Keep Cycling! Perth to Gold Coast - 2022

A warmer night, thank heaven! Del wakes around 5.00am (remember we're in bed by 6.00pm on the previous night). He dresses, rolls the sleeping mats, sleeping bags and pillows then prepares breakfast (assisted by his cycling buddy, of course!) We got away by 7.00am and began our cycle to Caiguna. The light sidewind became a light headwind which meant that we worked relatively hard all the way. The 'straight' road wasn't exactly flat all the way - but close to it! Regular "bum stops" became part of our cycling routine, as well as water stops and nibbles (nuts and raisins, mini Snickers and dried mango). Eventually we arrived at Caiguna Roadhouse. The motel rooms were fully booked out, the coffee machine was broken (only instant coffee available) and there was no food available in the hot food cabinet! A cook in the kitchen took orders for hot food. A receptionist, working alone, was rushed off her feet, hot and flustered. Eventually (probably took pit...

Sunrise on the Nullarbor. Today we cycled on a dead straight road for 60 kms! Not a curve or a bend in sight! We were overtaken by an English man named Bob, who stopped for a quick chat as he went past. His bike was an impressive touring bike and he'd taken only a week to get from Perth. He was cycling over 100kms a day! I began to feel seat pressure half way through the day and had to ask for brief "bum stops". Del obliged but was determined to do 60kms before we set up camp - and we did! A pretty little wild flower is blooming already around our camp site. We don't expect to see masses of spring flowers for a few weeks yet. We're hoping to get to Caiguna Roadhouse tomorrow. We need to Google how to replace a spoke in a rear tyre! Days are warm but nights are freezing on the Nullarbor. Let's hope the night isn't as cold as last night. Del felt the cold and his thermometer read a chilly  -4 degree...

Woke up to a perfect cycling day! Blue sky, light tail wind and a flat, straight road that led to the horizon, finishing in a mirage of water. This was the Nullarbor we remember. Trees were smaller and fewer and scrub replaced the bushes that we camp behind. The road trains and grey nomads with their caravans raced past frequently as always. But one MAJOR feature had gone - the hordes of dead and decaying wild animals, killed by the traffic (mainly road trains) and left for the crows to clean up. We rode over the Flying Doctor Airstrip - a 1.2km stretch of highway We'd done 30kms and all was going so well - when Del's bike made an unusual sound. We stopped to check it out. It was a broken spoke on his rear wheel. He carries spares, but, try as he might, he couldn't manage to fit the new one. So, with no other option, he cycled the rest of the way with a spoke missing. Today was heading for a record cycle day. What else is this trip going ...

On arrival at Balladonia, we had a lovely shower, washed our clothes and had dinner in the restaurant.  Ouch! Everything is so expensive, but understandable when its trucked in from hundreds of kms away. Had a lovely, comfortable, undisturbed sleep. Today planned the next couple of days and food and water needs. Took a walk around the roadhouse grounds. Reception, restaurant, bar and motel units are well kept, as is the caravan and camping park.  A single monument, taking pride of place, is a boiler taken from a local mine in 1962. There are even dongas (budget rooms) available. (You can imagine how much internal space each has!) The rest of the day we'll be catching up on our blog/journal and taking things easy. Note the developing tan line!

Had a warm night and slept like a log! What a difference a day/night makes. We awoke to a tail wind!!!! Yay!!  Nothing could stop us getting to Balladonia now - or could it! We sailed along for the first 10kms. Del was concerned about an unusual sound coming from his back tyre and stopped to investigate. Several of the spokes had worked loose.  He found the necessary tool to tighten them amongst his tools. After doing a quick check of my spokes, too, we were off again. We were pulling off the road to retrieve some bottles of water that were passed to us from a passing truck, when Del's front wheel skidded and he fell into the gravel. He skinned his knee and ankle which needed to be attended to. More delay! Hands up those people who think that a plain is flat!!  Not this one! The highway is like a switchback railway! Up and down! Funny thing is, the trailer weight is getting less as we use the water, but the 'hills' are just as challenging. At last ...

60 kms doesn't sound much to a seasoned cyclist, but towing heavy trailers into a head wind, along a "switch back" highway is challenging! We did a bit of walking today! Road train drivers and "grey nomads" towing their caravans, alike, toot and wave in recognition of the effort we're making. Several folk have even stopped to chat about the trip. We stopped for a bite to eat at one of the many rest stops along the way. Looks like an inland lake or sea. Must look it up at some stage. Came across our second roadkill - a poor camel. It's entrails were scattered up the highway. It must have given the road train driver one big fright - and made a mess of his rig, too! Wild and free one minute, and a mangled heap the next. With Del encouraging me to pedal a little bit further, we eventually ticked over 60kms. Immediately Del kept his eyes peeled for a suitable camp site off the road.  It was a mess as usual, with...

