Esperance to Albany [Western Australia] 750 kms in 10 Days

[Aushiker]

   
DAY 1 - POST 1 - ESPERANCE TO ROSES-QALLUP BEACH

I recently completed a ride from Esperance to Albany in Western Australia. As I get my act together and process the photos I will share a few here, just for a taste of riding in my part of the world.

Todays riding was 52.9 km and in an overall time for the day of six hours and third six minutes.



Esperance foreshore before heading out on my 10 day 750 km ride from Esperance to Albany in Western Australia.



Dropped in on the not so Pink Lake.



Telegraph Road, Esperance. Having left the minor road, now on the track part heading through to Murray Road.

[phil653]

Could this be our first Fully Loaded Fat Bike? 

see also  https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=61057.625

[Aushiker]

Could this be our first Fully Loaded Fat Bike? 

see also  https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=61057.625

Thanks. I didn't know about that thread.

[mrcharly-YHT]

How far was it between water supplies?

[Aushiker]

How far was it between water supplies?

I carried a max of 15 litres which was in theory enough for three days riding and two nights, but I got caught out on one section where I had already taken a detour the day before and thought I would have enough water to make the next supply about a day and half away.  I topped up with what I thought was sufficient from a fire water tank in the National Park [the problem with this water is it is either drinkable or you start spewing a few hours later  ). Anyway I had to divert as it turned out to be a 37 C day, which was totally unexpected. I also had to ride 92 km all into a seriously hot headwind. Not fun at all.  Drank three litres of water that night ... Oh I just had enough on hand to make the destination in the end but wouldn't have if I had stuck to my plans.

Lets just say the water in the bag was hot enough for a cuppa without the use of the stove 

[mrcharly-YHT]

Where did you carry the 15l? is that blue thing on the rear rack a water sack? It looks fragile; you are putting a lot of trust in it not leaking . . .

[Ham]

...the problem with this water is it is either drinkable or you start spewing a few hours later  ).....

Do you know about this system? https://sawyer.com/products/sawyer-squeeze-filter/ pretty much zero weight and it appears to work well

ETA I've only used it for dubious water, not out and out baaaaad, so can't validate the claims

[andytheflyer]

I recently completed a ride from Esperance to Albany in Western Australia. As I get my act together and process the photos I will share a few here, just for a taste of riding in my part of the world.

I met a guy on a Fat bike just like yours in Port Lincoln, in mid September.  He was trying to ride around Australia.  Was that you?

[Feanor]

...the problem with this water is it is either drinkable or you start spewing a few hours later  ).....

Do you know about this system? https://sawyer.com/products/sawyer-squeeze-filter/ pretty much zero weight and it appears to work well

ETA I've only used it for dubious water, not out and out baaaaad, so can't validate the claims

We've used this system on extended hikes in the US:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Platypus-6952-GravityWorks-water-filter/dp/B00A9A2HBQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1513894067&sr=8-1&keywords=platypus+water+filter

[Aushiker]

Where did you carry the 15l? is that blue thing on the rear rack a water sack? It looks fragile; you are putting a lot of trust in it not leaking . . .

Ten litres in the Ortlieb Water Bag [that blue bag which is far from fragile. My bags, I have three, have seen in excess of 4,000 km of usage now), plus a bottle on the down tube and the one on the top tube and the remainder in a bladder and bottle in the top of the frame bag. Fifteen litres is my limit but with with this configuration without going to my Extrawheel trailer and/or a backpack.

[Aushiker]

...the problem with this water is it is either drinkable or you start spewing a few hours later  ).....

Do you know about this system? https://sawyer.com/products/sawyer-squeeze-filter/ pretty much zero weight and it appears to work well

Yes I have one, well a modified one to get the weight and bulk down. I didn't take it on this ride as I didn't expect to getting water from fire tanks and all the rivers and billabongs for what they are worth are not fresh water along this stretch of coast; the water is saline.

[Aushiker]

I met a guy on a Fat bike just like yours in Port Lincoln, in mid September.  He was trying to ride around Australia.  Was that you?

No sadly  This was just a "local" ride for me ... I suspect if I went off on a zig-zag of Australia I would be divorced

[andytheflyer]

I met a guy on a Fat bike just like yours in Port Lincoln, in mid September.  He was trying to ride around Australia.  Was that you?

No sadly  This was just a "local" ride for me ... I suspect if I went off on a zig-zag of Australia I would be divorced

Having just come back from a 3 month road (and Ghan) trip across much of Australia, I now fully appreciate how big Oz is.  The map on the wall of the RFD HQ in Alice shows some greyed out shapes, tucked into the Australian continental outline.  On close inspection, those shapes proved to be Western Europe........

Esperance to Albany isn't exactly a Sunday afternoon pootle either - hope you had a good trip, and at least the Road Trains didn't get you.

