[Mububban]

My mate is running near the very back of the remaining field, as was his prediction/strategy. Slow and steady and all that. He's approaching the 500km mark.

[Dodgy-Knee]

My mate is running near the very back of the remaining field, as was his prediction/strategy. Slow and steady and all that. He's approaching the 500km mark.

I’d hate to be on the road at the moment… Perth is being blown away by raging easterlies again this morning with 50km/hr winds over the scarp gusting to up around 80km/hr… just one long and steady easterly headwind.

Cycling in Perth during the summer either means cyclonic easterly headwinds in the morning or cyclonic south westerly headwinds in the afternoon… we’re supposedly the second most windiest capital city in the world which can make cycling a bit of a challenge (mind you, the tail winds are sensational).

[cavebear2]

Yes Perth is a difficult place to ride particularly in Summer which can last as long as 7 months i.e. no rain, The hours of darkness are the best in summer.

The IPWR is constant headwind punishment on the WA section held at this time of year. There is no way I would ever consider it, at least I've had the experience of riding the first 671 km back to Perth from Widgiemooltha (lovely easterlies! ) in 24 hours allbeit in 2012 when I was 52

[Mububban]

My mate is running near the very back of the remaining field, as was his prediction/strategy. Slow and steady and all that. He's approaching the 500km mark.

I’d hate to be on the road at the moment… Perth is being blown away by raging easterlies again this morning with 50km/hr winds over the scarp gusting to up around 80km/hr… just one long and steady easterly headwind.

Cycling in Perth during the summer either means cyclonic easterly headwinds in the morning or cyclonic south westerly headwinds in the afternoon… we’re supposedly the second most windiest capital city in the world which can make cycling a bit of a challenge (mind you, the tail winds are sensational).

Oh yeah, he said on day 3 he averaged 13kmh due to the headwinds

[LateStarter]

I also didn’t know it was on, but I guess it’s gone off the radar now, everyone prefers the latest reality TV shows…

If the participants really enjoyed it or what to practice up for the next or anyone wants a go but wheel race dates don't suit, there is the Audax shorter (4,000km) version (also unsupported) which is held 5 times per year during the cooler months, April, May, June, July & August (15th of each month), often no-one entered.

https://audax.org.au/ride/event-registe ... t_id=10352

[Anrai]

I’d hate to be on the road at the moment… Perth is being blown away by raging easterlies again this morning with 50km/hr winds over the scarp gusting to up around 80km/hr… just one long and steady easterly headwind.

Cycling in Perth during the summer either means cyclonic easterly headwinds in the morning or cyclonic south westerly headwinds in the afternoon… we’re supposedly the second most windiest capital city in the world which can make cycling a bit of a challenge (mind you, the tail winds are sensational).

Is that why a lot of the field is taking an extended break in Madura today? I'm kinda new to following long distance races.

[recumbenteer]

I also didn’t know it was on, but I guess it’s gone off the radar now, everyone prefers the latest reality TV shows…

.... I'm not "touring" in it this year, that's why no-one knows about it

there's been a couple of withdrawals due to weather and health but plenty are still giving it a crack....




I'm already contemplating IPWR 2025 it's only 5000km

[find_bruce]

Is that why a lot of the field is taking an extended break in Madura today? I'm kinda new to following long distance races.

There are also a bunch stopped at Norseman which could be due to a cyclist killed, another seriously injured in crashes on Eyre Highway in outback Western Australia

[Anrai]

Is that why a lot of the field is taking an extended break in Madura today? I'm kinda new to following long distance races.

There are also a bunch stopped at Norseman which could be due to a cyclist killed, another seriously injured in crashes on Eyre Highway in outback Western Australia

Oh, uhh, that's a lot worse..

[Mububban]

Just heard the news, but while sorry for the two cyclists hit, I was very relieved that my friend was not one of them But a terrible tragedy nonetheless. No word on whether he's continuing or not. He did mention how narrow the shoulders were, and how many trucks there were on those roads. Checking the google street view links, I was very worried for him

WA Police believe two cyclists were competing in the same race when they were struck by passing vehicles in separate incidents on the Eyre Highway on Thursday morning leaving one dead and another seriously injured.

Between 5.30am and 6am a cyclist travelling east on the road about 180km west of Eucla was struck by a passing vehicle, which police believe was a truck also travelling east.

