7th November 2023

Perth sits on a coastal plain and has an escarpment a few miles inland. For many years one of the main businesses was logging, the local wood is incredibly hard and makes good railway sleepers amongst other things – or so I’m told.

Anyway, they had to get the trees off the escarpment and down to the coast. So they built not one, but two, railways! For many reasons the logging business died out and the rail track was removed and now the track beds are walking / cycling / horse riding paths.

Conveniently they both start at the same point and there’s now a trail which joins them at the far end. The southern one also crosses the start of the Munda Biddi but I have done that and don’t currently feel the need to revisit it…..

Fortunately trains aren’t too good at gradients so the navvies chiselled their way through the rock and made a relatively gentle slope. The downside, of course, is that it goes on forever! However, the scenery is nice – peering into the backs of expensive properties and lots of trees – it’s quite enjoyable.

The cross over onto the other railway for the return was a bit confusing, get it wrong and you end up miles out in the wheat belt (and I did that in the other direction last time) but once round the corner it’s all downhill. There’s a spectacular waterfall, or at least I assume it is when there’s water flowing in the winter, and some good views over the coastal plain. And there’s a tunnel! Long enough that a light was helpful but the exit was easy to see. It was also nice and cool – the day was about 29C so it was most welcome.

And I even managed to find my way through some confusing paths back to the car. And back to base for a shower. and a glass of something reviving.

25 miles round trip and 2264 feet of climbing according to my trusty bike computer (1261 according to Strava?!?!). Also 3 1/2 hours.

31st October 2023

First a postscript from the journey back from Albany, a couple of pictures of the town as we passed through.

Back in Perth. Gentle ride along the shore admiring the birds, boats and blue sky! Temperature in the high 20s so fine for that kind of riding.

Oddly, despite the head/tail wind the legs felt fine, you might have thought I’d have been doing a lot if exercise recently….

Doing my best to soak up the weather before my return home in a couple of weeks. Forecast is for it to hit the high 30s later in the week so I may be glad to see a bit of English winter by then. Perhaps?

The trees are currently spectacular here. No idea what they are but some of them are covered in purple blossom – which looks really good against a blue sky…..

I think my body is still in recovery mode. I have noticed that I have been needing a lot of sleep lately. But I’m not the only one…

26th October 2023

According to the maps today was going to be a long day. On the other hand, not too many hills.

I met up with Derek (the dentist) and his brother in law over an early breakfast of toast, scrambled egg and bacon and discussed the day. Sherpa Graham was going to be driving their Land Cruiser to Albany so volunteered to take all our heavy kit with him! So, having offloaded everything possible onto the yak we headed off along a path along the river bank.

It was overcast and always threatening to rain, though never did, and on the cool side of pleasant cycling weather. Of course the estuary looked more spectacular with the clouds!

The trail eventually turned inland amongst the trees – rather smaller than the ones we had seen recently. And after about a third of the distance we popped out of the bush in front of a surfer shop/museum which also did coffee and cake. Graham had managed to coax the yak that far so joined us.

Some while later the trail emerged onto open farmland and a howling cross headwind. Fortunately the course slowly changed direction until it became mostly a tailwind. The roads were back to being a mix of gravel and tarmac with some mildly taxing climbs which was where not having all the kit on the back really made a difference.

Somewhere the trail had changed and led us past a field with some wild kangaroos in it. So fast and so effortless in the way they move.

Then it was a lightly forested section which led past the Torbay Fire Station! This petered out and became a path beside the road amongst lots of flowering bushes. Which led to stop two of the day at a petrol station/shop. At which point Graham showed up again having abandoned the yak in Albany and cycled out to meet us on his lightweight, unloaded, bike. He went off on his own but joined us later to guide us into Albany. The route had been diverted and was really confusing.

So, after one serious hill climb, achieved without stopping thanks to the lack of baggage, we arrived at the Munda Biddi Southern Terminus in Albany.

After the obligatory handshaking and photo session I ride on to book in at my chalet for the next couple of nights.

We met up again later and had dinner at an Italian restaurant in Albany. Amusingly a huge number of people we’d met on the trail who had finished recently were also there so there was a lot of reminiscing and talk tale telling.

