A few years ago I discovered that the USA has a certified ride (SS1000 mile) from their highest point – Pikes Peak in Colorado, to their lowest point – Badwater, Death Valley in California in less than 24 hours.
From an elevation of 4,302m ASL (14,115ft) to one of 86m (282ft ) BSL.
They called this the “Heaven to Hell” ride.
This certainly exceeds our extreme points, but it started me wondering and subsequently planning whether something like this was achievable here in Australia.
The result was that I came up with Mt Kosciuszko (or more specifically – Charlotte Pass) to Lake Eyre – 2,228m ASL to "??" metres BSL.
The peak at Mt Kosciuszko is actually reachable via a 9km management/walking track, in ideal conditions, but doing so against the National Park rules...
I didn’t consider this a safe option.
So Charlotte Pass became the nearest point and the highest navigable bitumen road we have at an elevation of 1,850m ASL.
The lowest point at Lake Eyre presented some problems with access.
Using the lake bed itself was not an option, so had to find a road that fitted the criteria and with a distance that was achievable. Anywhere to the North part of the Lake was too far and would make the attempt near impossible.
So my research riding in the area last year after the Border Run came up with Lake Eyre South, on the Oodnadatta Track, at the Lake’s Southernmost point. Here the road itself registered on the GPS at 4-5 metres BSL. So this route involved a distance of 1,855km with over 140km of dirt road/track from Roxby Downs.
Still a better option, distance wise, than going via Marree, which would have meant a total distance of 1,926km with over 150km of dirt.
I corresponded with Mike Kneebone over 18months about the concept and he took a great interest in the plan and was very supportive. So much so that he encouraged me to keep it quiet, lest someone else get there first!
Mike himself had done their very first Heaven to Hell back in 2010!
So came the time to put all my planning into action. April was a good time – before the snows in the mountains and after the worst heat of the outback.
I overnighted at Jindabyne with a run up to Charlotte Pass to start at 10.00am.
The sign that greeted me really confirmed that the summit was out of reach.
As I had to pay entry to the National Park, I had a receipt, but realised later that I could have used the attendant as a start witness.
As it was, I used the attendant at Jindabyne Caltex, with fuel receipt.
I had a great run through the mountains, out via Tumut, Wagga Wagga and across the Hay Plains, hitting sunset around Balranald.
No wildlife anywhere. Excellent!
Beyond Renmark – everything changed!
Between Renmark and Morgan, along the Goyder Highway, I encountered kangaroos in numbers I have never, ever seen before (and never want to see again!).
I stopped counting as it got towards a hundred, and they just kept coming.
And coming.
Bloody hundreds of the buggers!
Lots of near misses. Forced me to travel at a very much reduced speed.
I only collided with one, it coming from my left side blind spot, hitting me in the left foot.
It felt like it broke my big toe, but all else was in order (later to be self-assessed as swollen and badly bruised but no break).
This “kangaroo corridor” cost me quite some time, and added fatigue.
I slept for a while at Morgan, but longer than I had planned, which combined with the ‘roos, put me behind schedule.
Continuing through Burra, adding some fuel I was carrying, through Port Augusta, and welcomed the sunrise near Pimba.
I arrived at Roxby Downs BP at around 8.30am, which gave me just 90min to do 140km on dirt.
Not do-able for me (but maybe by Toby Price!).
Roxby was my back-up finish (at 1,700km), for a SS1600, so with that achieved, there was no point even considering the run to the Lake.
Somewhat happy but a little disappointed at the same time, I rang Jenn with an update and started heading homeward.
I think I got the planning right.
The execution was almost there, but one cannot always allow for the surprises that mother-nature gives us,
or the impact of fatigue.
Sorry there weren’t more photos from the ride itself.... I was busy!
Further correspondence with Mike Kneebone saw him offer to write the certificate, and I asked him to not call it “Heaven to Hell” yet, as I wanted to complete the whole ride as planned. The wording he did write was very pleasing none the less.
