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Bicycle Tours in South Western Australia:Albany - Stirling Range - Mundaring9 days, 596km [map] THE STIRLINGS RIDE OF 1993This was to be the fulfilment of a dream that started in 1987, when I rode by the western edge of the Stirling Range and was prevented by weather and tiredness from taking a detour into it. The idea was to get to Bluff Knoll, climb it, and ride back to Perth. Instead of starting the ride at Bunbury, as I had so many others, I decided to start this one at Albany, using the new flexibility offered by the discovery that, for $25, Niteroad will take your bike to Albany or Bunbury in less than 24 hours, or to any other point at which it is desired that a ride should start. Starting fresh from albany, I would be able to climb the Porongorups on Day 1, ride to a camp near Bluff Knoll on Day 2, ride to it and climb it on Day 3, then start home on Day 4, proceeding via Gnowangerup, or Cranbrook, or Ongerup, depending on wind and weather and inclination.
PRELIMINARY - coach ride to AlbanyTUESDAY 19 OCTOBER. The bike had been taken down on Monday 18 October by Niteroad and left at the depot in Albany. I took the 9 am Westrail coach for Albany, the fast 6-hour journey via Williams. I had already booked a room in the Ace motel. The coach was crowded. I sat next to a man who wanted to hear all about my proposed ride. The bus passed through forest, with the occasional roadhouse. The wildflowers looked good. We arrived in Williams 5 minutes late and had a half-hour break. South of Kojonup the Stirling mountains began to loom up and looked very impressive in the distance, a bit daunting to me planning to ride through them and climb the biggest one. Instead of taking the main road into Albany the driver turned off at the great roundabout and took the Denmark road before turning south and approaching the old railway station by the route the former train would have taken, from the west. I wish I had known this, and found out exactly where the Niteroad depot was, then I could have asked to be dropped off. As it was I was told on arrival at the terminal that the depot was 1.5 km back along the road we had just travelled, near the woolsheds. It turned out to be more like 2.5 km. I humped the luggage over there and got the bike, which had not needed to be taken to bits - only the speedo needed reattaching. This was never to be quite tight enough the whole trip but it did the job. After stowing the luggage I set off back to the town. I stopped off by the replica 'Amity' brig and enjoyed a tour of the lower decks that I hadn't been able to get into in 1987. The living and sleeping areas were very cramped, an adult had to go about doubled up. The people crowded into the original ship must have suffered in bad weather, just lain in their bunks or sat at the cramped tables. The relatively spacious area at the bottom of the ship would have been full of stores and cargo. The 'elite' areas were better, with polished furnishings. The experience was most interesting. It was an overcast day with a cold southerly, so to save energy I didn't go swimming at Middleton beach. I rode up to the motel which was 4km from the city centre. This was 3km uphill that I would not have to do the next day, the first full riding day. I booked in, dumped the heavy luggage and set off back to the shopping centre to shop, get an early dinner, ring up my great-nephew Joshua for his birthday and book the next two nights' accomodation. There was a worry - Stirling Range caravan park could accomodate me on the Thursday, but Friday was booked out at that stage. So I ad to face the possibility of having to ride up to the Stirlings and climb Bluff Knoll on the same day. I had meant to stay two nights in the area and take a whole day to climb Bluff Knoll. But I was determined to do it no matter what. The recording of times and distances in this document might seem a bit obsessive but they are useful for future reference. Kentucky hot'n'spicy for tea. Reading at Depot: 27316. At motel: 27326. km for day: 10. Counted in aggregate but not in average of full riding days (FRDs).
