Ralph is already well over halfway through his rowing journey across the continent
Ralph TuijnOcean rower and adventurer Ralph Tuijn is currently on a Carbon THYS 209 rowing bike in Australia. He aims to row across the continent from east to west (approximately 4500 km) in about four weeks. After that, he will get back into his special ocean rowing boat, which is currently at the Cocos Islands.
Ralph's attempt to row across the Indian Ocean was stranded there last year because the hurricane season began. A few weeks ago there was a beautiful documentary about it on Discovery Channel. If Ralph completes the final stretch to Africa, he will be the first person ever to row across all the oceans, a truly remarkable achievement!
Ralph plans to traverse Africa and South America by rowing bike after Australia; then he will have truly rowed around the entire world. You can read more about Ralph at www.ralphtuijn.nl or just google him, and you'll find plenty of information.
Here is Ralph's first report from 1-4-2013 after 16 days and 2750 km:
Hi Derk,
I rarely come across internet on the rowing bike through the outback, but I am now at a roadhouse that just opened at 7:30 AM, where I slept under the veranda last night. I am at the beginning of the Nullarbor plain, meaning the start of the desert. 1200 km with just one gas station or roadhouse every 150-200 km. It's becoming winter, so the temperatures are manageable. During the day, 25 degrees Celsius, at night around 12 degrees. I had a hottest day of 40 degrees and so far three days of rain. I hadn't really counted on that this time of year, and I didn’t bring rain gear. It was quite cold. Meanwhile, I'm 16 days in and have rowed 2750 km. Still 1750 km to go. Fortunately, it's mostly flat terrain. I've encountered three higher mountain ranges and three smaller ones. I must say, the climbing work is quite disappointing on the rowing bike. It's really much heavier than on a regular bike. On the flat and slightly hilly parts, it's wonderful. So comfortable, and what a beautiful motion. Great to finally train your whole body instead of that boring cycling, which gives you such a weak upper body. The rowing bike is really a top device. I only hope that the shock cords hold out. The third one is now on the rowing bike, and I have only one spare.
I'm going to have breakfast now, and then I need to tackle the coming 150 km of desert.
Regards,
Ralph
Ralph Tuijn has arrived in Perth, 4518 km in 26 days
Read his report from 14-4-2013
Arrived in Perth yesterday after 4518 km of rowing in 26 days, averaging 174 km per day. From day 17 through 21, I covered 1000 km in five days. However, the last day was worthless. Rowing bikes apparently put a lot of strain on your freewheel, and I broke through that, resulting in a walking trip instead. Climbing uphill with the rowing bike in hand and letting it roll down the hill. I thought I could enjoy a nice long descent into Perth, but unfortunately, I was just overtaken by two enormous oversized trucks with train cars that blocked the whole road and crawled down so I had to do the same.However, it was an intriguing journey on a beautiful vehicle, the Thys 209 carbon rowing bike designed by Derk Thijs (rowingbike.com). For the
first time, a whole continent has been crossed from ocean to ocean on a rowing bike, and I feel that I can stick a couple more continents to that. It was another delightful adventure with particularly interesting overnight spots. In this horribly expensive country, I do everything I can to avoid the overpriced caravan parks and hotels. I largely sleep in the bush, but also in a laundry, pub, under the awning of a gas station, on a golf course, in a caravan of a caravan park owner, on the back seat of a car at a rest area, so I didn't have to set up my tent in the rain, in a city park, in the Meckering earthquake memorial to escape the rain, and in a big backyard in the city of Midland, where I thought I had set up my tent unnoticed until I was awakened in the morning with the question of whether I wanted my eggs fried or poached.
Now I'm going to relax in Perth for a week and fly to Cocos on Saturday for the big adventure to complete the rowing crossing over the Indian Ocean.
Derk, in six months I will traverse Australia again on a rowing bike. This time, however, the difficult and longer route via the north back to Brisbane.
Regards,
Ralph
Ralph Tuijn collided with an oil tanker
Ralph escaped death on his way from Australia to Africa.
With two broken ribs and a broken finger, Ralph had to abandon his attempt to cross the ocean. Read the whole story