Thank you for reading my account. I enjoyed the ride and re-visiting for the report.
(edited to restore photos following Photobucket crash)
From an elevation of 4,302m ASL (14,115ft) to one of 86m (282ft ) BSL.
They called this the “Heaven to Hell” ride.
This certainly exceeds our extreme points, but it started me wondering and subsequently planning whether something like this was achievable here in Australia.
The result was that I came up with Mt Kosciuszko (or more specifically – Charlotte Pass) to Lake Eyre – 2,228m ASL to "??" metres BSL.
The peak at Mt Kosciuszko is actually reachable via a 9km management/walking track, in ideal conditions, but doing so against the National Park rules...
I didn’t consider this a safe option.
So Charlotte Pass became the nearest point and the highest navigable bitumen road we have at an elevation of 1,850m ASL.
The lowest point at Lake Eyre presented some problems with access.
Using the lake bed itself was not an option, so had to find a road that fitted the criteria and with a distance that was achievable. Anywhere to the North part of the Lake was too far and would make the attempt near impossible.
So my research riding in the area last year after the Border Run came up with Lake Eyre South, on the Oodnadatta Track, at the Lake’s Southernmost point. Here the road itself registered on the GPS at 4-5 metres BSL. So this route involved a distance of 1,855km with over 140km of dirt road/track from Roxby Downs.
Still a better option, distance wise, than going via Marree, which would have meant a total distance of 1,926km with over 150km of dirt.
I corresponded with Mike Kneebone over 18months about the concept and he took a great interest in the plan and was very supportive. So much so that he encouraged me to keep it quiet, lest someone else get there first!
Mike himself had done their very first Heaven to Hell back in 2010!
So came the time to put all my planning into action. April was a good time – before the snows in the mountains and after the worst heat of the outback.
I overnighted at Jindabyne with a run up to Charlotte Pass to start at 10.00am.
The sign that greeted me really confirmed that the summit was out of reach.
As I had to pay entry to the National Park, I had a receipt, but realised later that I could have used the attendant as a start witness.
As it was, I used the attendant at Jindabyne Caltex, with fuel receipt.
I had a great run through the mountains, out via Tumut, Wagga Wagga and across the Hay Plains, hitting sunset around Balranald.
No wildlife anywhere. Excellent!
Beyond Renmark – everything changed!
Between Renmark and Morgan, along the Goyder Highway, I encountered kangaroos in numbers I have never, ever seen before (and never want to see again!).
I stopped counting as it got towards a hundred, and they just kept coming.
And coming.
Bloody hundreds of the buggers!
Lots of near misses. Forced me to travel at a very much reduced speed.
I only collided with one, it coming from my left side blind spot, hitting me in the left foot.
It felt like it broke my big toe, but all else was in order (later to be self-assessed as swollen and badly bruised but no break).
This “kangaroo corridor” cost me quite some time, and added fatigue.
I slept for a while at Morgan, but longer than I had planned, which combined with the ‘roos, put me behind schedule.
Continuing through Burra, adding some fuel I was carrying, through Port Augusta, and welcomed the sunrise near Pimba.
I arrived at Roxby Downs BP at around 8.30am, which gave me just 90min to do 140km on dirt.
Not do-able for me (but maybe by Toby Price!).
Roxby was my back-up finish (at 1,700km), for a SS1600, so with that achieved, there was no point even considering the run to the Lake.
Somewhat happy but a little disappointed at the same time, I rang Jenn with an update and started heading homeward.
I think I got the planning right.
The execution was almost there, but one cannot always allow for the surprises that mother-nature gives us,
or the impact of fatigue.
Sorry there weren’t more photos from the ride itself.... I was busy!
Further correspondence with Mike Kneebone saw him offer to write the certificate, and I asked him to not call it “Heaven to Hell” yet, as I wanted to complete the whole ride as planned. The wording he did write was very pleasing none the less.
Thank you for reading my account. I enjoyed the ride and re-visiting for the report.
(edited to restore photos following Photobucket crash)