York to Mundaring 2011

York to Mundaring day 8, Monday 31 October 2011.

I left York at 8:40 on a mild sunny morning with moderate easterly winds. It was mostly uphill for about 7 km as I climbed from the Avon valley into the Darling range. I took a rest at 466 and again at 482. I wasn’t thinking of the whole 60 km, just of the 48 to the Lakes roadhouse, where I would have a nice long rest and have, I thought, only 12 km to go.

Mundaring statues

I passed the West Talbot Road turn-off at 486, the Wariin Road turn-off at 489 and reached the Lakes sooner than I expected, at 496. After my drink and rest I rode onto the Great Eastern Highway and was impressed. I hadn’t seen it for 8 years, when they were doing it up and it was difficult with loose stones, narrowed lanes and no marks. Now it was excellent, a dual carriageway, two lanes each side and a 2-metre wide bike lane. It was further to the motel than I remembered. I arrived there at 511, 1:10.

The man who checked me in was much more friendly than the person I had spoken to on the phone. He regretted that they had had to cover up the pool because with all the new regulations it was too expensive to run.

My unit was one of a new block built since my last visit, it had no number but was called D. I decided to dump everything and go looking for rare blue orchids while the sun was still high.

I found a few, but they were not as prolific as in 2003 when they seemed to have spread all the way to the edge of the scarp. I took some photos then went down to Mundaring shops to get food and drinks. I at last lay down for a rest, feeling relaxed now that the ride had only 17 km to go and had gone to plan.

After my rest and shower and a bit of laundry ? I would be home the next day so didn’t bother much ? I set off in a different direction to look for more orchids.

As I set off a fire suddenly blazed up near the motel office. I was alarmed and reached for my phone to call the fire brigade, then I noticed that someone was near the fire and had lit it deliberately and was tending it. I didn’t know people were allowed to do that any more.

I found some orchids, including a violet-coloured variant. I walked some way down a forest track.

Reading at Mundaring, end of day: 515. Day’s ride: 65km.
Cumulative distance: 340km. Average km/ riding day: 49.

York to Mundaring 2011

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