Albany to Mount Barker 1987

Albany to Mount Barker, day 7, Sunday 11 October. The roaring easterly that had blown all night and now freshened, helped me for the first few km, but was so strong that the effort of holding a straight riding line cancelled whatever relief it gave me.

By Narrikup it was blowing straight across my path. I stopped at the Narrikup country store, had a snack, looked at the arts and crafts. After climbing a steep hill 9km out of Mount Barker I looked back and could just see the twin hills of Albany. The wind was very slightly against me by now, backing ENE. It was noticeable how rapidly the country was turning from green to brown as I approached Mount Barker. This brownness wasn’t to turn to green again until I got towards Darkan later in the week.

When I got to Mount Barker I didn’t climb the hill of the same name as I had originally intended, because I was too worn down by the wind. I booked into the Plantagenet Hotel, pleasant old-fashioned pub with guests’ lounge and TV, room $18. Usual routine, then looked around the town. The Mount Barker railway station must have been a source of pride in its day but, though it would only have become redundant during the seventies, it is a ruin now. Smashed windows, holes in the roof, rubbish and the debris of fires all over the floors, the platform collapsed. They should either fix it up or get rid of it altogether.

From a point at the top of a steeply sloping street (most of the streets in Mount Barker seem to have names starting with M) I could just see the twin hills of Albany, 50km away. I could see the Stirlings clearly now too. The wind roared on.

There was a seven days takeaway shop not far from the hotel and I got chicken and chips and crumbed sausages and ate them watching TV.

Reading at Mount Barker: 11546. Corrected day’s ride: 52km.

Cumulative distance: 457km. Average km/day: 65.

Charles A. Pierce

Other Days on this Tour:

1. Perth to Albany - The Great Ride 1987
2. Perth to Balingup 1987
3. Balingup to Manijimup 1987
4. Manjimup to Northcliffe 1987
5. Northcliffe to Walpole and the Chesapeake Road 1987
6. Walpole to Denmark 1987
7. Denmark to Albany 1987
8. Albany to Mount Barker 1987 (This post)
9. Mount Barker to Cranbrook 1987
10. Cranbrook to Kojonup 1987
11. Kojonup to Darkan 1987
12. Darkan to Collie 1987
13. Collie to Perth 1987

Places Mentioned in this Post:

Related posts:

1. Mount Barker to Cranbrook 1987
2. Mt Barker to Albany 2002
3. Denmark to Albany 1987
4. Perth to Albany – The Great Ride 1987
5. Mount Frankland National Park

Tags: Albany, Mount Barker, Narrikup