Cottesloe to Windy Harbour 1998

Cottesloe to Windy Harbour Tour 1998 – 10 days, 627 km cumulative distance.

The aim of this trip was to return to Windy Harbour, only this time to do it better, faster, with less hardship and fewer mishaps than in 1985, drawing on the experience gained over the years.

Charles A. Pierce

Other Days on this Tour:

Daily Locations for this Tour:

PRELIMINARY

On Sunday, October 11 I took the bike on the train from Cottesloe to Perth City train station, then took the afternoon Australind train to Bunbury, to stay the night in the Bunbury Motel and start the ride from there early the next morning.

I first tried this in 1992, when the new, faster Australind began evening services. Previously, The Australind had run only once a day, in the morning. It used to take more than three hours to get to Bunbury, arriving just before one o’clock, so that I had to flog the required km to the first stop and get there not long before sunset, feeling tired and not well set up for the rest of the trip; either that or go just a short distance on the first day.  ... Read more

Bunbury to Greenbushes, day 1, Monday 12 October 1998. I left The Bunbury Motel ($55, Unit 11, nicer than last year, could open a window) at 8.16 on a cool morning with moderate NE-NW winds. The odometer read 6214.

I rested and took a drink at 6234, at Boyanup, then again at Donnybrook, 6249, reached at 10:08. I felt that I was making good speed and the riding seemed easy, due to the tailwind. The 5 km pegs showed that the odometer was reading about right. Calibrating the odometer is an important first-day job. I got up the anticipated hills all right and reached Kirup, 6267, only 23 km from my destination. I felt confident of making it at this stage.  ... Read more

Greenbushes to Manjimup, day 2, Tuesday 13 October 1998. The morning was cold with strong NW-SW winds. Rain had fallen during the night and early morning and would continue to come through during the day, with clear spells.

The sky was blue as I went in to breakfast at 5:40. I had been told that the kitchen was open with breakfast available from 5 am, since this is not a tourist hotel but is geared to workers who travel from town to town, and ideal for cyclists, who often want an early start, as well. I had a lot of cereal, bacon and eggs and toast. When I came out, rain was falling again. I went back to bed for a while and didn’t finally get rolling on my day’s ride until 8:49.  ... Read more

Manjimup to Northcliffe, day 3, Wednesday 14 October 1998. The morning was cold but clear with a moderate SW wind. I left the Manjimup hotel at 8:43 after breakfast of biscuits and cheese in my room.

I proceeded the way I should have gone in 1987, not via Pemberton but straight down the South Western Highway , then right into Wheatley Coast Road and straight on into Northcliffe. Wheatley Coast Road starts at Muirs Highway, SE of Manjimup, and goes straight through Northcliffe down to Windy Harbour, though at some point it changes its name to Windy Harbour Road. This way is about 8 km shorter than the way via Pemberton. In 1987 I didn’t even have a proper map until I bought one in Northcliffe and discovered the Chesapeake Road, the road that made the 1987 ride possible.  ... Read more

Northcliffe to Windy Harbour, day 4, Thursday 15 October 1998. I left Northcliffe for Windy Harbour at 8:29 on a fine morning with a moderate NE wind that went to NW later, so I had a tailwind all the way down and some of the way back. I passed the Chesapeake Road junction at 6409, but didn’t stop, wanting to take my photograph of it on the way back, when I assumed that the sun would be at a better angle for light on the subject.

The ride was pleasant, the country interesting and the wind helpful, though I hoped it would change for the journey back. I rested at 6417 with the rise into Mt Chudalup State Forest, the only high country on this ride, just ahead.  ... Read more

Northcliffe to Pemberton, day 5, Friday 16 October 1998. The morning was cool with strong NW winds. Rain started to fall after I left Northcliffe at 9:27 but I didn’t stop, the rain wasn’t too heavy and cleared up after a few km. I had been expecting a very wet and windy day, as had the weather bureau. That evening the weatherman on TV explained how the expected strong cold front had got ahead of itself and collapsed, but there was another strong front expected to come through early on Saturday with plenty of rain and hail behind it and there would be no escaping that one.

On this Friday, after the early shower, I had it clear, though still very windy, all the way to Pemberton, where it began to rain just as I arrived at the shops.  ... Read more

Pemberton to Bridgetown, day 6, Saturday 17 October 1998. This loomed as the second challenge day of the trip, though more so than Day 1. I thought that if I made Bridgetown on this day it would get progressively easier and I would get home all right. I left the motel at 8:19 and the odometer read 6502 as I reached the Vasse Highway and turned right. Winds were fresh W with a bit of NW before a squall but gradually going SW.

I have ridden along this stretch of road, let me see, five times. I thought it had been more. There were some showers but nothing too bad until I reached the well-remembered junction with South Western Highway , 6519, and found somewhere to shelter while I had my drink and a shower moved through.  ... Read more

Bridgetown to Donnybrook, day 7, Sunday 18 October 1998. The day was cold and the wind was WSW and moderate to fresh as I rolled away from the Freemasons Hotel at 9:37. I had enjoyed the eat-all-you-want breakfast at the hotel and gone back upstairs for a bit more sleep, having not had enough and still feeling sore.

The wind was mostly helpful, though it never went SSW as I expected it to, and the showers that still came through were lighter. I stopped at the southern Greenbushes turnoff for my drink break, at 6588. I went on and passed the northern Greenbushes turnoff at 6589, reached Balingup at 6598 but went through without stopping.

About 2 kilometres north of Balingup I passed a cyclist on his way into the town.  ... Read more

Donnybrook to Harvey, day 8, Monday 19 October 1998. I left the Donnybrook Motel at 8:40 with a moderate SE breeze that was to help most of the way. I was surprised that the weather had turned around so quickly – after the days of rain with a NW-W-SW regime I expected a day or two of fresh S-SW. It was as though a couple of days had been omitted from the cycle and the easterly trend was already clear.

I passed through Boyanup at 6645 and took a right turn to get onto the Dardanup Road, formerly the South Western Highway. I stopped for a rest at 6649. There was a feeling of a headwind as I headed NW. I passed through Dardanup at 6655, turned right into a headwind, then turned left to get a tailwind as I headed due north.  ... Read more