The Nullarbor??

Tourist Tony

Now just arrived in Albany. Winds very strong Easterlies---Dave, I hope it's easier for you! George, was that your graffiti in a camping hut in the Shannon national park? Hmmmm?

Tourist Tony

I see it probably was. Nice drawing of a bike and trailer! Lovely bloke, that campsite warden. Bastard hills though.....

jibi

Hi guys from Ceduna

I crossed the Dullabor( sic) what a boring 9 days, rain clouds wind and cold, and hills, it was like a rollercoaster, up and down continually for the last 4 days and wind on front right shoulder, I grovelled for 56 miles one day, between Border Village and Nullarbor roadhouse I had to camp overnight twice, the wind was so strong

One couple stopped in thier car to give me a can of lemonade, several grey nomads gave me coffees and food in the picnic areas where I camped overnight, and loads of fruit as I got nearer to the quarantine point, even found a Kilo of mandarins left on my trailer outside a road house??

Tony
Yes I confess, it was my grafitti in Shannon. Was my Lonlely Planet Australia still there? I left it as it was too heavy. I hope you were being sarcastic about the host their, he wouldn't give some cyclists water!!!

Dave

Some people said they saw you trying to cycle but having problems sitting down.

Well its pouring down here in Ceduna and my washing is out.

I am heading for the ferry at Lucky Bay to save a couple of hundred KM's to Adelaide tomorrow, it the rain is not too hard.

tailwinds would be nice.

Tourist Tony

No, your guide had gone. Bloody cold there....water is from a tank, and full of silt. Gave me the sh1ts despite boiling.

rustychisel

George,

I'm in Adelaide, if you're here and need a hand with anything or a friendly face, drop a line to

alexATdbmagazine.com.au (replace 'AT' with @) or local call 8231 4211 (office)

Cheers n best, Alex

Tourist Tony

A day or two to Esperance. Wind awful.

jibi

Here I am in sunny Adelaide at Alex's place. come out with the boys for a spin before breakfast, 48 km at 28 km/hr one 2 inch Marathon XRs with several guys on Carbon fibre and Ksiriums. the last few Km's the elastic was breaking a bit as I did 135 km into winds on the front right shoulder yesterday pulling 25 kilos in the trailer, but I just managed to hang on.

The winds have been in my face now for 11 days and I have been going uphill for the last 4 days.

So where is David??? He must have had head winds all over the Nullarbor.

It took me 4 days from Albany to Esperance, Tony, very "undulating" and windy.


the Nullarbor has been renamed the DULL-a- bore.

the Grey Nomads who circle Oz in their camper vans were great to me when camping in the bush, I had many free coffees and meals from them, Thank you all.

george

daviddd

Hi guys - arrived in Ceduna this morning (Sat 10th) just in time for all the shops to close for thge weekend. George I've lost my mobile phone in case you've called me. Not that it would have rung in the last 1200km. I agree the Nullabor is rather boring, although when (very oiccasionally) the sun came out the colouos were spectacular. I had headwinds most of the way too (took 11 days with oine day off at Fraser Range) but had 2 good days of 140 and 177 km. Glad it's over and looking forward to some home comforts in Cedune / Eyre Peninsular. I'm about 8 days 'ahead' of schedule so can linger here and there. I expect to see 2 other pairs arrive here tomorrow (Dutch and Czech couple) who have remained a day behind me for the last few weeks! I didn't see another cyclist on the Nullabor except one young guy heading west, but met some nice people along the way.

Sorry about the discomforts Tony - yes the guy at Shannon is really nice, I enjoyed staying there.

Great campsite in Ceduna, right on the shore, and internet available here in the TIC at $5/hour. I'm about to update my blog which I've been typing up each evening.

jibi

Nice to hear you are OK David. But did you not see the two ladies ( of a certain age) riding to Norseman? They left Ceduna last Sunday, 4th Nov.

Seems like we got the guy at Shannon on a bad day :x

Are you off around thew coast to Port Lincoln?

I followed the Eyre Highway and turned off at Kyancutta for Lock, then to Cleve( 3 days uphill), great picnic/free camping area at Cleve Wier, about 5 k out of town with toilets, water and a barbi. and uphill to Lucky Bay for the ferry. $32 well spent. I arrived just as the boat was pulling out and they reversed it for me, threw my stuff on board and had a nice sail with dolphins jumping etc.

