Hills, Hills and more Hills! Balingup to Manjimup

Up with the birds this morning. Very chilly. Warm in our sleeping bags but quickly developed numb fingers and toes once up.
Got away at 7.00am to the croaking of frogs and a noisy family of magpies.

The hills hit us immediately!

Bridgetown was 29kms away - and we walked a great deal of it. Long, never ending hills with few downhill breaks.
We later found that just before Bridgetown, we had crossed the highest point of the Darling Scarp - a hilly range that stretches from Perth southwards. By then, with leaden legs, we didn't need much convincing. 18kms of hills!
In Bridgetown, we had a scone and flat white for lunch then wearily battled on to Manjimup.




















Found a lovely new caravan park in the centre of town and caught up on our washing and showering. Clean at last!

We have been advised that there are no cafes, stores or watering holes until we get to Walpole - 2 days away!.
We instantly stocked up on food for the next couple of days - tins, dried food, muesli bars.



We'll be roughing it at Shannon National Park tomorrow.

Did 62kms today.

Away at Last! Bunbury to Balingup

Up early and away by 7.00am. A chilly start but made good time and arrived in Donnibrook in perfect time for a coffee. Averaged 16kms an hour.

From Donnibrook to Balingup, we struck a succession of hills - and a head wind!
These, with an almost non-existent, rough, roadside shoulder, made progress slow and laboured.
Lots of walking and recovery stops!
Traffic was pretty busy with 3-trailered road trains roaring past in both directions.

Arrived in Balingup around 2.00pm and had an enormous chicken salad sandwich at the Old Shed Cafe.

Collected a few stores and, at the local general store, booked a tent site at the Transit Park ($10).
A lovely location - by the river, in a park. We picked a nice,sunny position right by a toilet block. We're the only residents tonight.
We're pretty pooped so should sleep well.

We've been warned that the road to Bridgetown tomorrow is very hilly - with one section 1.5kms long and very steep.
Apparently Bridgetown is the highest town in the area so maybe we'll be rewarded with a nice downhill run when we leave it. Here's hoping!

Did 69kms today

Still blowing in Bunbury!

Another low is coming over today, so we'll stay put for yet another day.

To avoid cabin fever, we went for a cycle along the Coast Drive. A very wild sea and strong wind that made cycling quite scary at times.
Good to be on the bikes again, though - minus the trailers for a change.
Planned our getaway route for tomorrow - mainly cycle ways until we got out of town.

Have decided that, to make up for the delay, we'll bypass the scenic coastal route south through Margaret River, and instead take the more direct route along the Southern Highway to Albany.
It'll take about a week to get there, but we'll save a day or two in the process.

Later paddled into town again for stores.

Del called into the "i" Centre and returned with a couple of really valuable maps - one in particular covers the whole of our trip from Perth to Adelaide. We're stoked! Caught up with our e-mails and blog while we were there.

Quiche and salad for dinner tonight, washed down with a nice glass of Rosemount Merlot.
Our last night of luxury for a while.

Tomorrow we'll be back on track again!

Stuck in Bunbury!

As forecast, the stormy weather continued today - gales, heavy rain - and HAIL!
We took the opportunity to spray the tent and fly sheet with silicone, then battled the storm and trudged into town to e-mail the family at the "I" Centre.

Bought chicken and rice for dinner, plus wine and nibbles for our afternoon sojourn in our tiny cabin.
At least we have some yummy food to sustain us while we're here.

Looks unlikely that we'll be able to get away tomorrow, but we're planning for it anyway!

 

Storm clouds a-brewing! - Preston Beach to Bunbury

I was tired yesterday. By the time we reached Preston Beach, my legs were leaden.

Today, after a good night's sleep in our very expensive chalet, I'm ready for another burst.

