Apart from that I’d actually got another GPS from Garmin Australia for free, a new Iso-Matte from Cascade Design (Therm-a-Rest), the new Brooks saddle that I had sent from England myself, and in the meantime Hilleberg had let me have a new inner tent. The money was enough for new shoe-laces instead of new shoes. The long stay in Perth was worth it. I hope that the equipment, above all the bicycle, would last until I came home again.
The time in Perth even had some special highlights thanks to the chamber music group of Rose’s that took me to their hearts. I profited further from these acquaintances since they had also taken care of addresses further in the South for me.
The next stage on from Perth was to be the Munda Bidda trail (http://www.mundabiddi.org.au/). Everyone warned me about this part. It could hardly be ridden, you had to carry your bicycle, etc., and also barely possible with luggage. I sent Graeme, who started with a friend two days before me, in advance effectively as a guinea-pig. On the second day he called me and thought that I should come to Jarrahdale, the start of the second stage, and go on further with him as it would be better to do it as a pair. His friend had had to go back to Perth. I was glad that he took the decision for me and we’d meet further to the south. Despite that I had the pleasure to go 426km through thick bush.
However the first 20km was on tarmac due to a diversion caused by tree-felling. But then at last I really started the trek.
If I hadn’t heard so much about this stretch already i would have been totally shocked: narrow tracks, rough sand,
stones, branches, deep ruts,
which would have been a pleasure to whizz through there on a mountain bike. With all the luggage it was quite another challenge once again. The reward came always at the end of the day, simple huts, totally isolated in the middle of the forest.
This construction, built by prison labour, was simply great. Just as much as you need: a roof over your head, wooden boards on which you can sleep, benches and tables, two water tanks with rain water, bicycle stands and, somewhat apart, a small outside toilet.
However, the next two days would be really comfortable once more. Graeme’s wheel rim was broken. He had had to stop every 2km and adjust his spokes again as far as Dwillingup, a nice small village, the next station. Somewhere along the line we decided to go on by road. At lunchtime we were already at the camping site in the middle of the forest. As naturally there was no bicycle shop there, Graeme stopped in the next bigger town the next day to buy a new rear wheel. That gave me the chance to ride without luggage the stage that we were spared yesterday. That was a whole new pleasure.We were actually really lucky with the weather, it was mainly dry during the day. Once it had rained hard almost the whole night, so that the trail was full of deep muddy patches. I actually fell over in one, how embarrassing.
The bike and I took a bath together. I looked about the same as the panniers, coverd in mud. Luckily the sun was shining. Thanks to the branches and twigs loaded with water on the narrow paths, 
In the evening there was one of these wonderful places again with the fantastic huts. With everything laid out to dry I put on warm, half-dry clothes for the hut.
The nearer I got to the end, the easier the way became. The whole stretch is divided into „Easy“, „Middle“ and „Challenging“. In fact the end was all called „Easy“, although I didn’t quite understand it as it wasn’t always like this
line, that was used to carry huge tree trunks out of the forest. Since there are no giant trees any more and so no logging, they had not only ripped out the tracks but also the majority of the houses that aren’t lived in any more have fallen to the ground. On this old railway line where the planks still lie left and right to the track and nails still lie in the way, is at the moment the last part of the Munda Biddi Trail ending in Nannup.
In a few years it will be built on further, 1000km to Albany. Altogether we were 9 days on the trail together, and only once met another group – young people on a course. We were at a camping site three times with the benefit of a washing machine and above all a tumble dryer. After Nannup Graeme and I went our separate ways for the first time. He had little time as he had to be in Melbourne at the beginning of October. I wanted to see more of the South-West. In a few years it will be built on further, 1000km to Albany. Altogether we were 9 days on the trail together, and only once met another group – young people on a course. We were at a camping site three times with the benefit of a washing machine and above all a tumble dryer. After Nannup Graeme and I went our separate ways for the first time. He had little time as he had to be in Melbourne at the beginning of October. I wanted to see more of the South-West.
Thanks Graeme for everything, especially for your patience. Perhaps one day (or two :-) ) we will see each other again – have a safe tripPrevelly was the next station for me, west of the Margaret River, where the sister of a musician in Perth lived. The forest track that linked the two places (about 70km of it) was rated as impassable by the Tourist Information. As I wasn’t enthusiastic about going around via the main road, and thought it couldn’t be as bad as the Munda Biddi, I just did it. It was fantastic.
Soon I caught sight of the Margaret River wine town. You could see that with some money here you could soon make more. In the nice small coastal town of Prevelly I was kindly welcomed by Jannet and her husband Barry. What a luxury after days in the bush to have a bed and proper food again. As it was stormy and rainy the next day I just stayed another night. Jannet showed me the coast with the Margaret River delta
that looked really spectacular with this fire.
In a vineyard in the area was a small old aeroplane that the owners had used to fly from England to Perth, The route was painted on the plane. It was much quicker than me, needing only 2 months, for me 1.5 years (if you have to know, the 1.5 year date was on the 17. August), but despite this Jannet asked who was the crazier.
I wasn’t one for wine-tasting but she thought as we were there... so we tried two white wines and talked about the plane etc. and Jannet talked about me. The lady behind the bar was really excited and right away gave me a bottle of red wine. It was very nice of her, so the visit was worthwhile. I left it by my nice guests though as I didn’t need something like that on my bicycle.
A friend was invited to dinner at home that evening. I didn’t want to use such opportunities to talk about my trip but instead to find as much as possible about the next stretches. For example, I didn’t hear only about the wonderful forest tracks but also about a great overnight stop, a forest camp.
My legs were itching to get going again, no matter what the weather looked like. To begin with it was really good, really well rested and off again with a full thirst for action. The Karri Forest began south of Margaret River, a forest with the tallest tree of Australia. Not only was the height unique but also the colour. It looked to be constantly peeling and so had a really light, grey-brown tree-trunk.