DAY 1, Albany - KarribankWEDNESDAY 20 OCTOBER. Cloudy, cool, ENE headwind as I left the motel at 8:38. I went round the great roundabout and headed up the Chester Pass Road towards the Porongorup range looming in the distance. The odometer seemed to be reading quite precisely, checking it against the 5km posts beside the road. I passed through pleasant wooded country and rested for the first time at 27342. As I approached the mountains I was climbing steadily but it was manageable. I rested again at 27358 and reached the Porongorup Road turnoff at 27363. The road became hilly. After a downhill run to the Karribank Motel I reached it at 11:40, 27372. I booked in, dumped the heavy luggage and went back to the Bolganup Road turnoff, 27373, to climb the Porongorups. It was a 3km uphill ride to the 'tree-in-the-rock' picnic area, 27376. I looked at the map and started up the walk trail that took in three peaks - Hayward's peak, Nancy's peak and Morgan's lookout. There were an old and a young woman ahead of me. The young woman had what seemed to be a violin in a case. When they reached the tree-in-the-rock (a large karri tree which had been growing out of the solid granite for centuries, gradually splitting and swelling it) the young one took her fiddle out of its case and the older woman left her to get on with her experience of playing a fiddle in the forest. The music wasn't very lively or tuneful so, after examining the tree-in-the-rock, I proceeded up the path. The climb was quite steep and the forest and flowers made it very pleasant. Eventually I saw a big granite peak looming up on the left. It looked quite awesome, and I thought that must be it, the first peak. There didn't seem to be any easy way up onto it so I kept walking, to find that there was an even higher one that could be scrambled up, revealing the highest of all, the true Hayward's peak, accessible by a difficult climb through a gully partly blocked by a fallen tree. Finally I stood on this peak and enjoyed the view, including Twin Peaks, Nancy's and Morgan's. It was now possible to walk down to the first lump of rock I had passed on my way up, which gave a clearer view to the north. When I returned to the walk track I decided to try for Nancy's peak instead of going straight back down. I went quite a long way but eventually the path became difficult to find because of fallen trees and overgrowth. I was worried about getting lost and also didn't want to have insufficient strength for the unknown challenges of the next day. I walked back to the picnic area, enjoyed the easy downhill run back to Karribank, did some shopping for the next day's food and drinks, made 'phone calls, showered, changed and had dinner in the big old-fashioned dining room with its pot-bellied stove. Dinner was $20, rather overpriced, though pleasant enough. I spent the evening in my cabin listening to the radio, studying maps, reading and stitching up some tears in the bag. Reading at end of day: 27380. Day's ride: 54 km. Aggregate: 64. km/FRD: 54. Average speed, Albany to Karribank: 15.3 km/hour.
DAY 2, Karribank - Stirling RangeTHURSDAY 21 OCTOBER. It had rained most of the night and was still drizzling in the morning. Grey clouds tumbled down the Porongorups and a cold wind blew from the ENE. When the hills were visible and the sky had brightened and the rain eased to a few spots I decided to get going, which I did at 8:05. The rain increased in intensity after a few minutes and kept going, though the sky seemed to be clearing, for an hour. I had decided to take a short cut through 'Spring Road' a muddy gravel track, saving about 3km of the journey, though I don't know if it was worth it. I was soaked by the time I took my first rest, at 27396. I stopped briefly at the Kamballup roadhouse (27399) and, with the supplies I had with me and what I expected to be able to get at Stirling Range Caravan Park, I decided just to buy a packet of barley sugars to suck while riding. The road had been downhill for a while after leaving Porongorups but began to rise steadily as the Stirlings came closer. At one point about halfway between the two ranges I reached the top of a rise and could see both the Porongorups and Stirlings. This happened just as the radio was playing the part in the pilgrims' chorus from 'Tannhäuser' (an opera by the German composer Richard Wagner) where the chorus sings "Alle-luia! Alle-luia!" It seemed appropriate. The headwind was steady and difficult but not impossible. I took another rest at 27412 on the scrubby plain at the base of the range, and after a lot of hard climbing, the last break in the picnic spot below Toll Peak and Mount Trio, facing Yungermere Peak. Before reaching Stirling Range Caravan Park, it was clear that the highest point in Chester Pass Road had been passed and I was now riding more easily with some downhill runs, actually leaving the Stirlings before having reached my main objective. I arrived at Stirling Range Caravan Park at 27434, 12:05. There is a rather pompous gateway leading off the main road to a gravel track, after a few hundred metres of which you find the caravans, office, shower block and 'phone, then the cabins another 300m north. I eventually got booked in and found that there was no chance of getting accommodation for Friday night. I should have booked weeks ahead instead of waiting till I got to Albany. I could always have cancelled had things not worked out. So there was no choice but to do Bluff Knoll that very afternoon. I'd had this in mind at Karribank, and had wanted to leave earlier, but the rain prevented me. As it was I dumped everything in the cabin (of which more