Left the resort at 7.15am and once we hit the Bunbury Highway, we sailed along with a mainly tail wind. Struck a few showers along the way.
Traffic was hectic. Big road trains screamed past, giving us a wide berth, but covering us in clouds of spray.
Decided to stop every 10kms for a break from the saddle, a swig of water and a brief chat. Cycling in indian file, means communication is limited.
Lots of rubbish on the wayside - obviously thrown from passing vehicles.

Del managed to navigate us across several busy intersections at the approaches to Bunbury - a bit like playing "chicken" - darting across lanes, with trailers in tow, during brief breaks in the traffic.

Just made it to the Bunbury Discovery Caravan Park when the storm broke and the skies opened. Thunder, driving rain, and gale force winds!

We had already decided to take a 2 night break to revitalise, catch up on chores, contact the family by internet and prepare ourselves for some big runs ahead.
Now we'll definitely have to wait until the conditions improve - could be a couple of days or more as sever gale warnings have been issued for this area.

Spent a warm evening in our cabin, heat pump on full, surrounded by wet and damp washing!

Did 64kms today.

Pressing on to Preston! - Mandurah to Preston Beach

No rain during the night but a heavy dew wet the ends of the tent, so the feet of our sleeping bags and our pillows got a little damp.
Got off to an early start and headed for Preston Beach.

Did the first 20kms through native bush on a cycle track running parallel to the highway. Eventually we took to the road - more direct - less meandering.
Speed limit on the open road is 110kms an hour - big 4 wheel drives and campavans roaring past.
We saw 2 dead kangaroos and a couple of emus darted out of the bush and back again.




Arrived at the Preston Beach turnoff only to find that we still had 10kms to go.

Eventually we arrived, cycle weary after our third day of cycling, and were dismayed to find that the advertised camping ground had closed years ago.
There was only a general store and a new holiday resort complex called "Footprints".
We had no choice other than to try to get a unit for the night.



As we arrived at Reception, a group of around 12 people waiting there greeted us with a round of applause when they saw our "Perth to Adelaide" sign.

Settled into our lovely unit then shot off to buy dinner of fish and chips plus emergency rations for tomorrow from the local store.

Everyone is very curious about out trip.

A hot dinner, TV, a shower and a comfy bed - what more could we ask for!!  Yay!!

Did 64kms today.

Gradually picking up the kms! - Freemantle to Mandurah

More rain during the night. The ends of our mattresses and sleeping bags got wet - otherwise all good. Our first night under canvas. Up at 5.30am after a fitful sleep.

Lovely fresh fruit salad and yogurt for breakfast accompanied by a cacophony of bird song.

Off to Mandurah today via Rockingham -  partially on cycle paths but eventually on the main highway which was considerably faster.

Heavy traffic but all giving us a wide berth.
We're extremely visible in our yellow fluoro shirts and trailer flags. Roads are wide with a good cycling shoulder so far.
110kms speed limit so big trucks and trailers (44 wheelers), 4WDs and powerful V8s and pick ups hurtling past, but no danger as long as we keep well to the left of our cycle lane.

Temperatures around 19 degrees with frequent showers.
Trucks send up showers of spray and grit every time they pass and our own rear tyres spray our backs with muddy water.

The route to Rockingham was via the coast road - very pretty and lined with expensive houses.
Later the road took us through an industrial area.
Loads of rubbish on verges and metal objects (rusting bolts, wire etc,) on the cycleway.




Mandurah is a picturesque town - similar to Taupo - with cafes etc around the esplanade.

The camp ground here has no kitchen facilities, so after setting up camp, we walked to Woolworths where we stocked up for breakfast and snacks for tomorrow.

Had a celebration dinner at The Dome restaurant and wrote our journals and blog there as the light faded.
Weather forecast for tomorrow is good so we shouldn't be bothered with rain tonight.
Lights are sparkling on the harbour and we're feeling exhausted, but very content with the trip so far - perhaps a little intoxicated too, thanks to a tasty merlot!
It's our daughter Julie's birthday today. Happy birthday, Jules. Thinking of you. XX

Did 64kms today.
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