Past Kadina is theYork Penninsula Field Days showground ( like a county show) loads of sheds and offices to hide in/behind away from the road and the wind.
The highway down to Adelaide is very very dangerous, take the alternative route.

so Bills Piza or Bills Seafood and Chicken for tea? Best to make your own.

have fun

george

rustychisel

Yes folks, jibi has been sighted, and in this shot you see him planning his ride on to Melbourne. Taken yesterday. Best of luck to you mate.

http://www.dbmagazine.com.au/cyclo/ThatWay.RGB.jpg

daviddd

Yes George, I'm 'doing' the Eyre Peninsular. Arr Smoky Bay yesterday - blazing sunshinem blue sea, pelicans everywhere, went swimming, sunbathing - what an antidote to the Nullabor! Sending this Tues from Streaky Bay, bit overcast but hot. I met up with Walther and Annette from Holland at Ceduna Caravan Park www.stuckiefietsen.waarbenju.nu - they have come from China this trip and have ben just about everywhere over the past 20 years or so - very interesting folk.
Off towards Port Lincoln tomorrow, not sure yet whether to take the same ferry you got or do Port Augustus.
Got quite a few invites to stay when I get around to WA next June / July!

daviddd

sorry, the dutch link doesn't work - I'll seek correction when we meet up again.

daviddd

Tony - sorry to hear about your bad time, hope there were adequate compensations. What are the little birds that make such a racket at practically every hedge or tree you pass - they often wake up the magpies and are often found with them??

Tourist Tony

Have ben in Norsem an, the end of my trip, for past two days. My mind is sayng "just keep goig..." but Ihavea plane back. The ride from Albany to Esperance was nasty, but up to Norseman a delight. Night spent at Bromus: stars, wild horses...
I am jealous of you guys. I have taken 20 days to ride to Norseman and just want to keep going....

jibi

Have had a great weekend in Adelaide ,thanks to rustychisel (Alex) Arna and his club.
Just after that pic I was struggling up Mount Lofty over to Stirling , please remind me why I turned down the lift???
Half way up one of alex's team turned up , Ian, and we rode over the top together.

Now on the Limestone coast heading for the Great Ocean Road.

Tony you would love it here, loads of lakes behind huge dunes, Ospreys, Eagles, Ibis, Egrets etc etc Emu's on the beach.

Weather is great, and I am now in full tour mode, relaxed and coasting along.

cheers

george

Tourist Tony

Well, that's it for me. Kalgoorlie was the end of my journey, and I am now back at Alchemy's (Carl) in Perth after an interminable bus ride. Ran into Mark Beaumont at Norseman, who is trying to break the round-the-world record and was starting the Nullarbor on Wednesday. David, gave him your blog details. Check out www.artemisworldcycle.com
I loved this ride, while also actively hating parts of it. Main memories of Albany to Esperance are of endless river-valley crossings, each with a hill out, and low scrubby bush with limited camping chances. And wind. On the other hand, camping at Bromus dam after yet another 100km day, with wild horses around the tent and amazingly bright stars, or in Shannon with roos and their joeys....and as I went East, the (introduced to WA) 5 AM kookaburras disappeared.
The grey nomads have been great, and whoever gave the warning about redneck locals lynching pooftas in lycra had obviously never been to WA. What wonderful people.
I am off to Cairns for a week's break before my flight back to the UK, and will definitely not be looking into hiring a roadbike up there. Well.......
Boys, we will have to meet up for a pint sometime. Keep us up to speed with your trip. My little one is done.

David, if the birds are black and white they are magpie larks, or peewees. If they are brownish above and pale below, with yellow beaks and a grey rump, they are miners (NOT mynahs), a type of honeyeater. If they are long-tailed and streaky, and make a loud yakyak barking noise, and are VERY aggressive, they are red wattlebirds, another type of honeyeater. The ones going "cheek" and flying out all the time, with black and white faces, streaky bodies and yellow wing patches, are New Holland honeyeaters.

daviddd

go on, sod work, keep gpoing Tony. Think of wandering among 100 or so pelicans at Venus Bay.

Tourist Tony

David, looking at your blog. The roadkill lizards are bobtail skinks. So many of your photos are familiar. The one on day 19 is from immediately in front of my campsite in Esperance. And I am sure George will have felt that "The more I can grind out today, the less I have to tomorrow" train of thought! I did Esperance-Grass Patch-Bromus-Norseman. Doesn't it drag from those 5km signs? And that hill before Walpole.....
As for wildlife, I will gloss over my reaction to being in ten feet of water of Esperance and suddenly finding myself a yard away from a full grown bull sea lion...

rustychisel

TT, from the description I took the birds to be New Holland Honeyeaters, and your descriptions are excellent. New Holland's tend to congregate, especially in the twilight, and they periodically go nutters and have the biggest family barney in the nieghbourhood. A bush will quite literally be seething with the little buggers.