later) that wasn't essential, and set off without a rest at 12:48, 27436, along the road to Bluff Knoll. This was mostly uphill, about half so uphill that the bike had to be walked, my low gear that has got me up Greenmount, Bindoon and Hester's hills couldn't manage this. But it was only 8km, and I arrived at the carpark at 1:36, 27444. The car park is on top of one of the substantial foothills of Bluff Knoll, you can see it from a long way off, it looks daunting to a cyclist. The approaching country was rich in flowers and birds. I secured my bike, read the sign about boots, water and warm clothing and began my climb at 1:45. I had only a shirt and a light raincoat and bikeshorts, and 250mL of Daily Juice, but the Adidas were OK. The wildflowers were of such quantity, variety and newness to me that I won't try to describe them, not having taken notes. Bluff Knoll from this side rises very steeply to a sheer cliff. I did not know which way the path took to the top, and thought I could see people way up on the steep part. I did not know if you could really reach the summit without special climbing gear. In fact the path goes round the mountain and approaches the summit from the south. After a dip and an easy walk the path began to climb. I have great respect for those who built it, all the way to the top. I met a number of other people, coming down or going up. I passed one elderly foursome who were starting to feel the strain. They told me of a rumour that there was a seat and drinking water about a third of the way up. I passed them and found the drinking water, a little waterfall trickling down beside the path. It was fresh clear water and I had a good drink of it. The impressive foothills were now far below, the carpark was a miniature and I could see the 8km approach road snaking all the way back to Chester Pass Road. There was a commanding view to the north and north-west, and cloud hung over the peaks of neighbouring mountains. The path became steeper. I was feeling good, but my pulse was racing. I tried to rest for a while but it didn't slow down. But I was excited that I was actually on the way to achieving the goal of this ride, and had plenty of time. With a different attitude I might have felt more pain and given up. The cloud that swirled around Bluff Knoll was now not far above my head, and before long I was inside it. Visibility dropped to a few metres, it became darker, very cold with steady rain being blown in the icy wind. It was like suddenly being in a different country. Each time I thought I was near the summit a higher lump of rock loomed out of the mist. I met a German who said I had about a quarter of the way to go and it became easier nearer the top. The terrain was rocky, with blasted shrubs. The path became difficult to find and stakes with red flags had been placed to mark it. Just as well, or you could lose your way down and end up in a dark valley far from help. Signs appeared saying "Take care! Near the edge." I approached the Edge and looked down into white nothingness. It was like being on a lump of rock orbiting in a void. At last, the summit, marked by a sign "Bluff Knoll Summit. 1073m above sea level." Only one eighth as high as Mount Everest. It was 3:15. I found the very highest rock and stood on it, then sat with my back to a rock on a sandy ledge to shelter from the wind. The ledge looked down on a sheer drop. Someone had thrown paint down and there were red and blue splashes going way down. Here I had my drink and a smoke and shivered. The climb down, begun at 3:25, was harder in a way because of the different stress on feet and legs involved in going down. It was strange to come down out of the freezing wet cloud into the same clear, mild day that I had left below earlier, though in fact it had been raining a bit at ground level too. I had to stand still if I wanted to look at the view, because it was possible to fall badly on broken sections of path. I arrived back in the car park at 4:45, having taken exactly 3 hours for the round trip. A group of people in the car park offered me a share of their coffee and admired my effort in riding that far and climbing the mountain all in one day. The ride back to Stirling Range Caravan Park, begun at 5:01, was tricky to start off with as my bike slithered down the first steep winding hill with the brakes full on, but after that I just went as fast as possible, with a downhill run and the wind behind me. I arrived back at Stirling Range Caravan Park at 5:21. The cabin was of rammed earth with a high timber roof. There was a stove, a microwave oven, fridge, radiator, dishes pots and cutlery and toaster and kettle but no soap, towels, sheets or blankets or TV. You are supposed to bring all your food and other things with you. There was limited food at the office, so I bought a loaf of bread, milk, a can of spaghetti sauce and a packet of dried pasta chicken curry, and borrowed a rug. I know it is a national park but if they are going to have all the power, water and sewage coming in anyway they might as well have a proper motel and a shop and roadhouse. I cooked the food, arranged the washing and wet things over chairs in front of the radiator and took an early night. The bunks were two-level - I didn't know whether to sleep in the top one and risk having one of those dreams where I fall out of bed, or sleep in the bottom one and risk having a dream where I sit up suddenly, which would risk a fractured skull. I took a Panquil and took the bottom bunk. Reading at end of day: 27452. Day's ride: 72. Aggregate: 136. km/FRD: 63. Average speed from Karribank to Stirling Range Caravan Park: 13.5 kph.
