Author Topic: Esperance to Albany [Western Australia] 750 kms in 10 Days (Read 12999 times)

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #50 on:** 21 January, 2018, 01:50:37 pm »

Many years ago I went on a multi-tasking walk through an area round the Fitzgerald River. So salty; we had to pack all drinking water. 40-50kg rucksacks. Great scenery

Aushiker · « **Reply #51 on:** 22 January, 2018, 02:49:50 am »

Quote from: mrcharly-YHT on 21 January, 2018, 01:50:37 pm

Many years ago I went on a multi-tasking walk through an area round the Fitzgerald River. So salty; we had to pack all drinking water. 40-50kg rucksacks. Great scenery

I have also walked the park. We walked from Four Mile Beach out to Quaalup Homestead. Took eight days of walking. We did a couple of water drops to reduce the water carry load.

Aushiker · « **Reply #52 on:** 24 January, 2018, 02:01:07 am »

Day 8 [Part 3]: Jerramungup to Bremer Bay - 87.2 km - Elapsed Time 6 hours 46 minutes.

Playing with the big boys on Swamp Road. Found it best to pull over and let them pass even though the drivers were pretty good, with most of them slowing down for me.

Day 8: Esperance to Albany: The Unconventional Ride. 750 km in 10 days. Next stop Bremer Bay. The dirt was about to come to an end for the day with bitumen to be my friend whilst battling into headwinds through to Bremer. There is always something every day it seems to take the edge of the enjoyment of riding. BTW that water bag was repositioned

Made Bremer Bay and the chance for a decent night's sleep at the Bremer Bay Resort and to beat the incoming storm. Mind you they have an interesting concept of what a resort is

. All good but and friendly folk. Bremer Bay is also a chance to resupply more so if coming in from or heading out to the Fitzgerald River National Park or bypassing some of the South Coast Highway.

Aushiker · « **Reply #53 on:** 25 January, 2018, 12:06:11 am »

Day 09 Part 01 Bremer Bay to Wellstead - 86.2 km, Elapsed time: eight hours 21 minutes.

All bitumen roads and highway today. Decided to ride on past my planned camping spot to Wellstead as I was making much better progress than expected. All up 86.2 km in an elapsed time of eight hours and 21 minutes. Dawdled a bit today.

Leaving Bremer Bay with the storm clouds still omnipresence. I paused for a moment on the Borden-Bremer Bay Road to take in the Bremer Bay sand dunes and the storm clouds.

Fours hour after leaving Bremer Bay the storm clouds had gone and the sun was out. Still not enough drying happening to get the harvest going but. This small local farming operation was still on hold for the day when I rode past.

Aushiker · « **Reply #54 on:** 26 January, 2018, 05:17:15 am »

Day 09 Part 02 Bremer Bay to Wellstead - 86.2 km, Elapsed time: eight hours 21 minutes.

All bitumen roads and highway today. Decided to ride on past my planned camping spot to Wellstead as I was making much better progress than expected. All up 86.2 km in an elapsed time of eight hours and 21 minutes. Dawdled a bit today.

Dropped into the Bush Chooks Café and Roadhouse [aka Boxwood Hill Roadhouse] for lunch. I initially wasn't too sure about the place but after seeking some local knowledge from the Head Chook, Jill Collier my view changed. Jill was most helpful and knowledgeable. I can highly recommend dropping in and spending a few dollars [the food is good too]; just remember to show an interest in the area

The Marra Bridge [#0892] spans the Pallinup River at the point where the South Coast Highway crosses the river. The bridge was built by Main Roads WA in 1962. It had been my intention to pull off here and head into the Pallinup Nature Reserve to camp for the night but as it was too early in the day I continued south taking some kilometres off tomorrow's ride.

The Pallinup at the point if flows under the South Coast Highway. It had been my intention to pull off here and head into the Pallinup Nature Reserve to camp for the night but as it was too early in the day I continued south taking some kilometres off tomorrow's ride.

Here ends Day 9. I camped at Wellstead Bush Camp in the end. Photos from Day 10 including the camp and Wellstead to follow.

Aushiker · « **Reply #55 on:** 28 January, 2018, 05:56:11 am »

DAY 10 [POST 01] WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 13 - WELLSTEAD TO CHEYNES BEACH

A bit of bash for a while on the South Coast Highway before I was able to take a minor road which turned into a track [Google/Open Street Maps had it wrong so a bit of a re-routing required] and then beach for the remainder of the day. Today was the worse section of the South Coast Highway I experienced and I was well and truly glad to see the back of it. A total of 74.5 km and a total time on the bike of nine hours 21 minutes.

