And here's a picture of my tent, set up next to the Mississippi river, where we saw a lovely sunset.
>>194240a) I wore very little: my bike shorts and a sleeveless shirt. I rode 1700 miles this spring and got quite tan beforehand. I only used sunblock on my nose and ears for the duration of the trip.
I found that the dry heat of the west was within my comfort zone, up into the upper 90's (F). Your experience in Australia may vary.
a/b) As far as water goes, make sure you carry enough to make it between resupply points. If you use water to cook your dinners like I did, I recommend soaking whatever it is you're cooking beforehand. That way, you can set up camp without a water source and be in less danger of running out overnight, in addition to saving fuel. I used a stove; making a fire every night wouldn't have been at all practical or even legal in most places.
I didn't bring a cover for my bike, but I did put a plastic bag over my Brooks saddle. They're not supposed to get wet if you can help it. I carried my tent, my sleeping bag and my pad in a waterproof bag on the back of my bike. I used clothes in my sleeping bag bag as a pillow.
Here are my stealth camping strategies:
-Evaluate how easy it's going to be to find a spot while your riding during the day. If you see good spots all over the place, don't worry too much. If you don't see many, you'll have to be less picky later on, which can mean stopping earlier.
-Never camp behind 'no trespassing' signs, or on property that's obviously private (ie, next to someone's house, or behind a fence). In the US, it's illegal to do so. If you camp on land that isn't obviously private, it's legal, but you have to leave if someone comes and tells you that they want you off their land.
-Try to camp out of line of sight of the road, or where people driving by won't see you. If no one knows you're there, no one can tell you to leave.
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