DAY 3, Stirling Range - GnowangerupFRIDAY 22 OCTOBER. I cleaned and oiled the bike, as I normally do on these rides after a wet ride, and left Stirling Range Caravan Park at 9:38. It was late but I had wanted to rest up, also this was to be a harder day than I had expected. I think I had overdone it on Thursday, also conditions were different from what I had imagined when planning the trip. I had thought I would be leaving the Stirlings with a good downhill run and a tailwind. Actually the winds turned northwest and freshened, and they were to stay NW for five days - quite unusual and demoralising for someone riding NW for five days. Also, Stirling Range Caravan Park is already down from the high country, so there was plenty of climbing to be done as I made my way to Gnowangerup. The odometer seemed to be reading 1-2% low now. It wasn't quite tight on its mounting, and slipped back a bit every time I adjusted it. The 1-2% was consistent all the rest of the trip, but I haven't adjusted for it because it wasn't large enough to matter. I might have done about 10km more altogether than the final figure shown at Day 10. I had thought of saving 7km by turning off after Amelup onto ? road and taking ?km of gravel tracks to ? road, but decided against this, not knowing what the tracks were like and wanting to pass through Borden and another dot on the map, Kebaringup, in case I needed a shop. I stopped at Amelup, 27462, and bought a choc milk, but it was off, so the lady gave me another, and that was off too, so she told me to get another out of the back of the other side of the fridge, and that was barely-bloody-drinkable so I drank it while the lady cursed Master's Dairy, then I got going again. I was finding the journey very hard. I rested again at 27478. I passed by the turnoff at ? road, saw it was uphill gravel, kept going. Maybe that would have been a better option because Borden was 1km off the main road and I didn't feel like adding to my journey, while there was nothing at Kebaringup except a Telecom shed with 'Kebaringup' painted on the side. I could have stopped and declared myself mayor and citizen of the year of Kebaringup. I came to the T-junction, 27489, where you turn left for Gnowangerup, right for Ongerup. I had conceived a plan to go through Ongerup, then Pingrup, Kulin, Lake Grace, Corrigin but there were difficulties associated with that plan which I would like to have tackled when not getting over the rigours of the previous day. I turned left and rested again at 27494, passed through Kebaringup, rested at 27508 at the top of a rise in a truck layby. A man stopped his truck and went to eat his crib sitting on a log in the sparse forest. There were only 11km to go now, a trivial distance, and I knew that I would make it all right, though I was in a lot of discomfort. 2km from Gnowangerup the road comes to the top of a rise and turns left into the town. From this point can be seen the Stirling range spread out behind, and the town spread out below. I reached the roadhouse at 2:24, 27519, and stopped to ask directions to the motel. The girl said they hadn't got a motel, then she directed me to the hotel, which was on a side street that I had passed. There were some punnets of "Strawberry's $1.50". I should have bought one. I went back to the hotel, dodged the numerous dogs, booked in, the unit was quite pleasant - no TV, but a radio. I shopped rested, showered, changed, looked round the town. A lot of these towns seem past their best. The war memorial was at the focus of a tree-lined avenue in a park that had fallen into neglect. I got chicken and chips from the roadhouse and went back to the motel. Some men were playing rugby in the yard in front of the units. My unit was part of the touchline, and it was noisy, but I didn't mind because it would soon be dark. I didn't go into the pub for drinks and counter dinner because I just wanted to rest. I took two Codis against the aches and pains but eventually when I went to bed I had a lot of trouble getting to sleep, so I took a valium against the muscle spasms and eventually dropped off, well after midnight. Reading at Gnowangerup: 27520. Day's ride: 68km. Aggregate: 204km. km/FRD: 65. Speed from Stirling Range Caravan Park to Gnowangerup: 14 kph.
