Facing the Longest Straight Road
The third day on the Nullarbor Plain. The highlight of the day was unmistakable—Australia’s longest straight road, stretching an incredible 146.6 kilometers.
Straight, and nothing but straight.
I knew this would be a test of endurance, both physical and mental. But just as I set out with determination, the rain began to fall.
Of all days, why today? And it wasn’t just a light drizzle. It poured hard enough to soak me through, the temperature dropping sharply until my hands went numb.
Each time a truck roared past, the spray of water hit me like a wave. There was no room to enjoy the novelty of the endless road. It was pure survival.
Encounters Along the Way
Still, I kept pedaling. And then I saw it—on the left shoulder of the road, a crashed car.
Judging by the condition, the accident must have happened just a couple of days ago. The wreck still held the shock of impact, and in the pouring rain it looked even more haunting.
It jolted me back to reality: “If I lose focus out here, the same thing could happen to me.”
Even stopping to rest wasn’t much relief. The wind forced its way into every corner. The Nullarbor doesn’t really have shoulders for cyclists, and whenever a truck passed, I felt like I was being sucked toward it.
A straight road where you can’t ride straight—that was the fear I battled all day.
Reaching Caiguna
Finally, a sign appeared: “Caiguna 5 km”.
Without thinking, I said aloud, “At last…”
That day, I had cycled about 140 kilometers. Soaked to the bone, chilled, and frightened—but I made it.
At Caiguna, I found warmth, a chance to rest, and—most importantly—a small reward for myself: an ice cream.
As I sat quietly eating it, a passing family struck up a conversation. They listened intently as I told them about my journey, and then one of them said, “Someday, I want to read your book about this.”
Those simple words made the exhaustion feel lighter.
A Quiet Night in the Bush
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That night, I camped in a quiet spot surrounded by bushland.
The sky was wide open, the air still, and the silence deepened with every hour.
It wasn’t an easy day—far from it—but it ended with kindness, with connection, and with the calm of a vast Australian night.
