5 November, 2009 11:47AM AEST

Cycling the Simpson

Imagine cycling through a desert in the middle of a sand storm. Rockhampton local Michael Dalton did just that in the 2009 Simpson Desert Bike Challenge.

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After spending five days cycling through the Simpson Desert and travelling almost 600km, Rockhampton local Michael Dalton was happy to have a shower.

The 2009 Simpson Desert Bike Challenge or as it's jokingly called Satan's Velodrome, is held annually to raise money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Michael says the track is challenging with over 700 sand dunes, salt lakes, cattle stations, and vast planes.

"The race is extremely challenging both physically and more so mentally," says Michael.

"The rider who gets through in this race is a person who can adapt to the conditions, not only from a physical fitness point of view but also from a mental application."

The days are spread out into two stages, afternoon and morning, and give riders a brief break to rehydrate and to grab a bite to eat.

Michael says he had to pace himself to be able to sustain five days of cycling and to prevent getting picked up by the sweeper.

"I was was trying to maintain a speed of 12km/h so that I wouldn't be swept," says Michael.

"What happens in this particular event, you have to maintain 12km/h at a certain point, otherwise you'll be picked up and then transported to the next section.

"The race needs to keep moving along so that you can reach the final destination at the end of each day."

But how does he stay focused and what is going through Michael's mind when travelling across a desert?

"Not getting swept I guess, but also the sheer magnitude of the place in terms of the height of the sand dunes, the heat, and the horizons in the distance where all I see is sand, sand and more sand," says Michael.

Cycling for five days is no easy feat, so Michael had to train extensively to be fully prepared.

Michael says on top of training he had help from friends in planning his nutritional needs for the race, and he researched the best tactics to reach the end successfully.

"I did a lot of riding in sand but more importantly I did a lot of riding in hills which put me in good stead for the steep sand dunes in the desert," says Michael.

Preventing dehydration is obviously a huge focus for event organisers, and each crew supporting a rider has to carry 160 litres of water for both rider and crew.

"Well obviously you drink a lot of fluids, but in this race it's tightly controlled because we have medics and water stops at certain stages throughout each leg of the event," says Michael.

"And you must stop at that stage at that water stop, and you must take water on board or fluids or whatever you may be drinking at the time."

One of the main reasons Michael took up the challenge of cycling through the Simpson Desert was to raise money for charity.

"It was probably the most attractive thing about the event, we were raising money for a good cause," says Michael.

"Out in those far remote and rural communities, you just realise how important the Royal Flying Doctor is to those people out there.

"And it was certainly a pleasure to raise, I think we raised over $13,000 for that particular organisation."

But the riders wouldn't be able to get through the race without the constant support of their crews.

"Well basically what the crew is there for is to look after you, to provide you with food and fluids," says Michael.

"You don't eat anything out of the ordinary, just making sure you get enough food into you, mainly that it's high in carbohydrates and plenty of protein.

"And above all keeping your nutritional levels and your fluid levels at the maximum."

The days were long and Michael had to follow a fairly strict routine.

"At 4.30am each day, with a hooter that goes off for where we're camping, and we have to get weighed in with the medical crew at 5.45 before the event starts at 6am," says Michael.

"And then we must be rehydrated back to pretty close to our original weight prior to starting the event.

"Then the event starts and then 80km later, if you manage to get through the stage, then you're reweighed again to see the amount of fluid loss that has occurred.

"And then just prior to the afternoon stage at 1.45pm you're reweighed again to ensure that you're hydrated again before the next stage.

"So this race is taken very seriously by the organisers and it's a comfort to the riders to know that we've got three medics on board there to keep an eye on our welfare and our health.

"And they work in conjunction with the water crews to monitor your hydration and your general well being.

"Not only do they do that but they also monitor your support crew's well being and hydration because there were people from the support crews who were suffering dehydration as well."

Michael says he's happy with his result.

"I came fifth overall and I was really pleased with that result from a personal viewpoint," says Michael.

"It certainly was a reflection of the amount of effort and training I put into that event."

Michael says the 2009 Simpson Desert Bike Challenge definitely won't be his last, and he hopes to complete all stages of the race next time.

If you'd like to read more about Michael's experiences and stories from other riders, you can read his blog at www.desertchallenge.org.