Cycle Day 60 - Toodyay to Dowerin - Far too much luggage

July 16, 2024

Cycle Day 60 - Toodyay to Dowerin

Cycle day 60 - Toodyay to Dowerin = 75km. 4576km cycle toured so far on this trip.

Dowerin short stay accomodation - powered tent site = $21

Oh the sleeping bags did their job last night! We woke to 2 degrees this morning and the inner tent had condensation on the inside (we need to consider a 4 season tent next time we are in these sorts of temperatures). Had no idea how cold it was in our sleeping bags and I wasn't even in mine (I still use it as a blanket) - it needs to get to below 0 for that!

We had brekky in the camp kitchen and then came back to pack up and realised the temperature was getting colder ....

yup it go just a little lower than what I photographed - 0.5 degrees

But the forecast was for another fine warm day of 22 degrees and I think it got to that today.

As we approached Toodyay yesterday we saw that it was in a valley so we knew it was going to be a climb out of Toodyay - it was 14km of winding roads some steep sections and some gradual sections. At least it got the body warm that it wasn't long before we had to start taking the layers off. But at the top you could see your next uphill after a downhill. So we did that and again at the top of the next hill you could see your next uphill after a downhill - bascially this road was crossing a series of valleys and at the bottom of each valley was a brook - which is the West Australian fancy hoity toity name for creek but with all their aires and graces they don't call it a creek it is a brook! And basically it was like that until 15km before Goomalling (which is about 50km from Toodyay) and boy was it slow going and by the time we got to our coffee break we were weary! 15km before Goomalling the road flattened out to more gradual hills but these hills were out in the open and we had a full on headwind (around 15-20km per hour) so that slowed us down considerably and it was like that all the way to Dowerin - I was munted in the legs by the time we got here.

Goomalling is where we had lunch and as we approached the town we saw these dome things and wondered if they we some sort of fancy silo or grain storage. We are now in the wheat belt area as there are train lines everywhere.

As we got to Goomalling we saw these - not sure what they are.

There is alot of grain fields now and also either canola or rapeseed crop - we can't tell the difference even with the help of Google as they are of the same family and they look identical to an untrained crop eye!

the road we are on is a quiet road and it is predominantly local traffic going between towns along here that use this road. We do see the occasional caravan. Because it is so hilly the cars, if they can't see ahead of us, they will wait until they have clear sight of ahead of them - which is really great and such a rarity here in Western Australia - where the majority of the driving population are incredibly aggressive to absolutely anything on the road -even to other car drivers and pedestrians!

Relieved we get to Dowerin and check in at the council building. The caravan park is a council one with powered tent and caravan sites as well as about 7 units - which are all full tonight. I think you can also book online as this is all under the banner of shortstayaccomodation.

When we got there we investigated the facilities and came across the person who services the accomodation and she was a lovely woman who said that the dryer at the moment is free to use and she showed us how to do it so that was just awesome! however the washing machine is $4. I think I will just do a little bit of handwashing and then use the dryer. As we were putting up the tent she came over and said there was free tea and coffee in the fridge and she put some extra milk in for us. Oh my gosh I am gonna come and live here in this park! That was just really nice of her to do that!

So we will have to leave to get to Trayning tomorrow which we think is another wheat belt town and has a community type caravan park and apparently it has free laundry! In the photos the camp kitchen is big and is suitable for a rainy day which is going to happen late tomorrow night and all day Thursday.

I have just been told by Neil that the IGA at Southern Cross is closed on Sunday and the Yellowdine roadhouse is permanently shut so we may have to change our course slightly and go down to the Great Eastern highway a little earlier than anticipated.

Today's ride: 75 km (47 miles)
Total: 4,576 km (2,842 miles)

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