Sun rising over my camp site at the Wellstead Bush Camp, Wellstead. Basic campsite with a toilet and shower. Robb and Carolyn Davy are the hosts. A unpowered site is $10 for the night.

Wellstead Rural Services: general store, supplies, hot food, diner. Actually not bad takeaway food and handy for an emergency stock up. Pretty much it but for the locality.

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #56 on:** 28 January, 2018, 10:02:17 am »

Great photos, you are really giving a flavour of the deep southwest now.

My son has been in WA for some weeks - he never made it out of the suburbs (apart from a day trip to Harvey). I feel sad that he has had no feel at all for the countryside at all, no grasp of Australia apart from the city and suburbs. His sister understands me; it is like the Aussie backpackers who "visit the UK" and never leave London.

Aushiker · « **Reply #57 on:** 29 January, 2018, 12:14:01 am »

Quote from: mrcharly-YHT on 28 January, 2018, 10:02:17 am

Great photos, you are really giving a flavour of the deep southwest now.

Thanks.

Aushiker · « **Reply #58 on:** 30 January, 2018, 02:32:06 am »

DAY 10 [POST 02] WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 13 - WELLSTEAD TO CHEYNES BEACH

A bit of bash for a while on the South Coast Highway before I was able to take a minor road which turned into a track [Google/Open Street Maps had it wrong so a bit of a re-routing required] and then beach for the remainder of the day. Today was the worse section of the South Coast Highway I experienced and I was well and truly glad to see the back of it. A total of 74.5 km and a total time on the bike of nine hours 21 minutes.

Street art at the Wellstead Rural Services roadhouse come general store.

One of the joys of riding a bicycle; the freedom from the tank

Fuel prices at Wellstead Rural Services.

This shelter for the kids waiting for the school bus caught my attention; quintessential rural Australian ingenuity.

Aushiker · « **Reply #59 on:** 31 January, 2018, 05:05:23 am »

DAY 10 [POST 03] WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 13 - WELLSTEAD TO CHEYNES BEACH

A bit of bash for a while on the South Coast Highway before I was able to take a minor road which turned into a track [Google/Open Street Maps had it wrong so a bit of a re-routing required] and then beach for the remainder of the day. Today was the worse section of the South Coast Highway I experienced and I was well and truly glad to see the back of it. A total of 74.5 km and a total time on the bike of nine hours 21 minutes.

Southern Haulage coming into to load up with wood chips which I assume where being taken south to Albany for export.

Telecommunications are so important in the Australian bush. It is not unusual to therefore come across a microwave [landline] repeater tower such as this one at Green Range.

Now on Hassell Beach, one of the longest beaches on the south coast of Western Australia at 22 kilometres [source: https://beachsafe.org.au/beach/wa/albany/cheynes/hassell-beach]. I rode about 10 kilometres of the beach having dropped on to it at Bluff Creek. This section at least was a great firm ridable surface only spoilt by the headwind.

Aushiker · « **Reply #60 on:** 01 February, 2018, 11:28:45 pm »

DAY 11 [POST 01] THURSDAY DECEMBER 14 - CHEYNES BEACH TO ALBANY

The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.

This is one sign I was not expecting to see; shows how much I now about fishing! Apparently fishing is big around here, so big have a council supplied offal pit is justified. There you go, you learn something new all the time.

The after-effects of the early morning storm still lingering over the rocky outcrop just out of Cheynes Beach.

The last of the telecommunication towers on this ride. A rather minimalist step serving Cheynes Beach.

JonJo · « **Reply #61 on:** 02 February, 2018, 07:20:01 pm »

Thanks for this thread @Aushiker. It's cheered me up no end in the dark days of January.

Aushiker · « **Reply #62 on:** 04 February, 2018, 12:08:32 pm »

Quote from: JonJo on 02 February, 2018, 07:20:01 pm

Thanks for this thread @Aushiker. It's cheered me up no end in the dark days of January.

Thanks for your kind words.

Aushiker · « **Reply #63 on:** 04 February, 2018, 12:08:58 pm »

DAY 11 [POST 02] THURSDAY DECEMBER 14 - CHEYNES BEACH TO ALBANY

The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.

I was to spend a few hours riding through Waychinicup National Park, the home to Mt Manypeaks and some 800+ flora and fauna species including some of rarest animals in Australia including quenda, ring tailed possums and one of the few mainland populations of quokkas [source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waychinicup_National_Park].

My first sighting of Mt Manypeaks as the sun broke through. My ride for today had me skirting around Mt Manypeaks, mind you there was still some climbing on a rocky track involved.

Easily the tallest Xanthorrhoea [Balga Tree] I saw on the ride through the Waychinicup National Park; in fact on the whole ride. A noticeable change in fauna from the Fitzgerald River National Park.

