July 4, 2024
Cycle day 56 - Back to Nature CP to Bushcamp
Cycle day 56 - Back to Nature CP to Bushcamp (somewhere along the Indian Ocean drive - about 10km north of entry into Yanchep NP) = 41km. 4374km cycle toured so far on this trip.
| Heart | 1 | Comment | 0 | Link |
A warm night last night compared to what we have had recentely - 9 degrees and the tent was completely dry when packed up. Didn't bother to get up early this morning as we only had a short day - it was even shorter than I anticipated (I was planning on closer to 50km day today) but Neil saw the first driveway off this Indian Ocean Drive and took it for a campspot. This means our ride into Butler tomorrow morning will be an extra 10km = 22km. The easterly wind blew for most of the night and again today. So we had a cross wind but the smaller roads offer alot of protection from the wind due to the sides having thick native foliage and bushes. It is sunny with a little cloud and the wind makes it colder than what it should be but my temperature guage is only registering 16 degrees but if you are out in the sun then it is pobably 18 degrees!
7am is when we got out of bed and have to say it was really nice having breakfast without having the head torches on! Since the tent was dry we were packed up in no time and back on the road at 8.30am.
We are on the same back road that we started yesterday and it is 18km to the next intersection. The road is still undulating and this being our 7th day in row cycling the legs were heavy but ok. This road is a little busier than what I anticipated and I presume most use it as a short cut from the Indian Ocean Drive road. We started to see a few market gardens and although alot of the fields were empty or had just been harvest we did see a field of Broccoli (yummy!) and further on a field of iceberg lettuce.
Once at the intersection we decided to turn left and head east to another smaller road (Military road) which links up with the Indian Ocean drive a bit further down. This road was quiet and flatter than the one previously. What surprises me is how many caravans are using these minor roads with us (not that it is a problem) but in Victoria and NSW the caravans are never on these purple and brown sealed roads whereas here they are. I think it is the speed limit of 110 on all roads that puts them of the Brand highway and the Indian Ocean Drive as most will do that 110km per hour whereas here on the back roads they don't have to worry as the 110km people find it easy to overtake us and the slower caravans.
Riding along this part of the road Neil found a puffer vest that fits him well. It was just lying there on the side of the road and it is relatively clean. He offers it to me but I think I will wait to see what I put in my postal bag that we will pick up tomorrow. Neil too can't quite remember what he put in his postal bag (I say nothing except for the winter sleeping bag as he has carried all his warm gear with him even through the hot weather we had up north!) so he has kept the vest to see if we need to wash and keep it for the next leg after Perth.
Unfortunately we eventually have to join this Indian Ocean Drive and this was the road we were meant to come down and I have to say that we rode on this for 5km today before pulling over for our bushcamp and definitely we made the right choice in coming the hillier inland route! As this road is just as busy as the Brand highway! We have decided we will get up early tomorrow morning to be on the road and in Butler before the road becomes to busy with other travellers (as we know they definitely don't get up early!), tradies and locals going to Yanchep or Perth.
Just a note about the hillier inland route - yesterday Neil took this photo of me coming up one of the hills from Dandaragan and it is not a great photo as Neils camera on the phone is not as good as a normal old fashion camera!
Where we join the Indian Ocean Drive the road goes through the edge of the Yanchep National Park and also, what looks like, an old pine forest that has been let go and overtaken with native trees and bushes. This provides a good opportunity for bushcamping and Neil spots a driveway with a tree blocking it further down. Upon investigation it is a great spot and has afternoon sun and a little protection from the wind. It is only lunch time and we decide that we will stop here for the day.
The road is noisy but will stop during the evening. We even have our own Burdett's Banksia bush near us with a flower on it
and as an added bonus a Wattle bird came down and fed on the nectar in the flower
Looking forward to getting through Perth tomorrow on the train as it is neigh on impossible to ride across a city that you don't know or are not familiar with!
Fingers crossed everything goes smoothly for us.
Today's ride: 41 km (25 miles)
Total: 4,374 km (2,716 miles)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 3 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 0 |