Porongurup

Perth to the Stirling Range, 9 days, 1993. Cumulative distance 596km. This was to be the fulfilment of a dream that started in 1987, when I rode by the western edge of the Stirling Range and was prevented by weather and tiredness from taking a detour into it.

The idea was to get to Bluff Knoll, climb it, and ride back to Perth. Instead of starting the ride at Bunbury, as I had so many others, I decided to start this one at Albany, using the new flexibility offered by the discovery that, for $25, Niteroad will take your bike to Albany or Bunbury in less than 24 hours, or to any other point at which it is desired that a ride should start.  … Read more

Albany to Porongurup, day 1, Wednesday 20 October 1993. Cloudy, cool, ENE headwind as I left the motel at 8:38. I went round the great roundabout and headed up the Chester Pass Road towards the Porongurup Range looming in the distance. The odometer seemed to be reading quite precisely, checking it against the 5km posts beside the road.

I passed through pleasant wooded country and rested for the first time at 27342. As I approached the mountains I was climbing steadily but it was manageable. I rested again at 27358 and reached the Porongurup Road turnoff at 27363. The road became hilly. After a downhill run to the Karribank Motel (now the Karribank Retreat) I reached it at 11:40, 27372.

I booked in, dumped the heavy luggage and went back to the Bolganup Road turnoff, 27373, to climb the Porongurup Range.  ... Read more

Porongurup to the Stirling Range, day 2, Thursday 21 October 1993. It had rained most of the night and was still drizzling in the morning. Grey clouds tumbled down the Porongurup Range and a cold wind blew from the ENE. When the hills were visible and the sky had brightened and the rain eased to a few spots I decided to get going, which I did at 8:05. The rain increased in intensity after a few minutes and kept going, though the sky seemed to be clearing, for an hour.

I had decided to take a short cut through ‘Spring Road’ a muddy gravel track, saving about 3km of the journey, though I don’t know if it was worth it. I was soaked by the time I took my first rest, at 27396.  ... Read more

Porongurup is the name of a small mountain range in the Shire of Plantagenet in Western Australia (see Porongurup National Park for information about the range itself) and of a small village on the northern slopes of the range. The very popular Porongurup Wine Festival is held at a different local winery each year in March.