Day 5, Walpole to Denmark, day 5, Friday 9 October. I decided to make a detour, on the way to Denmark, through the Valley of the Giants. I intended to stop at the first picnic spot shown on the map, then return to the SC highway via Rate Road, thereby not adding much to the day’s journey.

I couldn’t find the first picnic spot on Rate Road and ended up in the main picnic area, having to return to SC highway the long way round via Valley of the Giants Road, emerging at Bow Bridge. Anyway I had a picnic in the picnic area then took the walk trail. The ‘giants’ were tingle trees, giant in girth rather than height. They didn’t impress me as much as the karris at Northcliffe but were interesting by being burnt into huge hollow caves at the base, yet still living.  ... Read more

Day 6, Denmark to Albany, day 6, Saturday 10 October. The morning was sunny and cool but as I feared a strong and freshening wind blew from the east – the direction in which I was heading. I left shortly after 8 and was under pressure on this day because I wanted to get to Albany and find a decent supermarket before Saturday closing.

The country was most pleasant in the spring sunshine but I was gradually developing a pain in the legs from which I was not to recover, night or day, until after the end of the trip.

I ground on to Albany, finally descended between the two hills into the town and arrived at a Coles New World supermarket at 11:57, to find they were open until 1.  ... Read more

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.  … Read more

Mount Barker to Cranbrook, day 8, Monday 12 October. The morning was overcast and the wind blew gale-force, spitting rain, from the north-east. I had thought the previous night that it would be good to turn right off the Albany Highway at Kendenup and take a detour through the western edge of the Stirlings. This would have nearly doubled the day’s ride and most of the addition would have been gravel with presumably many steep hills and sandbogs.

When I got to the Kendenup turnoff I felt the force of the opposing wind and saw the Stirlings becoming shrouded in rain or low cloud. I decided to save the Stirlings for a separate ride in the future. So my day’s ride was only 42km but it seemed hard enough.  … Read more

Cranbrook to Kojonup, day 9, Tuesday 13 October. The wind had shifted round to the north-west overnight but maintained its intensity. I was now heading north-west. I hoped that it might shift southerly during the day but there was no chance of that, according to the radio, because the approaching cold front wasn’t due through till night. Patchy showers fell.

The undulating country was pleasant but the ride was hard. I was glad at last to come to the top of a rise and see Kojonup spread out below, and to come abreast of a sign and see that it said KOJONUP. The motel unit was $27. It had a locked connecting door to the next unit and people there could be heard as clearly as though in my room.  ... Read more

Greenmount is a locality and a geographical feature in the Shire of Mundaring, Western Australia, on the edge of the Darling Scarp. It is a vital point in the transport routes from the Swan Coastal Plain into the hinterland of Western Australia.

Brookton is a town located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, Australia, 138 kilometres (86 mi) from the state capital, Perth via the Brookton Highway where it crosses the Great Southern Highway. The town is also located on the Great Southern railway line. It is located within, and is the seat of government for the Shire of Brookton.

Flinders Bay is a bay and locality that is immediately south of the townsite of Augusta, Western Australia, and close to the mouth of the Blackwood River and lies to the north east of Cape Leeuwin. The bay runs from Point Matthew 1.5km East North East of Cape Leeuwin to Ledge Point some 8 km east.

Midland Railway Station is a Transperth train station 16km from Perth Train Station, in Western Australia, and is the terminus of the current suburban rail service on the Midland Line.

Darkan is a town located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, between Collie and the Albany Highway on the Coalfields Road. It is also the seat of the Shire of West Arthur. Jarrah, flood gum and wandoo bushland reserves, filled with wildflowers in spring, are a short drive away.