Indian Pacific Wheel Race - IndyPac - IPWR

I wasn't commenting about outside interference.

My point was simply you can plan your route before, it seems odd you cant plan your stops.
Obviously block booking places is is disingenuous at best but planning surely is a major part of the competition, who can plan the best route, predict weather, carry the right kit.

Thanks, I'm genuinely interested as it's something I'm giving some thought at doing.

You can plan your stops. If you know your route and where you want to stop there will be no hassle booking them within the same 24hr period will there?

Except if you book all these places well in advance and one thing goes wrong or perhaps you have a massive tailwind for a day and you're up on schedule, you will simply end up depriving someone else of a room.

In Europe this might not be a big issue but in races where there are fewer accom. options it could have a substantial impact on someone's race.

Granted, it seems more an area for etiquette than a rule.
But likewise if that's the rule, that's the rule.

It would be a big issue on the nullarbor

Are we still talking about rendering services? Because I've heard it's hard to get wood there... #dadjoke

Global overpopulation is cool.

Man, it's not even a race, so he's just doing a long ass ride. Who cares if he stops to see his wife? I also hope he went home to pick up some decent cold weather gear. Snow has been reported on falls creek. Rhino even said on Instagram for dot watchers to inform Abdullah to stop by Curve HQ and get some cold weather gear from there because he was concerned about how light he travels.

It's only an issue if you have to stop where there's no services.

He lives in Melbourne though. Not exactly an unfair advantage in anything there. And like I said, it's just a big ass ride, no?

I'm not talking about meeting his family, I'm talking about picking up cold weather gear. You only need cold weather gear if you stop moving (or slow down enough you can't generate heat). He was carrying beanie and a jacket. Aussie descents aren't long so it's not like you freeze riding downhill.

Falls creek is a long descent
This time last year I was terrified of getting cold on that descent. He will need more gear or he'll freeze!

How long did it take you?

I didn't get there, I stopped in Geelong after Mike got killed

It's a 30km descent

http://theclimbingcyclist.com/climbs/alpine-national-park/falls-creek-mt-beauty-side/

Nothing is over 2000m is it? Falls is ~1700?
Temps in general warmer than Europe or the US since Aus just doesn't have the altitude.
If he hit it in the early hours it wouldn't be pleasant but it wouldn't be end of the world and if he hit it during the day it should be fine with minimal kit. If he's really feeling the cold I'm sure he could grab some washing up gloves/gardening gloves from somewhere. Depends how much he feels the cold.

Really? Damn. That's way longer than I thought.

It took Jan 2hrs: https://www.strava.com/activities/928910883/analysis/13606/17201

But look at the temps: 18degC avg. Tropical!

I think Hotham, Falls Creek, Mt Buffalo and whatnot are the exceptions to that rule. Hotham is a 30k climb. The victorian Alps are higher than most mountains in England, and the weather is changeable.

Even in Adelaide now the mornings are around 10 only. Last night was snow and 0 degrees on Hotham. If you get stuck there, puncture, bonk or whatever and you're in a t-shirt and an emergency bivy, Falls Creek could turn to Shit Creek pretty swiftly, I'd assume.

Another Rider Lending Me Their Pump.

This is the only one I disagree with. For instance if you put a little back story...

Puncture in middle of nowhere, pump brakes, non racing cyclist passes by and asks are you ok, ends up lending you the pump.

To me that's just the same as getting a bottle of water which they say is ok. It's in their words 'trailmagic', everyone has the same chance of receiving it.

I wonder if the Spot tracker rescue insurance covers you if you go into the mountains in a tshirt and shorts.

Puncture in middle of nowhere, pump brakes, non racing cyclist passes by and asks are you ok, ends up lending you the pump.

I took 'rider' to mean another competitor. If you ask another competitor for help you have crossed a line.

If it is unsolicited help from a passer by, I would feel that was ok. Tbh if I was stuck with a broken pump and a random person rode past, especially somewhere remote like the nullarbor, I would flag them down and ask to borrow their pump. If it was another competitor I would recognise I'd be scratching by using their pump as I'd be delaying their ride.

I wonder if the Spot tracker rescue insurance covers you if you go into the mountains in a tshirt and shorts

Probably not if it is snowing

It took Jan 2hrs: https://www.strava.com/activities/928910­883/analysis/13606/17201

Switch to time view (rather than distance view) and you'll see there was a stop of 50 minutes near the beginning, plus there are a couple of climbs in there to warm you up again. Probably about 50 minutes moving time in total.