DAY 4, Gnowangerup - KatanningSATURDAY 23 OCTOBER. The winds started out with a promise of a bit of southerly in the westerly but as the day went on they shifted to the north again. This was to be 61km into a fresh head- or cross-wind. I left Gnowangerup at 9:04 and took my first rest at 27533, then again at at 27546. I wanted to save a kilometre by taking the gravel track 1km before the normal turnoff to Broomehill, because the map showed it going right into the town. As it turned out the roads got a bit confused, or I did, and the km was wasted finding the Great Southern Highway again. I stopped at Broomehill, 27561, for a drink, at a shop in the main street. There were only 20km now to Katanning. I rested again at Murdong, 27571 and arrived at the motel in Albion Street at 27581, 1:36. The radio in my room didn't work, but I discovered that my key fitted many of the other units, and there were plenty of unoccupied ones that had a working radio. Then I had to climb up on a chair and table and reattach the TV aerial, after which I was all set for a restful afternoon and evening, my reward for the morning's efforts. I booked the next two nights - Wagin and Narrogin. I wanted the main hotel in the centre of Narrogin, since the motel was a bit far from the centre of town, but it was booked out, so I booked Hordern's. The main Wagin hotel was booked out too so I booked the Wagin Motel. I did some shopping as usual. Later after a shower and change I looked round the town. I have not been here for 30 years and didn't remember it, but I expected it to be bigger. Actually the population is smaller than that of Narrogin. Its centenary was in 1989. The building of the Great Southern railway between York and Albany began at both ends in 1887 and was completed with the driving of a final spike at Katanning in 1889. This is unimaginable now. It would take 10 years and cost gigadollars. There is quite a strong Malaysian community in Katanning - they have their own mosque, and a good restaurant that sells Halal food. I got Beef Rendang Padang and Nasi Goreng as a takeaway. It was the best dinner of the trip. I slept better after taking a valium. Reading at Katanning: 27583. Day's ride: 63km. Aggregate: 267. km/FRD: 64. Speed to motel: 13.5 km/hour.
DAY 5, Katanning - WaginSUNDAY 24 OCTOBER. The wind had strengthened from the west and there was to be rain. I left Katanning at 9:35 and headed due west for 12 km. Rain started soon after my day's ride began and kept falling. It doesn't take long to get soaked under these circumstances. The right toe-clip fell off at 27588. The nuts had shaken loose after only a few hundred km and the thing was dangling by a strap. I tied it on with wire and it was perfect. rested at 27595, after which the road turned north for a while. This was better because the wind was mainly a cross-wind, turning a bit southerly after squalls. Later the road resumed its NNW alignment and the wind was either against me or not helping. I passed Woodanilling at 27606. I did not stop there because the main town was off the main road. I rested at 27607. The rain got so heavy for a while that I took shelter under a tree that was better than most, at 27616. There is no point in stopping to shelter most of the time because there is nowhere suitable. The trees are inadequate, you still get wet and you also get cold and stiff, and you don't get any distance done. I took another rest at 27621. The rain stopped at last at 27627 and I hoped it might hold off long enough to let me arrive in Wagin dry, but it started again at 27635. I passed Lake Norring, swollen by a late wet season to a very large body of water, lapping a little beach right along the side of the road for some distance. It is always a pleasant surprise to come across a huge water body among the rolling hills and paddocks and scrub. A few km before Wagin I was troubled by a rattle on this bike that until then had hummed along silently. I found that the nuts holding the backrack under the saddle had fallen off as well, so that too had to be temporarily secured with wire. I always carry wire on these rides because it has a variety of uses, including improving TV reception in marginal areas. I arrived in Wagin at 27637, 1:29. I was wet and cold but this was the best motel of the trip. It had an air conditioner that did very efficient heating. I unpacked and spread everything out while I rode out again for a bit of shopping, and when I got back it was mostly dry. I left the heating on for the rest of that cold wet day. The day's washing got dry quickly as well. Slept, showered, changed, 'phoned, looked round the town. As so often I had chicken and chips for tea. Reading at Wagin: 27638. Day's ride: 55km. Aggregate: 322km. km/FRD: 62. Speed motel - motel: 14 kph.
