Esperance to Albany [Western Australia] 750 kms in 10 Days
01-28-18, 06:13 PM
#51
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01-29-18, 08:32 PM
#52
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DAY 10 [POST 02] WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 13 - WELLSTEAD TO CHEYNES BEACH
A bit of bash for a while on the South Coast Highway before I was able to take a minor road which turned into a track [Google/Open Street Maps had it wrong so a bit of a re-routing required] and then beach for the remainder of the day. Today was the worse section of the South Coast Highway I experienced and I was well and truly glad to see the back of it. A total of 74.5 km and a total time on the bike of nine hours 21 minutes.
Street art at the Wellstead Rural Services roadhouse come general store.
One of the joys of riding a bicycle; the freedom from the tank
Fuel prices at Wellstead Rural Services.
This shelter for the kids waiting for the school bus caught my attention; quintessential rural Australian ingenuity.
A bit of bash for a while on the South Coast Highway before I was able to take a minor road which turned into a track [Google/Open Street Maps had it wrong so a bit of a re-routing required] and then beach for the remainder of the day. Today was the worse section of the South Coast Highway I experienced and I was well and truly glad to see the back of it. A total of 74.5 km and a total time on the bike of nine hours 21 minutes.
Street art at the Wellstead Rural Services roadhouse come general store.
One of the joys of riding a bicycle; the freedom from the tank
Fuel prices at Wellstead Rural Services.This shelter for the kids waiting for the school bus caught my attention; quintessential rural Australian ingenuity.
01-30-18, 11:06 PM
#53
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Thread Starter
DAY 10 [POST 03] WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 13 - WELLSTEAD TO CHEYNES BEACH
A bit of bash for a while on the South Coast Highway before I was able to take a minor road which turned into a track [Google/Open Street Maps had it wrong so a bit of a re-routing required] and then beach for the remainder of the day. Today was the worse section of the South Coast Highway I experienced and I was well and truly glad to see the back of it. A total of 74.5 km and a total time on the bike of nine hours 21 minutes.
Southern Haulage coming into to load up with wood chips which I assume where being taken south to Albany for export.
Telecommunications are so important in the Australian bush. It is not unusual to therefore come across a microwave [landline] repeater tower such as this one at Green Range.
Now on Hassell Beach, one of the longest beaches on the south coast of Western Australia at 22 kilometres [source: https://beachsafe.org.au/beach/wa/al...hassell-beach]. I rode about 10 kilometres of the beach having dropped on to it at Bluff Creek. This section at least was a great firm ridable surface only spoilt by the headwind.
A bit of bash for a while on the South Coast Highway before I was able to take a minor road which turned into a track [Google/Open Street Maps had it wrong so a bit of a re-routing required] and then beach for the remainder of the day. Today was the worse section of the South Coast Highway I experienced and I was well and truly glad to see the back of it. A total of 74.5 km and a total time on the bike of nine hours 21 minutes.
Southern Haulage coming into to load up with wood chips which I assume where being taken south to Albany for export.
Telecommunications are so important in the Australian bush. It is not unusual to therefore come across a microwave [landline] repeater tower such as this one at Green Range.
Now on Hassell Beach, one of the longest beaches on the south coast of Western Australia at 22 kilometres [source: https://beachsafe.org.au/beach/wa/al...hassell-beach]. I rode about 10 kilometres of the beach having dropped on to it at Bluff Creek. This section at least was a great firm ridable surface only spoilt by the headwind.
02-01-18, 05:31 PM
#54
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DAY 11 [POST 01] THURSDAY DECEMBER 14 - CHEYNES BEACH TO ALBANY
The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.
This is one sign I was not expecting to see; shows how much I now about fishing! Apparently fishing is big around here, so big have a council supplied offal pit is justified. There you go, you learn something new all the time.
The after-effects of the early morning storm still lingering over the rocky outcrop just out of Cheynes Beach.
The last of the telecommunication towers on this ride. A rather minimalist step serving Cheynes Beach.
The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.
This is one sign I was not expecting to see; shows how much I now about fishing! Apparently fishing is big around here, so big have a council supplied offal pit is justified. There you go, you learn something new all the time.
The after-effects of the early morning storm still lingering over the rocky outcrop just out of Cheynes Beach.
The last of the telecommunication towers on this ride. A rather minimalist step serving Cheynes Beach.
02-04-18, 06:11 AM
#55
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Thread Starter
DAY 11 [POST 02] THURSDAY DECEMBER 14 - CHEYNES BEACH TO ALBANY
The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.
I was to spend a few hours riding through Waychinicup National Park, the home to Mt Manypeaks and some 800+ flora and fauna species including some of rarest animals in Australia including quenda, ring tailed possums and one of the few mainland populations of quokkas [source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waychi...National_Park].
My first sighting of Mt Manypeaks as the sun broke through. My ride for today had me skirting around Mt Manypeaks, mind you there was still some climbing on a rocky track involved.
Easily the tallest Xanthorrhoea [Balga Tree] I saw on the ride through the Waychinicup National Park; in fact on the whole ride. A noticeable change in fauna from the Fitzgerald River National Park.
The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.
I was to spend a few hours riding through Waychinicup National Park, the home to Mt Manypeaks and some 800+ flora and fauna species including some of rarest animals in Australia including quenda, ring tailed possums and one of the few mainland populations of quokkas [source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waychi...National_Park].
My first sighting of Mt Manypeaks as the sun broke through. My ride for today had me skirting around Mt Manypeaks, mind you there was still some climbing on a rocky track involved.