And Derek and Graham are setting off on the long drive over East and I’m going back to Perth tomorrow and back to London in a couple of weeks.

Meantime, I need to go and collect a heap of now clean cycling kit from the site laundry…..!

25th October 2023

24th October 2023

Dawn chorus in the hut was extraordinary. More of a full 1812 concerto – with canons. Every single bird in the forest must have joined in.

Having set out at a sensible time it was a bit of up and down through pleasant green farmland, then a couple of miles down (& up!) on tarmac road. The trail then turned off onto a dirt road which inevitably turned into a push the bike steep hill. At the top I could see why they’d built a house as the views were pretty good.

Then various downhill bits. The day hadn’t really warmed up yet so the wind felt pretty chilly. But, in the distance, I was starting to get glimpses of the sea.

Naturally there was a tedious bit along a sandy road for a few miles but then the route undulated its way along through a mix of bush and side roads until we got to the ocean.

The bay was spectacular, the ocean a magnificent blue and the wind was howling. Way off in the distance you could see a couple of wind turbines whirling around. No particular desire to have a swim. It all looked a bit chilly and there was still quite a way to go.

The trail followed the coast road for a while as the path was closed and dived off amongst the dunes occasionally popping out at another viewpoint.

The dunes were covered in waist high vegetation (home to many critters I’d been warned) and bushland on the slightly more inland bits. Lots of short, steep, climbs and descents which everyone agreed later absolutely kill your leg muscles.

Eventually… The trail popped out under the wind turbines which were pretty big and pretty impressive, whooshing away in the wind.

And then a zig zag down and a tarmac road which seemed to go on forever until I reached the town of Denmark!

I’m now in a motel for a couple of nights. Partly to give my legs a chance to recover after yesterday but also because I’m not being picked up until Friday. I’m hoping it’s possible to split the trip to Albany, the end of the trail, into two or it would be another long tough day and I’d be there early but I’ll find out later.

23 October 2023

Looked like more rain but apart from a few drops it held off. Cooler than yesterday so dressing was a bit more difficult though helped by the usual stuff being soaking wet still. That went in a bin bag in a pannier and is now hanging on the railing at the next hut to dry.

Well, the ride was one I’d rather not repeat. It was basically a straight road with gravel and sand. But, it was on a gradient. Watching for sand traps, it was possible to go at a decent speed on the flat and even on some uphill bits but when the gravel or sand kicked in it was get off and walk. And it was a long distance day too.

The only interesting, though rather bizarre bit, was a diversion through the bush to cross a small suspension bridge. Why it was there in the middle of nowhere I have no idea. Perhaps there are plans to make this leg more interesting?

Suffice to say, when I came across a big yellow sign saying Road Closed it took it as a sign to take a shortcut. Usually they only refer to cars but I was looking for an excuse today. Even the scenery was dull!

So I pulled into the hut at 2:00 and made some lunch because I was really hungry.

Critter of the day would have been the small birds wandering around but they won’t sit still long enough….

22 October 2023

Wet, wet, wet.

Dry when I emerged from my lovely motel room but started to drizzle when I cycled up to the shops for a fried breakfast.

It stopped for a short while and then set in for the day.

So I headed off through some nice but soggy bush to the beach. Quick glimpse of the Southern Ocean and then headed off through more soggy bush to a loop around a river inlet. Spectacular scenery with really big trees but truly evil to cycle round as the road kept doing really steep ups and downs. So hard that it rather spoiled it for me.

Then a loop around the Valley of the Giants which is where the tourists see the big trees but did have some fun on a windy downhill bit through dripping forest. And then left and inland up countless miles of gravel and sandy road to, eventually, arrive at the hut rather later than planned.

Everything was soaking wet – I’d even used my tent groundsheet as an improvised rain cape. Fortunately it wasn’t too cold.

Grabbed some food and went to bed but not before I’d spotted…

Critter of the day! A tiny frog wandering around amongst the bikes.

21st October 2023

There were three of us at the hut last night. Me, a semi retired dentist and an optometrist who was a bit younger than us!