DAY 6, Wagin - NarroginMONDAY 25 OCTOBER 1993. The day was fine with a light westerly, sometimes going WSW, not helpful but not too opposing. I cleaned and oiled the bike and left Wagin at 9:40. I had slept in after a Panquil but still felt a bit challenged by the mere 50km to Narrogin. I got a bit lost on my way out of Wagin, because the main highway resumes after going along a street to the northwest of the town. I rested 27653, passed Piesseville without stopping at 27656, rested again at 27668 and 27678. I arrived at the Hordern Hotel at 12:55, 27688. This is a big dark old-fashioned country pub which like many of them is past its best. The room had been converted to have its own private plumbing, but rather hastily. When you had a hot shower the shower curtain blew out and the floor got wet. Ventilation was through a dirty window with a clogged flyscreen. Tiles were coming off the wall. Usual rest, shopping, look round the town. This was when I had to make the decision whether to try for Brookton, 71km away, the next day. I had made such heavy weather of the last two shorter days that this distance loomed as the stumbling block of the trip. To stop at Pingelly was going to lengthen the whole ride by a day without adding any overall distance. I feel a strong need to keep a level of discipline on these rides, a decent daily average. Finally I stopped at a 'phone box opposite the Cornwall Hotel and booked Brookton. I got chicken'n'chips hawaiian for tea from Chicken Treat and went back to get the all-important weather forecast on TV. The TV was in a guests' lounge, and I had trouble watching the news and weather because people kept coming in and out expecting to see soap operas on GWN. A large dark man with a pony-tail kept walking in and out, round the room, muttering and singing to himself, opening and closing the window in his desperation to shut out the horror of ABC-TV. When I had seen the weather and felt vindicated by my decision about the next day, I left them to it. I decided to try to sleep without the benefit of any pills, but it didn't work. Finally at 1am I gave up and took a Panquil. This made me feel groggy when it was time to wake up and try for Brookton. Reading at Narrogin: 27688. Day's ride: 50 km. Aggregate 372. km/FRD 60. Speed: 15.3 kph.
DAY 7, Narrogin - BrooktonTUESDAY 26 OCTOBER. The day started off calm, but a westerly steadily increased in strength. This was mainly a cross-breeze, opposing slightly most of the time with the occasional bit of help when the road ran a bit NNE. The day was clear. I left Narrogin at 7:59. I felt surprisingly good, as though the efforts of the previous 3 days were finally paying off in better fitness. I did not stop until 27706, north of Cuballing. I had done just under 19km in the first hour. I rested at Popanyinning, 27721, had a choc milk and sat at the picnic spot for a while. I rested at Pingelly, sat down for a while, 27737. This was only 20km short of Brookton and there was plenty of time. I saw the hotel where I stayed during the Yealering ride of 1989. This was the worst accomodation of any of these rides. I did the last 20 km to Brookton non-stop, arriving at the hotel at 12:23, 27758. I was very relieved and pleased to have done it so easily, but I should have stopped for drinks more often. What made the day's trip relatively easy was that the road follows the railway line quite closely all the way up, so that hills are smoothed out, and the country generally isn't rising as you head north. Usual routine, with a very pleasant relieved restful sleep, then a look round the town. Brookton is a quiet town that has been bigger and busier. The Brookton Highway starts here, and most of the traffic takes this route to and from Perth. From Brookton to York there is mostly local traffic - not much. Many of these old country towns give the impression of having seen better days. It is hard to imagine the present populations having the will or the skill to build the substantial churches, masonic halls, public institutions and war memorials that often look neglected now. In Brookton there are the usual churches, plus a stunted little building, not abandoned but not well maintained either, called the 'Westminster Presbyterian Church' apparently a small sect that refused to join the Uniting Church 20 years ago. Perhaps Brookton is their last stronghold. I wondered who its congregation were and how many of them were left, and what they believed that was important enough to keep them separate. Reading at Brookton: 27758. 70 km for the day. Aggregate 442. km/FRD 62. Hotel to hotel speed: 15.9 kph - best of the trip to date.
