Perth to Dumbleyung 2007

Perth to Dumbleyung 2007, 9 days, cumulative distance 455 km. The aim of this trip, the first since 2005, was to take an opportunity which probably won’t come again; to start deep in the Great Southern and ride home via Dumbleyung and see Dumbleyung lake, which was more full than for some years due to a reasonable season in the area. I had this plan some years ago, during the Stirlings ride of 1993, but didn’t feel able to go there on that occasion.

Again I took my digital camera on this trip. I took pictures of orchids again, reflecting my particular interest, and of the towns and countryside and of bodies of water that were in better shape than usual.  ... Read more

Perth to Tenterden, Monday 15 October 2007.

PRELIMINARY

This was another ride which started as in 2002. I went with Liz to her country property at Tenterden on Monday 15 October. I took the front wheel off my bike so it would fit in her Yaris. We stayed overnight at Williams then proceeded to Tenterden on Tuesday 16th.

The forecast was for rain on the following day, Wednesday, so I got the rechargeable-battery powered saw going and cut as much firewood as I could before the charge ran out, then re-assembled the small shed that had been blown to bits in a storm some time ago. Rain poured down on Wednesday, accompanied by strong winds. It was all a good workout for the re-assembled shed, which didn’t fail.  ... Read more

Tenterden to Tambellup day 1, Thursday 18 October 2007. I did a few more jobs for Liz then put the front wheel back on the bike and finally rolled off down the gravel track towards Ronaldshaw Road at 10:32, 283.

Ronaldshaw Road is now sealed all the way to Salt River Road, which runs from the centre of Cranbrook all the way to the other end of the Stirlings. I stopped in Cranbrook to buy drinks, then used the facilities and set off for Tambellup at 11:15, 292. The day was cool and partly cloudy and there was a light E-SE wind, which didn’t impede me much. The country was undulating rather than hilly and I got good views of the Stirlings from time to time, slowly receding behind me.  ... Read more

Tambellup to Katanning day 2, Friday 19 October 2007. I left Tambellup Hotel at 10:04 after a good breakfast and rode up the Great Southern Highway. The morning was cool and sunny but cloud was increasing and there was a ENE headwind.

I rested at 343 and passed through Broomehill at 352. I was aware of becoming dehydrated – I had not taken in enough fluids at the start of the day. I would take care about that in the days that followed. I rested again at 359, then came to a sign saying ‘Katanning town Boundary’ when I was still 10 km south of the town. They must have urban ambitions. As I approached Katanning I came to a right turn that said ‘Cornwall St.  ... Read more

Katanning to Dumbleyung day 3, Saturday 20 October 2007. I set off down Clive Street at 10 on a cool morning with a helpful south-westerly, as predicted. This got quite fresh as the day went on. The phrase ‘huge tail-wind’ came to my mind as I climbed a big hill later on. The day was cool and cloudy and some of the clouds to the south looked quite threatening but there was no rain on me that day. There was some sun later.

The road went through pleasant country, with a rising trend which I had expected because I had a topographical map of this area, which started 24 km from Katanning, and it showed a big hill half-way between the towns, then a steep descent to a flat area around Dumbleyung and the lake.  ... Read more

Dumbleyung to Wagin day 4, Sunday 21 October 2007. The wind had indeed turned around to the SSE during the night. I had only 40 km to go to Wagin but wanted to take a diversion or two to get as close to the lake as I could. I had studied the map in the Information Bay and knew that I would have to make a left turn down Lake Road at about 6 km out of Dumbleyung. After a good breakfast I left my hotel at 9:40, 426. I rode back over the railway line to get onto the main street of town, which would lead to the Wagin Road.

The morning was sunny with some cloud. It was cool to start but warm in the sun.  ... Read more

Wagin to Narrogin day 5, Monday 22 October 2007. I left the hotel at 9:45 am on a cool sunny morning, with winds SSE, helpful again, a tailwind. I found the Great Southern Highway without any trouble. There was a long climb out of Wagin, and when I stopped at the top of it and looked back there was a great view of the country behind. I passed through Piesseville – there were a hall and a few buildings – and rested after that, at 490.

I reached Highbury at 507. There was a shop, established 1945. I went in and bought a drink. The lady was dressed in a thick cardigan and asked how I could go around in just a shirt when it was so cold.  ... Read more

Narrogin to Williams day 6, Tuesday 18 October 2007. I left the motel at 10 am but didn’t head for Williams straight away. I took the opportunity to ride into Foxes’ Lair, a nature park on the other side of the road from the motel. The motel brochures encouraged guests to visit it. There were gravel tracks going in to a car park, where there were information boards about walk tracks of different lengths. I took one of these and took some pictures. The wildflowers were splendid. At one point the walk track ran along a cliff edge and there was a view of the woodland and country.

The wind was behind me as I turned back onto the main road and headed for Williams.  ... Read more

Williams to Boddington day 7, Wednesday 24 October 2007. The day was warm and sunny with north to north-easterly winds, a headwind for 40 km of my planned day’s journey. I left the motel at 9:26 and turned onto the Albany Highway and made my way over the bridge and past the hotel and the craft shop and the Woolshed and out of town.

There is some climbing to do until about 10 km north of Williams, then a view of country ahead and a downhill run for a while. I felt optimistic and energetic despite the conditions. They weren’t so bad and I had the left turn at Crossman and 12 km of wind-assisted riding to Boddington to look forward to.  ... Read more

Boddington to Dwellingup day 8, Thursday 20 October 2007. I ate the entire supply of breakfast stuff, meant for two. I didn’t feel too bad after having got a few hours’ sleep. The day was warm and humid and there was a NW wind now due to the movement of the low-pressure trough and the approach of the cold front, which last night had still been predicted to arrive at the capes ‘at dawn on Friday’. Some high cloud was coming in. The wind would help me a bit for the first 8km or so to the Marradong turn-off, but after that it would be a headwind.

I was amazed by the thousands of previously ‘rare’ blue orchids all along the road from Boddington to Dwellingup.  ... Read more