Day 133: Penong to Ceduna - A happy ride around Australia (third attempt) - CycleBlaze

October 7, 2022

Day 133: Penong to Ceduna

Start: 8:50am
Distance: 78km
Ride time:  3:42hours
Average:  21km/hr 
Max: 34km/hr
Finish: 1:30pm

I slept well because the caravan park was far away from the main road.

I packed up a dry tent for the first time in ages.

I went to the general store and had a nice relaxing coffee before heading off. I also bought the best salad sandwich of the Nullarbor for lunch.

Today's vegetation was wheat.
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Or sheep grazing land.
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A disused underground water tank.
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While riding along, without seeing it coming, I rode into a bee swarm. They were flying everywhere and bouncing off my body while I rode as fast as I could and hoping they wouldn't sting me.

It only lasted about 100m and I was very relieved once I has passed through them.

This was on the outskirts of Ceduna.
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Friendly Quarantine Officer Lee let me pass without having to search my panniers. Her hair looked cool in the wind.
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Geoff caught up with me and we dined on fresh oysters from a roadside stall to celebrate crossing the Nullarbor.
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I went to the post office and collected my new helmet mirror. It is great and isn't scratched and doesn't fall apart if I bump it.

We made camp and caught up with Craig for dinner.
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We had a fun time talking about our different experiences. 

Craig arrived in Ceduna yesterday and will end his ride here. I'll miss Craig, he is a good guy.

Geoff will continue riding to Adelaide or his home in Albany, NSW.

Sunset over the bay.
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Ceduna is a decent sized town with a large supermarket. I bought some fruit and was amazed at the variety compared to the roadhouses which if I was lucky, would have one bowl of fruit to choose from.

The nicest grassy site I've had in ages.
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Today's ride: 78 km (48 miles)
Total: 7,868 km (4,886 miles)

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Comment on this entry Comment 2
Leo ZwieserijnHi Vince, great trip. Can you tell me how much water you maximum carried at a single day between Perth and your destination?
I’m planning to cycle from Perth to Sydney more or less via your route.
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6 months ago
Vince McCarthyHi Leo,

The maximum water I carried was 16 ltrs. This was for 2 full day's riding. I used 3ltrs for washing. Plus more for cooking. The temperatures were mild so I didn't need to carry that much water.

I rode Perth to Sydney in 2013 and the temperatures were much hotter. It reached 46 degrees.

I am a cautious rider so I didn't want to run out of water. Many people do it with a lot less water. You can rely on caravaners to help you out if you get stuck. It is a busy road.

It is a beautiful remote ride and I would consider doing it for a third time. It is so peaceful and tranquil.

Please send me your link if you do a journal. All the best. Vince
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6 months ago