Obviously in search of the same thing we all met up in a cafe in Walpole and all had the same question, “what the [expletive deleted] was that all about?”

The day didn’t start out too bad, wriggling along forest roads, fighting gravel, fallen branches and watching for snakes etc. Some quite nice scenery following as we went along the side of a valley. Then it opened up and and onto a tarmac road. As long as the tarmac isn’t too steep it’s ok because the rolling resistance is probably 40% less than gravel so you can get up most things using pedal power.

Only this one got steeper and steeper. Obviously I was off and pushing by this point but it was so steep I was even struggling to make headway pushing. After about half a mile I finally got to the top where there was supposed to be some sort of art installation but, to be honest, I was so tired I bypassed it. I also got teased by some Brits on e-bikes who couldn’t understand why I’d want to do it without a motor. But to my relief they said it was all downhill to Walpole from there. They lied.

Having completely drained my legs there were some more steep bits and then a long slog through wet sand which is also almost impossible to pedal in.

Anyway, I’m now in a cafe having a meat pie, bowl of fruit and a coffee by way of making a start on replacing the calories.

Next is a trip to the beach where there is supposed to be a caravan park. With a bit of luck they will have a hut with a bed I can rent for the night. Watch this space!

Postscript.

Yes, there may be sunscreen on the phone camera lens, will try to fix that….

Never did make it as far as the beach. My dentist waylaid me by saying that his motel which was about 100m away from the cafe had vacant rooms. Good call, and reasonably priced for what it offers: bug free, big room, what looks like a big comfy bed, powerful hot shower, tea, coffee and biggest luxury of all, biscuits!!!!

It’s hard to explain the simple pleasure of a long hot shower and clean towel after three days in the bush. I’m not sure my shins will ever come clean but I gave it a good try. They also look like a battleground after all the bug bites (don’t think I mentioned the march/may ? flies. Twice the size of standard ones, love to bite ankles, persistent, immune to bug repellent, around in their millions) stick strikes and scrapes from the pedals.

Now all I need is a pub which is close by which sells good beer and food. I may be on the road to recovery after that……

20th October 2023

Another long distance connecting day. But with a whole mix of terrain, trees, countryside and conditions.

First out of the hut was a continuation of yesterday, gravel roads and fairly nondescript country. But then it was off on some trails through open bush land (swamp!) which we haven’t seen before. Definitely not the kind of country where you should venture off the trail. Who knows what would be lurking in there…!

After that it was back to the forest and some rather fun windy stuff with sensible ups and downs. But some quite difficult because it was so overgrown it was like riding down a tunnel!

The last third – why is it always at the end of the day – was where the hard work started with some fast descents to rivers and, inevitably, climbs back up the other side. But we were back amongst some huge trees once again.

The last bit of fun was when I turned onto a downhill bit which led to the turning to the hut. Big kangaroo standing in the middle of the trail! So I took his picture and then turned on my GoPro and set off after him. He hopped off down the road and despite my best efforts I couldn’t catch up with him.

So, another hut for the night. No view but surrounded by trees, wildflowers and bugs…

I’m told that by my travelling companion of the day (a dentist who is slightly older but just as slow as me) that I may get a phone signal if I trudge up the path a way. You’ll know if this turns up on time…

I did remember to download The Telegraph when I had a signal earlier, I have to wait until after about 8 a.m. or they won’t have published it which always seems strange.

Cool enough for cycling today, just. May try for an early start tomorrow as it’s forecast to hit 29. It would be good if we could get to Walpole before it reaches that…

19th October 2023

Last night’s hut was nice, clean and bug free. Cold enough in the morning to need the air conditioner on in heat mode.

Pretty uneventful day, just a transition from one area to another. Which, obviously, involved more hills, more gravel and more pushing. Quite cool today, only 16C.

In a hut on a hill tonight. No signal here but I’m told if I stroll to the top of a nearby rock I should get one and a good view.

Probably going to put the tent up as a fly screen tonight, there are far too many flies and bugs with evil intent.

Critter of the day: flies (yes, had my head net on again for a while.