We've been on the road for 25 days already and we haven't seen a single kangaroo -  until today on the Nullarbor Plain, that is. Such a shame that it had to be a dead one - it was a young one or possibly a wallaby. The road trains can't avoid them and they make quite an impression on a car's chasis too. From memory, we expect to see more carnage as we cross the Nullarbor. The Nullarbor boasts the world's longest golf course. Buy a ticket and try sinking a shot in the single hole waiting for you at every Roadhouse along the route! By the way, Nullarbor means 'no trees', so we're keeping our fingers crossed that there'll be enough scrub to camp behind when we need to! We had lunch, sitting on a tarpaulin on the edge of a straight, ribbon of road that disappeared into the horizon in both directions. There are still tall, spindly trees, but they are getting fewer in number and low lying shrubs are becoming ...

Fraser Range Station, 103 kms east, was to be our destination (and bed) in 2 days' time. Covid has forced its closure for 2 years now. Based on our daily cycling distance, we'll need to carry food and water for 3/4 bush camps before we reach our next roadhouse at Balladonia, 190kms from here. Today we bought 18 litres of water and food for 3/4 days from the one and only supermarket. It'll have to fit into the two trailers with everything else. At least, the weight will reduce each day! We bought filled rolls (cheese and salad) and 2 pottles of fresh fruit salad from the BP station at the edge of town. They will be tomorrow's lunch and dinner. We want a quick get away! Road trains were lining up to refill their diesel before hitting the remote Nullarbor Plain. We passed the famous 'Norseman' sculpture. The horse reputedly dug up the first gold nugget with his hoof, which started the gold rush! The empty line of businesses for s...

On arrival in Norseman, we again discovered that accommodation was limited. The Information Centre directed us to The Railway Motel and Guest Lodge.  It was at the far end of town - and close to the small supermarket and few remaining shops. Couldn't be better! A room was available - spotless, with a new en suite - we were wrapped!  Today we dried out the tent and fly sheet and did our washing. Norseman is a small town, dependent on tourists passing through. Several of the shops are derelict and for sale. Amazingly it was a finalist in the Tidy Towns competition. All we can see is untidiness and neglect.  The old houses are constructed of fibrolite and corrugated iron. Our plans from here need reassessing. Fraser Range Station (103kms away) is closed due to the Covid pandemic. We have calculated that, at our speed, it will take 4 bush camps to reach Balladonia Roadhouse. Today we bought 18 litres of water and food supplies f...

ARGH! What a day! The road was a cyclable "switchback" under normal circumstances, but today, with a strong headwind, it was hard yakka all the way! Dunbas Shire is proud of its woodland areas. Trees are taller and thicker than we've come across before but there are signs of bush fires - whether due to controlled burn offs - or wildfires. The main highway crossed Lake Cowan. This is a large lake and, at this time of year, is totally dry. With a strong, blustery side wind, and nothing to break its strength, we found it too dangerous to cycle across. We were blown sideways in the blasts and when road trains passed in either direction, the bikes were thrown around and so hard to control. We walked the 1.5kms flat section of the highway for safety. Eventually we arrived, relieved,  in Norseman. Accommodation was hard to find as usual. The "I" Centre suggested The Railway Motel and Guest House. What a lovely find! Our u...

It was cold last night with a cloudless sky dripping with stars. Both of us woke early, around 4.30am. We had our Weetbix and coffee (both with condensed milk), packed up camp and headed off hoping to cover 60kms today. We stopped at Widgiemooltha Roadhouse for a toasted sandwhich and coffee and basic stores. No emergency food there so we bought 2 ham and cheese rolls for our dinner! We seem to have lost the Golden Pipeline and gained a railway line which we followed and crossed several times today. Signs re mine sites were frequent and road trains roared past entering and exiting the bush. I became quite weary and had to take recovery breaks which meant that we didn't achieve our 60kms goal. At our camp site, we discovered the reason why. My front tyre was flat!!!  That pesky piece of wire, that my tyre picked up and that we thought had done no damage, was the culprit! Del to the rescue again! Tomorrow we cycle to Norseman - and a bed, I hope!...

All our gear is dry at last and we're ready to be on our journey. Last night we were serenaded with loud country music emanating from the rodeo competitors' campsite a kilometre away. Del's earplugs soon fixed that! This morning our neighbours, Dusty and his wife, came out of their chalet to say goodbye. Dusty is ATV (all terrain vehicle) mad. He's entered his latest model - a modified show truck - into a ute competition being held at the rodeo today. He wins trophies galore.  I must say, it was very eye-catching, right down to the "naked lady" handles that hoisted you into the truck. Del always reckoned that the road to Norseman from Coolgardie would be downhill, as we approached the Nullarbor Plain. He wasn't far wrong either. It was mainly flat but we enjoyed numerous downhills today, for a change. Being flat, the area is prone to flooding and frequent signs and indicators warn of the problem. Hard to beli...