DAY 8, Brookton - YorkWEDNESDAY 27 OCTOBER I had a good night's sleep in Brookton without any pills. Rain started to fall at about 10 pm and kept on through the night. The morning was clear, but very cold and windy with a promise of more fierce squalls to come drifting across from the west. The wind had enough south in it to be helpful, and after leaving the Brookton Hotel at 7:58 I made good time in the first hour of a beautiful sparkling sunny morning with the countryside looking fresh. I stopped for my first rest after doing 21km in the first hour, at 27779. Two strong dark storms approached from the west as I rode on but there was a clear gap between them, and I thought that with their direction of travel and my northward progress, the gap would pass over me. This proved to be correct. I only got a few drops, but as I rode on I got my feet wet from the puddles left by the storm that had passed to the north. The wind increased in strength. A cross-wind is tiring because of the need to hold the bike to a straight course. I passed through Beverley at 27791, rested again at 27799. A squall was approaching that I did not think I could dodge. There was another huge one in the rough shape of an inverted cone passing to the north - it would miss me but looked like it would drench York or Northam. I put my raincoat on and rode on, and sure enough I was blasted with freezing wind and pelted with hailstones for a few km. I didn't get very wet because of the water falling in solid form but I got very cold and my hands and feet were numb. The ride seemed harder than I had expected, with a tailwind. I think it was because I was pushing it, also going towards York there is a rising trend in the country because one is getting into the Darling Range. There are some impressive hills coming into York. I didn't take the Top Beverley Road tourist drive - I didn't know how much of it was sealed, or how hilly it was, and it would only have saved a couple of km. if that. I did the last 24km non-stop except for brief pauses to straighten up and rub my hands. I know York is a trendy town and as I approached it I passed an old stone cottage, in front of which I glimpsed a sign saying something like "Ye olde country craft shoppe" and I thought oh gawd. I reached the Avon Motel in York at 11:41, 27823. I booked in and had a chat with the proprietor. She told me the motel was only 20 months old. She wanted to discuss country riding and we talked about that for a while. I told her about the ghost in the Dwellingup hotel (see 1989 ride). The room was nice, with all you could want, light breakfast provided and 3 beds to choose from. I dumped the heavy luggage and rode into town for shopping and lunch. Rest, shower, change, look round the town. York of course is a major attraction for looking around. The afternoon was very cold and windy with squalls still coming in occasionally. I wanted to see the motor museum. I was surprised that there was no-one else during the hour that I was there, except for a man near the end who followed me around playing a slow air on his harmonica. I don't know if this was their way of announcing closing time. This is a great collection of cars old and not so old - it must be world class. I found a black 'Austin-of-England' from 1953 and it was like looking at a friendly face from childhood. I put my head in the window to smell the interior and it was powerfully evocative of motor rides during childhood. Modern cars don't smell the same. There was a unique car, home-made by someone who built it with help from his mates over 24 years, from 1938 to 1962. It was originally intended to be his contribution to the development of the motor industry but by the time it was finished it was just a curious hobby. He kept getting sidetracked. I looked at all the old buildings with the aid of the map from the motel. The old red brick Anglican church across the river contrasts with the big impressive stone catholic church near the centre of town, with its tower dominating the scene. I looked at the railway station and saw a big freight train stop, change drivers in a leisurely way and proceed. Chicken nuggets and cheese sausage and chips for tea. The motel is a few metres from the junction of the Great Southern railway and the Great Southern highway, so I had the trains and trucks all night lighting the walls and shaking the bed. I didn't mind that but the train hooters were a problem. Once again I took no pills and didn't get much sleep this time. Speedo reading at York, end of day: 27825 km. Day's ride: 67km. Aggregate: 519km. km/FRD: 64. Speed, hotel - motel: 16.2 kph