The 62-year-old male rider died at the scene.

Two hours later another cyclist who was travelling east on the same road near Frasers Range was also struck by a passing vehicle. Police also suspect the vehicle involved was a truck.

The cyclist, a man in his 50s, was taken to Norseman Hospital by St John WA, before he was airlifted to Royal Perth Hospital with serious injuries.

[Peter A]

Bit more re INDIPAC here - https://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/view ... 4#p1609854
and here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1827536454226495/

[queequeg]

Just heard the news, but while sorry for the two cyclists hit, I was very relieved that my friend was not one of them But a terrible tragedy nonetheless. No word on whether he's continuing or not. He did mention how narrow the shoulders were, and how many trucks there were on those roads. Checking the google street view links, I was very worried for him

WA Police believe two cyclists were competing in the same race when they were struck by passing vehicles in separate incidents on the Eyre Highway on Thursday morning leaving one dead and another seriously injured.

Between 5.30am and 6am a cyclist travelling east on the road about 180km west of Eucla was struck by a passing vehicle, which police believe was a truck also travelling east.

The 62-year-old male rider died at the scene.

Two hours later another cyclist who was travelling east on the same road near Frasers Range was also struck by a passing vehicle. Police also suspect the vehicle involved was a truck.

The cyclist, a man in his 50s, was taken to Norseman Hospital by St John WA, before he was airlifted to Royal Perth Hospital with serious injuries.

I wish they would stop referring to it as a race, implying that somehow they were doing something wrong. This is just a bunch of riders deciding to ride from Perth to Sydney. It's not even an official event and hasn't been since the first one.

I have seen the post from the killed rider's son confirming it was him, as media have not released any names. Not much detail as you'd expect. Not a great week.

[Peter A]

Thinking of family and friends of riders involved.

Correct, not a race, over the years I've ridden with a few of the riders when local to home in country east Vic, they do wander off track and do as they please. There is no Marshalling or check-in points anywhere over the course of 5,471km. Also no entry fees or prizes, just keen cyclists set with a personal challenge. They have all been unassuming affable ladies and gents - great to meet and wander along with.

[g-boaf]

Horrible to hear. Sincere condolences to the families and friends of the deceased.

I can remember that year when Michael Hall passed away. I stopped at the crash scene with a friend, very sobering thinking about that.

I don’t care what they call the event, on the roads it should be safer for these people.

[recumbenteer]

It hasn't been an "event" for years. It's just some cyclists that meet in Fremantle on the third Saturday of March each year and ride to Sydney in memory of Mike Hall. In doing so they follow the original IPWR route, and in doing so, keep the Spirit of the original Overlanders alive. An unsupported adventure as they were all those years ago.

[robbo mcs]

The timing of this event was not ideal.

The rail line is currently closed due to flooding. As an emergency and temporary measure, the government recently (3 days ago) gave permission for increased numbers of trucks and road trains, including triple road trains, to use the Eyre highway. This is expected to be a temporary measure until the rail line opens, forecast to be Easter.

It does make me wonder if it may have been prudent to delay the event until the road conditions were back to normal. The road is dangerous enough even at the best of times.

Also seems the trucking industry was not given a heads up about the event, which apparently has happened in the past. They have now belatedly issue a warning to drivers.

https://bigrigs.com.au/2024/03/22/truck ... nullarbor/

[Anrai]

the government recently (3 days ago) gave permission for increased numbers of trucks and road trains, including triple road trains, to use the Eyre highway.

It does make me wonder if it may have been prudent to delay the event until the road conditions were back to normal. The road is dangerous enough even at the best of times.

Three days ago was well after they were already underway unless you mean advising everyone to camp out for who knows how long.
It does seem like something to warn truckers about, though.
But I disagree with their questioning of whether cyclists should be allowed on the highway. Or at the very least if that happens there needs to be some kind of alternate route that is cyclist-friendly. While I have little overall cycling experience, I have in the past had to ride on rural highway with little shoulder (and a bridge with none at all) and semi trucks to get to work as a teenager.

[Dodgy-Knee]

the government recently (3 days ago) gave permission for increased numbers of trucks and road trains, including triple road trains, to use the Eyre highway.

It does make me wonder if it may have been prudent to delay the event until the road conditions were back to normal. The road is dangerous enough even at the best of times.