[mrcharly-YHT]

...the problem with this water is it is either drinkable or you start spewing a few hours later  ).....

Do you know about this system? https://sawyer.com/products/sawyer-squeeze-filter/ pretty much zero weight and it appears to work well

Yes I have one, well a modified one to get the weight and bulk down. I didn't take it on this ride as I didn't expect to getting water from fire tanks and all the rivers and billabongs for what they are worth are not fresh water along this stretch of coast; the water is saline.

Yes - that's something people in Europe don't appreciate. Dunno what it is like now but back when I lived in WA, even the Murray in the hills was mildly saline. You could have probably drunk it short term, but not for an extended period (and the tannins wouldn't be good). None of those contaminants would be removed by filters (and boiling makes them worse). So all hiking involved carrying vast amounts of water.

[Aushiker]

Finishing off the first day’s riding …



Playing with flies



Now on Murray Road, Dalyup within an hour's ride of the lime quarry and Quallup Lake and then Roses-Quallup Beach my destination for the day.



Overlooking Roses-Quallup Beach. The blowout in the distance was my access to the beach, my camping spot for the night.



I made the beach. Setting up the Tarptent Double Rainbow on Roses-Quallup Beach. Pretty windy but the tent handled it fine.

[Aushiker]

Blue-tongue lizard [actually a skink] crossing Telegraph Road just off the South Coast Highway. They cross so slowly which means they are often squashed … so sad. At least this one and his/her partner crossed safely this time.

[Aushiker]

Yes - that's something people in Europe don't appreciate. Dunno what it is like now but back when I lived in WA, even the Murray in the hills was mildly saline. You could have probably drunk it short term, but not for an extended period (and the tannins wouldn't be good). None of those contaminants would be removed by filters (and boiling makes them worse). So all hiking involved carrying vast amounts of water.

Murray is still saline, probably worse now. That said after a good winter of rains I have drank it okay but that was a few years ago.

[Aushiker]

Day 2: Roses-Quallup Beach to Quagi Beach - 35.5 km - Elapsed Time 8 hours 16 minutes in total



View from the tent as first light appears over the horizon at Roses-Quallup Beach, Monjingup, Western Australia



The first hour of the day was spent climbing the blowout from Roses-Quallup Beach, Monjingup, Western Australia up to the ridge line. It is hard to capture the steepness or difficulty of the climb, but no riding was to be had this first hour.



A moment's pause at Munroe Point as I look west to Warrenup Beach and on to my destination for the day Quagi Beach. The view is very deceptive; not reflective of what was about to come my way.

[Aushiker]

Day 3 [Day 2 riding] continued: Roses-Quallup Beach to Quagi Beach - 35.5 km - Elapsed Time 8 hours 16 minutes in total



A moment's pause at Munroe Point as I take in the 4WD track and my next hour or three's riding. The view is very deceptive; not reflective of what was about to come my way.



A moment's pause on the 4WD track as I work my way west to Barker Inlet Beach. This was one hour into the ride of the track and only a few kilometres along the way.



At the eastern end of Barker Inlet Beach. Google Maps said there was a track here. I guess a rock fall is a track right? Well it worked out okay, I went down it, fingers crossed

[Aushiker]

Day 2 [Part 3]: Roses-Quallup Beach to Quagi Beach - 35.5 km - Elapsed Time 8 hours 16 minutes in total



Now on Barker Inlet Beach in the Stokes National Park. Definitely the highlight of the day's riding. The Salsa Mukluk handled it fine; I only dropped the tyre pressures to around 12 PSI.



Stopped for lunch here on the beach. This was on day 2 of my 10 day 750 km ride from Esperance to Albany in Western Australia.



An interesting rock formation on Barker Inlet Beach that caught my eye.

[Steph]

I rode the other way, on-road, a few years ago as part of a solo tour from Perth round to Kalgoorlie.

[Aushiker]

Day 2 [Part 4]: Roses-Quallup Beach to Quagi Beach - 35.5 km - Elapsed Time 8 hours 16 minutes in total



The effects of climate change? Salt plains (lakes) in Stokes National Park.



The last stop on Farrells Road before my destination for the day, Quagi Beach in the Stokes National Park.



Relaxed, recovered and refreshed Quagi Beach in the Stokes National Park as day 2 comes to an end.

[Aushiker]

I rode the other way, on-road, a few years ago as part of a solo tour from Perth round to Kalgoorlie.

How did you find it? The South Coast Highway seemed quieter this ride compared to an earlier ride in the same area.

[Steph]

Here's a link. I put up several bits on the forum years ago, but this has pictures and stuff. I was pretending to be someone else back then, of course.

https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1mr&doc_id=3244&v=8O

[Aushiker]

Here's a link. I put up several bits on the forum years ago, but this has pictures and stuff. I was pretending to be someone else back then, of course.

https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1mr&doc_id=3244&v=8O

Thanks for the link. Off to sticky beak.