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FROM OCEAN TO OCEAN
In 1897
Jerome Murif was the first person to ride a bike across Australia, from
Adelaide in the South to Darwin in the North. He describes his adventures
and his near death experience very modestly in the now very rare book
“From Ocean to Ocean”.
(click to enlarge images of - front cover, back cover,
inside front cover,
title page.)
This ride, now 112 years ago, has fascinated and inspired me for a long
time, and now at long last it is my turn.
Murif’s motivation was to do something “no man (or woman) had done before
him”. On unmade tracks he followed mainly the telegraph line and nearly
died in the process. But he made it! It is of added and special interest
to me that he used a German made Elektra bike.
My motivations are varied and include the desire to simply duplicate
Murif’s journey, albeit on a paved road, with an up to date bike and ready
made support systems such as a mobile phone and any number of road houses
along the way. I don’t have to carry more than one day’s food or water and
I don’t have to sleep rough for more than 3-4 nights during the entire
journey.
Another reason to do the trip “up the track” is the personal challenge.
Yet another incentive to ride from Ocean to Ocean is to raise funds in
support of some very needy people in Afghanistan. My close association
with Dr Nouria Salehi has convinced me that my support, any support is so
very much needed. I will be inspired by travelling through country, very
rough country that was opened up by, amongst other people, Afghani
cameleers. I will be thinking of them and their descendants as I ride “up
the track”.
Here is some documentation of
Jerome Murif's ride from 1898
(Click on images to enlarge)
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