Clarkson to Lancelin 2010

Clarkson to Lancelin Tour 2010, six days, cumulative distance: 285km.

I had not been to Lancelin for 16 years. Previous rides there in 1990 and 1994 had involved long runs, broken spokes, unrideable roads, cramp, bad weather and outdated or inaccurate maps. I planned to start at the extremity of the northern rail line and go to Lancelin, in easy stages of 40 to 50 km a day, staying in different places, then come back via Gingin and possibly Bindoon.

Charles A. Pierce

Other Days on this Tour:

Daily Locations for this Tour:

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Clarkson to Two Rocks, day 1, Monday 25 October 2010. I left Clarkson rail station at 11 am, odometer reading 62, and went westward along Ocean Keys Boulevard until I reached the T-junction with Marmion Avenue, which has since 1990 been extended all the way to Two Rocks. Turning into Marmion Avenue I welcomed the south-westerly tailwind that would help me all the way to Lancelin.

I reached Yanchep in less than an hour and stopped for a rest at 84. I reached Two Rocks at 91, before 1 pm, a bit early to check into my guest house which was on Sovereign Drive opposite the shopping centre. I felt relaxed and under no pressure so I had lunch at the snack shop and read my magazine.  ... Read more

Two Rocks to Guilderton, day 2, Tuesday 26 October 2010. I had an embarrassment on this morning – I woke up, looked at my watch and thought it said 7:40. I don’t know why. I got up and went to the breakfast area. There was nothing on the table and all was silent. I made a cup of coffee and started to hear sounds from the other side of the door where Pat and her husband lived. I checked my watch again and saw that it actually said nearly 7 am! I apologised profusely when Pat came in looking unhappy and started putting stuff out for breakfast. I got cereal and bacon and eggs and toast and they put out the full range of fruit and juices for just one guest.  ... Read more

Guilderton to Lancelin, day 3, Wednesday 27 October 2010. I was not in any hurry this morning. I turned on the radio and had the other salad roll and the vanilla slice and coffee in bed while reading. I also finished off the milk that they had left in the fridge. I finally locked the keys back in the key-box and set off at 9:55.

I rode straight up the road which was the main Guilderton Road. It was easier than coming in because a cool change had come in and I had the wind behind me, and there seemed to be more downhills than up. I reached Lancelin Road at 147 and turned right. As I did so I was surprised to see what appeared to be a town on the slopes to the east of the road, where I remembered only empty country.  ... Read more

Lancelin to Neergabby, day 4, Thursday 28 October 2010. I heated the shepherd’s pie and had it and a cake for breakfast. I rolled away from Lancelin motel at 9:57. The wind was fresh from the SW as expected, and I was braced for it. I just took it easy on the winding uphill road out of town.

At one point an adult emu and ten chicks suddenly burst from the scrub and raced along the side of the road beside me. When they came to another gap in the scrub they rushed through it and disappeared. I suppose they were alarmed by me. I had no opportunity to take a picture.

I got to the top of the hill and through the big new junction and found the going manageable.  … Read more

Neergabby to GinGin, day 5, Friday 29 October 2010. I was amazed on this cool sunny morning how the wind direction could change so much in less than a day. From yesterday’s fresh post-rain westerly I was expecting a light southerly tending west as the day wore on, but instead there was a fresh east-south-east wind. I had only about 30 km to travel on this day and it would have been easy to do it the previous day with that strong tail-wind, but I was glad to have stayed over in a new and interesting place.

There was no hurry this morning so I took another walk through the natural bush on the western side of the track, Chitna Road.  ... Read more

Gingin to Guildford, day 6, Saturday 30 October 2010. I left Gingin at 7:51 on a cool sunny morning with moderate E-NE winds. I rode up past the railway station and started the mainly downhill run to the Brand Highway, which I reached at 284. Brand highway is straight and flat, so that you can look back and forward a long way and see distant traffic reflected in the road as a mirage. It was easy to get into a rhythm cycling along and the lack of hills meant that I didn’t lose much energy. Hills take it out of you when you climb and you don’t get it back on the downhill run.

I rested at 294 and the road began to curve around to the east, into the wind, as I passed through Muchea, 305.  ... Read more