Easily the tallest Xanthorrhoea [Balga Tree] I saw on the ride through the Waychinicup National Park; in fact on the whole ride. A noticeable change in fauna from the Fitzgerald River National Park.
02-06-18, 06:09 AM
#56
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Thread Starter
DAY 11 [POST 03] THURSDAY DECEMBER 14 - CHEYNES BEACH TO ALBANY
The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.
Day 11: Esperance to Albany: The Unconventional Ride. 750 km in 10 days. An unidentifiable, to me at least, wildflower in slow decay in the Waychinicup National Park.
A pink flower. I have an uncomfortable feeling this is a weed, a South African import? - Waychinicup National Park.
A white flower. I am not able to identify it so if you can help, please do - Waychinicup National Park.
The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.
Day 11: Esperance to Albany: The Unconventional Ride. 750 km in 10 days. An unidentifiable, to me at least, wildflower in slow decay in the Waychinicup National Park.
A pink flower. I have an uncomfortable feeling this is a weed, a South African import? - Waychinicup National Park.
A white flower. I am not able to identify it so if you can help, please do - Waychinicup National Park.
02-07-18, 06:51 PM
#57
Senior Member
Thread Starter
DAY 11 [POST 04] THURSDAY DECEMBER 14 - CHEYNES BEACH TO ALBANY
The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.
Working my around Mt Manypeaks on pretty good tracks in the Waychinicup National Park.
Mt Manypeaks from a north-western perspective. My last substantive view of the mountain before leaving the park.
This fence marks one boundary of a 380 hectare section of the Waychinicup National Park fenced off to provide a protection zone for one of the world's rarest marsupial species, Gilbert's potoroo (Potorous gilbertii). The aim of the fence is to protect the native fauna from cats and foxes but it didn't allow for the native predator, the Carpet Snake which is apparently proving to be a well fed pest.
The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.
Working my around Mt Manypeaks on pretty good tracks in the Waychinicup National Park.
Mt Manypeaks from a north-western perspective. My last substantive view of the mountain before leaving the park.
This fence marks one boundary of a 380 hectare section of the Waychinicup National Park fenced off to provide a protection zone for one of the world's rarest marsupial species, Gilbert's potoroo (Potorous gilbertii). The aim of the fence is to protect the native fauna from cats and foxes but it didn't allow for the native predator, the Carpet Snake which is apparently proving to be a well fed pest.
02-10-18, 03:30 AM
#58
Senior Member
Thread Starter
DAY 11 [POST 05] THURSDAY DECEMBER 14 - CHEYNES BEACH TO ALBANY
The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.
My nemesis, Normans Beach. This was the one and only unrideable beach. Of course I dropped down on the beach near the eastern end so had a fair bit of slogging to do. However I was "recused". Note the house? Well the owner had seen me and dropped down to the beach on his quad bike to see what was happening. End result was a tow for about 500 to 800 metres along the beach. Mind you I then had to push out up off the beach via a muddy creak followed by a steep track. Not fun at all.
Looking west over Two Peoples Bay. I dropped down to the eastern end of the beach and then rode to the western end, some 4.5 km of excellent beach riding. This was to be my last beach of the ride so a nice one to finish off.
I took lunch well above Bettys Beach having climbed out of Normans Beach. It was a pleasant spot watching the ants scarring around below me.
The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.
My nemesis, Normans Beach. This was the one and only unrideable beach. Of course I dropped down on the beach near the eastern end so had a fair bit of slogging to do. However I was "recused". Note the house? Well the owner had seen me and dropped down to the beach on his quad bike to see what was happening. End result was a tow for about 500 to 800 metres along the beach. Mind you I then had to push out up off the beach via a muddy creak followed by a steep track. Not fun at all.
Looking west over Two Peoples Bay. I dropped down to the eastern end of the beach and then rode to the western end, some 4.5 km of excellent beach riding. This was to be my last beach of the ride so a nice one to finish off.
I took lunch well above Bettys Beach having climbed out of Normans Beach. It was a pleasant spot watching the ants scarring around below me.
02-12-18, 06:19 AM
#59
Senior Member
Thread Starter
DAY 11 [POST 06] THURSDAY DECEMBER 14 - CHEYNES BEACH TO ALBANY
The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.
Looking west to Mt Gardner from Two Peoples Bay beach.
Names of geographical locations are at times most interesting.
This sign was a bit of surprise, well a big surprise. Not something you tend to see in Western Australia and even more curious out here in the "middle of nowhere" so to speak.
The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.
Looking west to Mt Gardner from Two Peoples Bay beach.
Names of geographical locations are at times most interesting.
This sign was a bit of surprise, well a big surprise. Not something you tend to see in Western Australia and even more curious out here in the "middle of nowhere" so to speak.
02-14-18, 06:05 AM
#61
Senior Member
Thread Starter
DAY 11 [POST 07] THURSDAY DECEMBER 14 - CHEYNES BEACH TO ALBANY
The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.
My first substantive sighting of my destination, Albany. It was so close yet so far with 20 km to ride in to the infamous Albany Doctor: a southern ocean headwind.
Peace at home; peace in the world. This statute in remembrance of the Battle of Gallipoli and the Turkish President, Ataturk marks the end of my unconventional ride from Esperance to Albany, Western Australia.
The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.
My first substantive sighting of my destination, Albany. It was so close yet so far with 20 km to ride in to the infamous Albany Doctor: a southern ocean headwind.
Peace at home; peace in the world. This statute in remembrance of the Battle of Gallipoli and the Turkish President, Ataturk marks the end of my unconventional ride from Esperance to Albany, Western Australia.
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