Help me Dr Steve

April 9, 2024

Nornalup to Boomer Mundak hut

I didn’t sleep so well last night, tossing things around in my head. Foremost was formulating a plan D and E if there were no tubes at the bike shop in Denmark. But mostly I was reliving some of my many battles with tubeless tyres.

After the explosion of my tyre in France last year, most likely caused by over inflation, I had to have several sessions with my tubeless tyre mentor and psychologist Dr Steve to get me through the associated trauma. Those 6 overpriced sessions were invaluable and gave me the confidence to discard tubes forever. And now this! I felt like I was back at square one. Dr Steve convinced me that low pressure was good but I think I took that advice too far as that is certainly what caused my double puncture.I tossed and turned wondering how I’d pay for the next lot of counselling that Dr Steve would inevitably insist on.

Sorry Dr Steve. I know this is a sign of regression

We were up early and all packed up by the time Paul arrived at 7.30. It was a beautiful drive to Denmark that took a little over 40 minutes. For us on the Munda Biddi, Denmark is 3 days away , such is the circuitous nature of the track. I shouted Paul breakfast and we were in and out of the bike shop within minutes and heading back the way we came. They had ample stocks of tubes, which at $15 dollars a pop is the most I’ve ever paid, but I’d have gladly paid $50 just to get Mondo rolling again.

Paul dropped me at the Tree Top walk at the Valley of the Giants just as Pete was ordering a coffee having pedalled 6 kilometres uphill to get there. I didn’t tell him about the bacon and eggs and cappuccino I had an hour earlier.

We did the walk up into the canopy which was well worth it, giving one a different perspective on the Tingle trees that dominate this area. They are truly amazing and are only found in this little pocket in South West Western Australia; no where else in the world. Having banged on enthusiastically about the Jarrah, Karri and Warri, the Tingles are definitely the standout. The name is derived from the Nyoongar word that sounded like Dingle Dingle and ended up as Tingle. They are massive and somewhat irregular in shape with amazing burls. Along with the Californian Redwoods, the true test of a great tree is if you can drive your car or bike through the tree, even better if someone can charge $5 for the privilege.

Leaving the Valley of the Giants we’re straight onto a brand new single track that weaves up and then down through the Tingle forest. I stop frequently in search of the perfect snap of a small cyclist and a big tree. The Tingles really have me captivated and the 40 minutes we spent in their company was truly an immersive experience. Finally we were spat out onto a pea gravel road and into farmland and scrubby native bush. It was very different to what we’d just ridden but still had its own charm.

A rider we passed going south to north warned us of the sandy roads we were about to encounter and painted a rather bleak picture. His passing comment of his preference for pea gravel over sand was surely ill founded but it was not long before we get to test his hypothesis. It was thick and gluggy and impossible to ride through in some sections. Downhill was a mix of cycling and surfing and hanging on.

The last ten kilometres took almost 2 hours and was a slog. Considering todays ride was the back half of what we meant to do yesterday we would have been completely knackered had I not had the double puncture.

The Boomer Nundak hut was all ours for the night. Despite it being cool and cloudy all day the evening sky cleared and the star show was a sight to behold as was the plating up of the satay vegetables and udon noodles I conjured up for dinner. It tasted okay but looked pretty ordinary.

Today's ride: 29 km (18 miles)
Total: 958 km (595 miles)

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