But watch out for a storm as then the bits of bark are blown around your ears.
I couldn’t avoid a trip to Augusta and the light-house on Cape Leeuwin. Firstly due to the bakery with its tasty delights, and also as Cape Leeuwin is where the South Ocean and the Indian Ocean meet as it is the south-western tip of Australia.
Off the coast from Cape is one of the most dangerous places to sail. Even when you experience a storm on the land you notice that nobody in the world would want to be in the water. Even standing on the ground is hard. Later I asked myself how I ever got out with my bicycle.
Here I met young Aisian tourists again that really wanted to be photographed with me. I got chewing gum for that, which really wasn’t bad.
Then nothing for it but back and eastwards, I wanted to get to the Forest Rescue Camp and actually didn’t know exactly how far it was. As soon as I got on the highway I met a young German woman tourist who was hitch-hiking her way to the camp. I couldn’t take her with me.
There was then a nice bit more, I heard thunder twice, and it was beginning to get dark as I reached the camp.
Except for two activists, everyone had gone, and of course Tina was there. In the community tent there was a fire with food on it already and the kitchen was full of food donated by sympathising supporting organisations. I couldn’t find much about the actions in the forest but despite that the evening was really entertaining.
The next day was full of rain, rain and hail. First I had to go to Pemberton, a small place in the mountains that used to also live from logging, but nowadays lives more from tourism. I was soaked through and frozen. As a place in the camp site cost the same as a bed in the youth hostel I thought I could take a look at the hostel. Probably it is an advantage if you are a bit older and are not stuck in a dormitory with young Asian women. I got a little villa with a fully equipped kitche, bathroom and WC for me alone as the hostel is divided into several little houses. What luxury, above all with the stove that I used heavily. After a long hot shower I could feel my feet again.
The next day it was stormy and rainy again, this time I put my rain gear on that I probably hadn’t worn since Russia. I was fine with anything except to be as cold and wet as the day before. The 10 hail storms couldn’t touch me. In the evening, at Walpole.
with the nice bay and beaches that I didn’t look at further, I came to another youth hostel on the way to the camp site. I stayed as this was so similar to one the night before. I was the only woman and so had the whole area for me, this time I had to share the kitchen which was also really enjoyable.
The highpoint in the Karri Tree Forest (literally) is in the “Valley of Giants”. There still stand especially big and high examples of the Karri trees, that can get to be 75m high and the Red Tinckle, that can also grow very high. A fire a few years ago burnt off the tops, the tallest trees are now only 60m high. On a Tree Top walk you can almost walk through the treetops,
and see it all from above
The rain and storm did it down a bit but I could take a couple of photos even without a waterproof camera. The tree-trunks too were of gigantic dimensions,
(here you see me in my bright rainproof gear). Even my fully-loaded bicycle looked puny next to it.
Then nothing else for it but to go on as I wanted to get to Albany. Only a short stop in Denmark, an artist and hippy colony. With the nice beaches, it would be a worth a long stay here in summer. For me it was just a short pit-stop in the bakery. After Denmark the rain had actually stopped and it was warm straight away, I could take care of all my plastic and arrived dry in Albany.
As after two nights in a bed I didn’t want to go on spoiling myself, I went to a camping site. It hadn’t rained any more but it was still really swampy. But anyway there was already another tent there.
I wanted to do a bit of sight-seeing before I left the town the next day. It was really worth it as along the coast was wonderful cycle track with a view of the peninsula.
Everyone seemed to be happy, undoubtedly because of the weather that was sunny again at last.
The city centre is composed of lots of old houses, everything looked very trendy and expensive.
So, time to go. From here it was a bit North in the headwind. The first time since Kalbarri. I couldn’t complain after all the days of tailwind.
My host Beatrice, a former musician from Perth, had invited me to Mt Barker. She came straight from Albany as well. Luckily she had to go to Mt Barker as well so I had discovered my first pretzl shop since Ulan Bator.
A Swabian couple from Biberach had wandered into Australia to benefit it with this delicatessen. I ate two straight away, with butter naturally. Who knows when I would make such a find again.
Beatrice didn’t live far from her family, in the country at a beautiful place, nice view, with many woods and meadows around and about it. In the evening we discussed my further tour and checked the weather forecast. I was like a cat on hot bricks again, I just wanted to be going again as fast as possible, to benefit from the West wind, ultimately there was 2000km Nullarber the stretch to Port Augusta in front of me.
Before then there was the Sterling mountain range that practically lay outside Beatrice’s door.
In the morning it rained again and mountains were covered in cloud. I couldn’t do anything about that, I had to take the weather as it comes. I went on good forest and field tracks with little traffic and slowly the weather cleared. Soon I had perfect cycling weather and a wonderful view.
The Sterling Range road goes through the mountain peaks for over 40km .
This area is known for orchids and wild flowers. I was 2 weeks too early for both. But there were already 2 types of orchid that were in bloom, but really small ones. The wild flowers were just starting, you saw a lot of yellow, white and pink in the bushes. In two weeks there would certainly be a real blaze of colours but I was driven on.
Luckily this place was another good place for unofficial camping. I could ride until it was dark and then look for a spot. The day before Esperance I set a new record, 181km! It rained again and was cold. I was drawn away from the road to a private house, for this I had to stop this stretch. Kyrie, the daughter of Beatrice was waiting for me in Esperance with her family.
After the record of the day before I arrived very early the next morning. So I can publish this Blog before I am incommunicado for the next weeks.
Tomorrow, on 22. August it’s about 240km on dirt road to take me to the Eyrie Highway (hopefully), the around 2000km long road through the Nullarbor to Port Augusta. I’ll report again from there.