Bob tailed skinks? Not round here... they're known as Stumpy Tailed Lizards, or Stumpys. The other common breed is the Blue Tongue Lizard (numerous species) or 'Bluey'. They're similar in size, not quite so chunky looking, with smoother scales and a barred body pattern and 'of course, a blue to purple tongue.
Neither are dangerous, but they'll flatten their bodies and hiss if they're threatened, and both can bite (toothless lock-on jaws).

Sea Lion? No recorded fatalities yet (?? you lucky man), thank whichever God you've got it wasn't a White Pointer or a Grey Nurse.

Heard from jibi last night; he's in Robe (SA's southeast coast) heading for Mount Gambier thence Melbourne via the Great Ocean Road). Glad you enjoyed yourself, too.

rustychisel

PS: has Alchemy got his new Lleywellyn yet. He promised me photos!!

jibi

Updated website and photos

TT you are right about those 5km signs I hate them, so near yet so long to get them done!!!

george
ps a pint??? Ok then maybe just the one.

Tourist Tony

rustychisel wrote:

PS: has Alchemy got his new Lleywellyn yet. He promised me photos!!

He's polishing it as I type....

daviddd

Had a massive thunderstorm last night in Tumby Bay - awesome lightning. Half an hour later a huge wind whipped up - right on the side of the tent; I had to go out in it and fit 2 guys, mind you I'm pretty impressed with the MSR Hubba Hubba, very strongly made. Glad it was well pegged though.
Didn't like Port Lincoln much so shot stratight through. Just using the free internet at the local school library. The west coast of the Eyre Peninsulat is very nice, east coast a bit flatter and plainer. Not going too far today, maybe 40 km.

Tourist Tony

..and in reply to the broken spoke thread, the hardware shop in Norseman (where I fixed two broken rear ones) stocks an array of different length spokes! Strewth!

Am now in Cairns for a proper holiday. For those heading this way, the drivers are awful and the roads full of "farcilities". Be careful. Found an old road bike to hire at 4 quid a day, and a reasonable attitude bike shop on Sheridan st called something like Pumps and Pedals or somesuch. Free swimming lagoon near pier on sea front--gorgeous water.

daviddd

Thanks for the birdie advice Tony, enjoy Cairns. Will you snorkel the reef? I'm planning this again in April 08 - last December we went to do this but it was a stormy day and waste of time, food was great on board though.
Sounds like E of Adelaide is good George, look forward to that. I'm enjoying a well-earned break in Wallaroo at the mo - very nice relaxing town. I met 3 girls here cycling to Perth - thought it was a mirage! (check pic on my website) - Lisa Laura and Bonny. I've got 4 invites to stay from the girls and another couple in Victor Harbour. As Tony said people here are SO friendly, gladdens the heart sometimes when things are a bit tough - people are great.

Tourist Tony

Your booming throat clearing might be bitterns. Checked out road from Cairns to Port Douglas today---narrow, twisty and heavy traffic. Shoulder not often there. Views glorious.

daviddd

I've heard about that road too - need to have something sticking out on the right.
I was camped 2 nights ago next to 3 girls from Adelaide who were cycling to Perth, and they went to a wedding last week in long pink silk scarves that they hung out the back - looked in danger of either entangling the wheel or blocking the view of oncoming traffic though - overkill I think, but the point is valid.
I fancy the gravel road up to Cooktown too, though there are some step hills.

Bugly

Tourist Tony wrote:

Your booming throat clearing might be bitterns. Checked out road from Cairns to Port Douglas today---narrow, twisty and heavy traffic. Shoulder not often there. Views glorious.

:shock: Nope emus boom -

Tourist Tony

Never heard an Emu.....fly back to Perth tomorrow, and then arrive back in UK on Friday lunchtime. Bugger. Keep going lads, and keep us in touch.

Ospreys fishing off Cairns seafront as I swam.....

jibi

I have to go with the Emu too, they make a drumming/booming sound.

I have finally arrived in Melbourne after cycling the Great Ocean Road, one of the better parts of my trip.

I am staying with a friend here. she was badly injured in Africa while touring, but I am glad to say she is getting better .
her blog

http://www.wanderingword.com/nucleus/rad.php

One amazing girl

george
blog and photos updated 27th Nov

off to Tasmania next