Aushiker · « **Reply #64 on:** 06 February, 2018, 12:06:55 pm »

DAY 11 [POST 03] THURSDAY DECEMBER 14 - CHEYNES BEACH TO ALBANY

The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.

Day 11: Esperance to Albany: The Unconventional Ride. 750 km in 10 days. An unidentifiable, to me at least, wildflower in slow decay in the Waychinicup National Park.

A pink flower. I have an uncomfortable feeling this is a weed, a South African import? - Waychinicup National Park.

A white flower. I am not able to identify it so if you can help, please do - Waychinicup National Park.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #65 on:** 06 February, 2018, 05:14:06 pm »

I've no idea what those flowers are but for identifying plants there's a (free) app called Pl@ntNet that's fairly useful.

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #66 on:** 07 February, 2018, 04:35:23 pm »

I think the pink flower might be a native - it looks familiar. If it is the one I remember, it goes paper-dry without losing its colour.
You weren't thinking of Paterson's curse, were you? It definitely isn't that.

Aushiker · « **Reply #67 on:** 08 February, 2018, 12:49:51 am »

Yes was thinking of Paterson's Curse. The flower has now been identified thanks. It is a Hooded Lily (Johnsonia lupulina) apparently.

Aushiker · « **Reply #68 on:** 08 February, 2018, 12:50:22 am »

DAY 11 [POST 04] THURSDAY DECEMBER 14 - CHEYNES BEACH TO ALBANY

The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.

Working my around Mt Manypeaks on pretty good tracks in the Waychinicup National Park.

Mt Manypeaks from a north-western perspective. My last substantive view of the mountain before leaving the park.

This fence marks one boundary of a 380 hectare section of the Waychinicup National Park fenced off to provide a protection zone for one of the world's rarest marsupial species, Gilbert's potoroo (Potorous gilbertii). The aim of the fence is to protect the native fauna from cats and foxes but it didn't allow for the native predator, the Carpet Snake which is apparently proving to be a well fed pest.

Aushiker · « **Reply #69 on:** 10 February, 2018, 09:28:06 am »

DAY 11 [POST 05] THURSDAY DECEMBER 14 - CHEYNES BEACH TO ALBANY

The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.

My nemesis, Normans Beach. This was the one and only unrideable beach. Of course I dropped down on the beach near the eastern end so had a fair bit of slogging to do. However I was "recused". Note the house? Well the owner had seen me and dropped down to the beach on his quad bike to see what was happening. End result was a tow for about 500 to 800 metres along the beach. Mind you I then had to push out up off the beach via a muddy creak followed by a steep track. Not fun at all.

Looking west over Two Peoples Bay. I dropped down to the eastern end of the beach and then rode to the western end, some 4.5 km of excellent beach riding. This was to be my last beach of the ride so a nice one to finish off.

I took lunch well above Bettys Beach having climbed out of Normans Beach. It was a pleasant spot watching the ants scarring around below me.

Aushiker · « **Reply #70 on:** 12 February, 2018, 12:13:58 pm »

DAY 11 [POST 06] THURSDAY DECEMBER 14 - CHEYNES BEACH TO ALBANY

The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.

Looking west to Mt Gardner from Two Peoples Bay beach.

Names of geographical locations are at times most interesting.

This sign was a bit of surprise, well a big surprise. Not something you tend to see in Western Australia and even more curious out here in the "middle of nowhere" so to speak.

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #71 on:** 12 February, 2018, 01:02:20 pm »

Does the sand squeak at Two People's Bay when you cycle over it?

It must be nearly 40 years since I've been there. Remember the water always being absolutely freezing. The next landmass is Antarctica . . .

Aushiker · « **Reply #72 on:** 13 February, 2018, 05:16:24 am »

Quote from: mrcharly-YHT on 12 February, 2018, 01:02:20 pm

Does the sand squeak at Two People's Bay when you cycle over it?

Not that I recall noticing. That is more common I believe on the beaches east of Esperance.

Aushiker · « **Reply #73 on:** 14 February, 2018, 12:04:43 pm »

DAY 11 [POST 07] THURSDAY DECEMBER 14 - CHEYNES BEACH TO ALBANY

The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.

My first substantive sighting of my destination, Albany. It was so close yet so far with 20 km to ride in to the infamous Albany Doctor: a southern ocean headwind.

Peace at home; peace in the world. This statute in remembrance of the Battle of Gallipoli and the Turkish President, Ataturk marks the end of my unconventional ride from Esperance to Albany, Western Australia.

Steph · « **Reply #74 on:** 17 April, 2018, 04:35:35 am »

Just dipped back into this. Great pics! I remember the Pallinup, and several other bastard water courses (all dry, all a swoop down and a grovel back up).