Cycle day 82 - Penong to Ceduna - Far too much luggage

August 11, 2024

Cycle day 82 - Penong to Ceduna

Cycle day 82 - Penong to Ceduna = 75km. 6536km cycle toured so far on this trip.

Ceduna Big 4 CP - no unpowered so powered at $33 per night

It was fabulous being under the shelter at Penong and the tent was dry with just a little bit on condensation. The temperature under the shelter was 6 degrees, but cooler once you stepped out from under it. We were on the road just after 7.30am. Everything was dry and not fog this morning.

The night was very noisy we could hear the highway (even though the park was 500m off the highway) and it was all trucks going both ways. Based on last Saturday and Sunday we had and increase in east bound trucks on Saturday and west bound trucks on Sunday and we were over half way across so we guessed that either Saturday or Sunday we would be near the end so that increase in east and west bound trucks would occur at night rather than the day and yip sure enough they all occured last night as todays ride was really quiet - mainly cars and caravans and only a handful of trucks.

We had a headwind for the first 40km (north easterly) and then the road veers south east and it became a very strong cross wind almost a cross tail wind which made going a lot easier towards the end, but it is better than a headwind.

Also it felt like the first 20km we were gently climbing up very subtle hills. Today is our 14th day riding and for the first 40km into the headwind the legs felt like lead! I was glad for a cuppa and we were near a rest area so we pulled in there. For lunch we were no where near a rest area or parking area so as per usual we just pull off the road and we had lunch amongst the succulents which were flowering. Alot of wattle is also flowering as well as small shrubs which we are not familiar with.

Munching on our apricot jam and cheese sandwiches we are beginning to see light at the end of our tunnel with only 15km to go and a very strong cross tailwind to aide us we begin to look forward to fresh food, fresh fruit and a chocolate Bavarian! As we descend (not a big hill) we can see the town of Ceduna but what really stands out are the silos at the port

2km before town we have to go through a fruit fly quarantine and in the kilometers leading up to this point we see numerous veges on the side of the road and even 1/2 a bottle of honey (which in hindsight might have been able to get across as it is fresh fruit and vege they are banning and not anything else like they do at the WA quarantine sites) alas we had to leave it all there but had we been unable to continue the few more kilometers to Ceduna - we would have our meal for tonight sorted out just by what was left on the roadside!

Approaching fruit fly quarantine (even though we are 480km into SA!)

We try the foreshore caravan park but they had no vacancies - this one is only 200m from the Foodland supermarket. So we try the Big 4 which is about 500m from the supermarket and they have vacancies. Neil would have loved being by the sea but with no vacancies the Big 4 would have to do - as it turns out it is a great little park and we are just happy to be finished and near a supermarket!

At the caravan park - 2 very tired looking cyclists!

and the added bonus is we have grass! and the camp kitchen is right behind us. The only downside is they don't have unpowered (this is becoming very common now) but we said we would charge our devices in the kitchen and they are fine with that. I will do my camera battery before we leave here.

The showers are great - hot and big with plenty of room and hooks for stuff. One thing we are looking forward to (apart from the Bavarian) is doing a load of washing - yeah our clothes are not looking great - they have a dusty look to them, in fact everything is dusty!!!

We go into town and the only thing open is the supermarket and this closes at 6pm so we go down to the foreshore and this place reminds me of Canarvon in WA

Pier on the foreshore, the water is very clear

The water is really clear and the air temperature feels warm enough to go for a swim but I suspect the water is cold ... really cold ... in fact too cold for a swim ... besides I sent my bathers home!

Dinner tonight was a cooked chicken and coleslaw. We only ate half the chicken so we will have it in wraps tomorrow night for dinner - I still have a few packets of wraps left in my bag. The Foodland didn't have a Black and Gold Bavarian and only a Sara Lee one and we have had one of these before and they are awful so we opted for icecream instead - thinking it might last us the 3 nights we are here ... yeah right we are alread half way through it on night 1!

no Bavarian so we ate 1/2 of a 2L tub of chocolate chip icecream

tomorrow is clean up day, resuming homework with Jayden and might try and get a bike ride in on the path that goes out towards the port. Back on the road to Port Augusta on Wednesday.

Today's ride: 75 km (47 miles)
Total: 6,536 km (4,059 miles)

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