Perth to Busselton 1979

Perth to Busselton, day 1, Monday 27 November 1979. This year I planned to do things in a different way. I would start the ride by taking the Australind train to Bunbury, then ride all the way back to Perth after going around the South-West.

Australind train

I had a notion to try the 100 km stretch from Bunbury to Mandurah, which seemed a great challenge for me at that time, but it scared me and I would decide about it when the time came. It was only even thinkable because of one significant change from 1977 and 1978 – a new bike!

I still had the old Philco, which was my very first bike, bought in 1972, but from now on it would only do little trips to the shops or the beach. The new one was a Gordonson Spartan, a cheap steel racing bike with ten gears, handbrakes, drop handlebars and 27 inch wheels.

I wore the green rubber thongs again, and the usual shirt with pockets and cotton shorts, and the towelling hat which I was to wear on every ride until well into the 1990s. I didn’t wear a helmet until 1994.

I got the 9:30 am train from Perth. It took about 3 and a half hours to get to Bunbury in those days and I arrived there at about 1 pm. I had had ‘brunch’ on the train, sandwiches I had prepared myself.

I got the bike out of the luggage compartment, stowed the bag, donned the backpack, left the station and rode back up Blair Street to find the junction with the Bussell Highway.

Colroys

I stopped at Stratham, then of course at Colroy’s at Capel, and again in the Ludlow forest to have a drink I had bought at Colroy’s. There was the usual fresh south-westerly opposing me all the way and it was a relief to get close to Busselton and turn up the Causeway so that the wind was a little behind me. I was quite numb and sore and having to stop and stand up frequently.

I got into the Esplanade hotel again, got my room facing the sea, then went for a swim. I thought I would walk the jetty when I stayed again at Busselton on the way back, rather than doing it that night. I enjoyed a hot shower and washed my clothes then changed and went looking for dinner. The Golden Barn had closed down, so I had something else – I forget what. I walked around the town a bit, saw the old train station, gone now. I hung around the bar of the hotel, watched them playing pool, then made an early night. I planned to go to Margaret River the next day and knew what to expect.

Perth to Busselton 1979

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