tmac100

That said, I am looking at doing the route between Perth and Darwin in a couple of years. This (Northern Hemisphere) summer I plan to do Perth to Sydney. The direction this summer (West to East) is due to the majority prevailing winds that result in tailwinds for me. Yess

I want tailwinds between Perth and Darwin - hence the question. TIA.

imi

Here's a thread I started last year. Some good information and advice there...
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...win?highlight=

Machka 

This forum is international ... not entirely "Yankee-based". Look at the Locations of the first two posters.

One of the Audax riders here in Australia circumnavigated Australia last year, so he would have cycled between Darwin and Perth. I'll see if I can find his story.

Speedo

I would guess that the true Yankees here are a small minority.

Speedo

mev

I cycled around Australia including Darwin to Perth. Here is my web page for 19491km of Australia cycling in 2001: https://www.mvermeulen.com/oneyear/australia.htm

If your question is about prevailing winds, then I found the wind roses at BOM to be helpful: https://www.bom.gov.au/ Be aware however that these are just prevailing winds. I had some wonderful tailwinds going across the Nularbor but also some strong head winds as well.

safariofthemind

The word Yankee derives from an old term for a person from New York (a Jan Kees= generic Dutch name, from when NY was a Dutch colony, way back). Even in the US, people generally refer to Northeasterners as Yankees (roughly from NY/Connecticut to Maine along the east coast). In NC people would feel just as weird being called a Yankee as people in Australia, or maybe worse! I went to school up north, so trust me, this is a tender issue down South because of the aftermath of the Civil War, over 100 years ago. More to the OP's point - this is an international forum for anyone that can speak English. Many people post from Europe, the far east, etc. Many of us touring types have traveled a lot, so you are in good company around here. So, welcome! I am planning to go to Australia in the future so I am reading this thread with glee.

ScituateJohn

Please refer to us as Americans. Yankee isn't such a good word to use; some people use it in a disparaging way. In the American South it can mean anyone from the Northeast, and it is often said with disdain. However in the Northeast, it can mean someone whose ancestors migrated to New England from England during the colonial period. But, then there is also that sports team in Bronx, New York. As someone from Boston that is not of English decent, I definitely do not identify as a Yankee.

Grillparzer

My parents were from Alabama, my Dad told me he was eighteen before he learned that damned and yankee were two separate words.

To foreigners, a Yankee is an American.To Americans, a Yankee is a Northerner.To Northerners, a Yankee is an Easterner.To Easterners, a Yankee is a New Englander.To New Englanders, a Yankee is a Vermonter.And in Vermont, a Yankee is somebody who eats pie for breakfast. - E.B. White

djb

Yanqui go home

seen on latin american walls
(connected to US foreign policy, United Fruit Company, "He's a SOB but he's our SOB" etc etc)

Chris L

If I were you I'd be more concerned about avoiding the summer heat between Perth and Darwin than tailwinds. Seriously, it can get bloody hot on that stretch, and there are huge distances between towns in parts of WA, and many of those "towns" will consist of nothing more than a pub, two old men and a dog.

tmac100

Thanks C.
I HAD to say something to get a response.
More info is MUCH better than none at all.

tmac100

Yup - points well taken. I will go during the Northern Hemisphere summer and thus will travel in cool temps between Perth and Darwin. Darwin will be cool during the dry season at low 30s with comfortable humidity - and of course Perth will be much "cooler"

Chris L

You do know that's low 30s celcius, right? Or around 90-95 degrees F.

Still, that is relatively cool compared to what you'd cop around Broome or Carnarvon in the summertime.

tmac100

Yes, I have been to Darwin a number of times, and lived in Australia for a year while travelling the eastern half. Hitch hiking between Alice and Darwin in 1971 and 1972 was an "experience". I currently work where it got to 52C this summer - but that was in the direct sunlight

Darwin in comparisom is downright balmy.

Rowan

The tailwind myth on the Nullarbor is just that. There will be some days of tailwinds, but there may well be equally as many of headwinds, or more particularly, quartering winds from the south-south-east.

Can't help on the Perth-Darwin trip despite living in Perth for two years (and where I started cycling), but never got any further north than Kalbarri. I'd trust what mev has to say about it.

andrewh

Sure is one heck of a cycle trip that much I can tell you. My wife and I rode it when we went around Australia (01-03). You can find out journals at www.where2pedalto.com
I now travel regularly between Port Hedland and 160km South of Karratha for work, and I have driven Broome to Perth recently (and not much has changed since we rode it). The biggest single issue you will have is water. Roadhouses generally wont give it away so be prepared to buy it at prices higher than petrol.

The prevailing wind in Perth is from the South or South West, and that goes pretty much up the coast as well.

So between our journal and Mike Vermeulen's, you have pretty much got it covered. Enjoy the ride!

Machka 

Is your Perth to Sydney going via Melbourne?

tmac100

I still have the notes you PM'd me some time ago and not much has changed since those original plans.

Perth to Sydney will start late in June and we want to do an average of 100 km/day and hopefully more after we get to Norseman - not exactly a Manitoba randoneering pace. By Calgoorlie/Norseman we should both have the kinks ironed out. The route will be pretty well straight forward until we get to Narrandera (via Mildura) and by then will make some decisions as to get to Sydney. Two of us are planning to do the trip and others may do parts, but at least I am going

If we count days off and NO mechanical breakdowns we should take a total of 7 weeks. Then hopefully we will take a week or more to tour (by car) some of my old stomping grounds in the Riverina (spelling) and maybe even get to raise a glass or 2 admiring Chloe at Young and Jacksons in Melbourne. Then it is get back to Sydney, pack the Greenspeed GTO and air freight it back home, and fly back via Singapore. A glass of OJ at the Raffles will be nice - 40 years after having my first one there

Lots seems to depend on how much time will be "off" because of Ramadan and Eid al Fitr. However, at the present time Melbourne by bicycle is not looking good.