Three days ago was well after they were already underway unless you mean advising everyone to camp out for who knows how long.
It does seem like something to warn truckers about, though.
But I disagree with their questioning of whether cyclists should be allowed on the highway. Or at the very least if that happens there needs to be some kind of alternate route that is cyclist-friendly. While I have little overall cycling experience, I have in the past had to ride on rural highway with little shoulder (and a bridge with none at all) and semi trucks to get to work as a teenager.

They weren’t anywhere near the Nullabor three days ago so the relative risk earlier in the ride on Great Eastern Highway was much lower.

The increase in the number of bigger rigs on the road and the amount of truck traffic would have significantly increased the overall risk of traveling on those roads… I used to regularly drive to Esperance and it was a white knuckle drive at the end of each year when the grain trucks were nose to tail bringing the crops back to Perth… I wouldn’t have wanted to be on a bike at that time of year (and I’ve ridden my bike to Esperance from Perth as well but in the middle of the year).

It was a shock to read about what happened … whether it was bad planning or bad luck is now a moot point.

[Peter A]

“Should professional drivers be submitted to these challenges?" ...part of the BS from the release by https://bigrigs.com.au/2024/03/22/truck ... nullarbor/

If a driver, especially a "PROFESSIONAL DRIVER", can't drive well enough to safely overtake a bicycle travelling at about 20-30kph then he's no professional. He/she is just a disrespectful bstd ignoring another human being. All the driver has to do is SLOW DOWN and pass safely. I can guarantee any large animal would command more respect as it might damage the truck !! It's not good enough!!

[g-boaf]

the government recently (3 days ago) gave permission for increased numbers of trucks and road trains, including triple road trains, to use the Eyre highway.

It does make me wonder if it may have been prudent to delay the event until the road conditions were back to normal. The road is dangerous enough even at the best of times.

Three days ago was well after they were already underway unless you mean advising everyone to camp out for who knows how long.
It does seem like something to warn truckers about, though.
But I disagree with their questioning of whether cyclists should be allowed on the highway. Or at the very least if that happens there needs to be some kind of alternate route that is cyclist-friendly. While I have little overall cycling experience, I have in the past had to ride on rural highway with little shoulder (and a bridge with none at all) and semi trucks to get to work as a teenager.

A warning that if you hit one of these riders, you’ll be locked up for a very long time would be enough to make them drive more safely.

Heck, they can look out for large animals (that might damage their trucks).

[recumbenteer]

“Should professional drivers be submitted to these challenges?" ...part of the BS from the release by https://bigrigs.com.au/2024/03/22/truck ... nullarbor/

If a driver, especially a "PROFESSIONAL DRIVER", can't drive well enough to safely overtake a bicycle travelling at about 20-30kph then he's no professional. He/she is just a disrespectful bstd ignoring another human being. All the driver has to do is SLOW DOWN and pass safely. I can guarantee any large animal would command more respect as it might damage the truck !! It's not good enough!!

Agreed..

...and also...

Some disturbing information about this debacle is one of the truck drivers was overhead saying he wants to run down all of the cyclists.
That comment was relayed over to police so it is not known what eventuated at this relatively early post-incident time.

I have done this ride twice in my Rotovelo, both times carrying and using a handheld CB radio ..(to listen in to road traffic & give my position regularly to others, in the hope that it would keep me a bit safer) ..and can confirm many of the truck drivers do indeed speak absolute vitriol about anyone cycling on "their" road... both rides across the Nullarbor I had to turn the radio off as I could no longer handle their crap!

I was actually bailed up by a truck driver at a road house in South Australia who was so loud & irate at me cycling out there, that he was doing his best to get a physical fight out of me!
Fortunately the operator inside heard him yelling & called the police....

there's some pretty angry people out there, that get so upset when they see something different on the road ....
even a couple of motorists cracked it!

.....ain't gonna stop me from attempting to do it again though!

[warthog1]

You don't need to be too smart to drive a truck. I know, I did it for a while.
Yep the uhf is often full of idiots. Worse in the cities tbh.
I used to have one in my 4wd but pulled it out to put a double DIN stereo in. Haven't bothered replacing it and haven't missed it at all.

I won't ever ride that road. I am not putting my life so at the mercy of ignorant, stupid people who can very easily kill me.