DAY 9, York - MundaringTHURSDAY 28 OCTOBER A fine cold morning with light winds, not a factor. I left York at 8:26. The first 6km were almost all uphill, very hard, and I wondered if there was something wrong with me or the bike, but at the top of the last rise I looked back and saw quite a view of the country behind, showing that I had in fact climbed quite a long way. It was easier after that. The country was mostly forest. After 1 hour and 16km I rested at 27841 and walked into the forest to find orchids. I didn't see any. I rested again at 27857, passed over the section of the Great Southern Highway that I had ridden in 1989 on the way from El Caballo Blanco to Beverley, a journey done mainly on back roads (see 1989 rise), then stopped at The Lakes roadhouse for another rest at 27870. This is at the junction of the Great Eastern and Great Southern highways and it was a shock to get onto the Great Eastern Highway and have to contend with heavy traffic including many trucks, after a couple of days of almost none. Also the road was very hilly and on one downhill stretch when I should have been able to get up some speed, there was roadbuilding going on, so I had a narrow road with wet, slimy gravel and mud at the edge, roadwork vehicles grinding up and down and trucks roaring down behind. Somehow I got through all this. I passed through Sawyers' Valley at 27883, then reached Travellers' Rest motel at 27885, 12:30. I had done only 60km instead of the expected 63 but I started about 1km from York town centre and the motel is about 1.5km east of Mundaring town centre. Rested, no need for shopping, then showered, changed and went for a walk in the forest. I was pleased to see a very large number of blue orchids with many flowers on each stem, but none of them were open, though it was daylight, albeit cloudy. I opened a flower or two and saw the characteristic 'lip'. There were six petals and the colour was a flat, pure blue, not shiny like the blue enamel orchid. I thought that perhaps it might be sunny the next day and some flowers might be open. There were also many Banksia Grandus with their outsize green candles. Walked down to get takeaway for tea. I was glad I had decided to stop here - it was only 17km out of Midland but I felt as if it had been a hard day and it was a nice place to stop. I had trouble getting to sleep - I didn't mind the traffic but I couldn't get comfortable. Speedo reading at end of day: 27885. Day's ride: 60km. Aggregate: 579km. km/FRD: 63. Speed, motel - motel: 14.8kph.
LAST PHASE - Mundaring - MidlandFRIDAY 29 OCTOBER. This was not a full riding day. I decided just to go to Midland and get the train all the way back to Cottesloe. The morning was fine and sunny so I took a walk to see if the orchids were open. They were. Consultation with an expert later revealed that they were a rare orchid, the Scented sun Orchid, yet here they were growing like weeds over a wide area. It was quite a bonus for the trip. The Kings Park Guides and other people made expeditions to look at them after I had told of their existence. Because they were right behind the Motel, their location could be easily and exactly described. In other cases this is difficult - 'somewhere near the third tree on the left, the bent one, or is it that one further down?' I left Mundaring at 10.33, and reached Bilgoman Road, the start of Greenmount Hill, at 27893.5. The end of this great downhill run came 5.5 km later, at the Darling Range Lodge, a pub, 27899. I reached Midland station at 27902, 11:16. The ride ended here as I took the train the rest of the way home. I could have ridden but there was a slight headwind, I was worried about 'city traffic shock' and I felt a bit lazy after the struggles of the road. Speedo reading at home: 27902. Day's ride: 17km. Aggregate: 596km (actually a bit over 600km, allowing for the speedo reading a bit low). km/FRD: still 63. Speed Mundaring - Midland: 22kph.
CHARLES A. PIERCE 1993 Do you have questions about bicycle touring in Western Australia's SouthWest? You're welcome to ask Charles!
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