Kalbarri to Perth, Oct 05 - Day 2

I thought I'd get off to an early start today, because I had to get through Geraldton, and then be heading into an afternoon sea breeze headwind. I had a good run out of Northhampton with no wind, and lots of roller coaster hills.

I stopped for second breakfast at a nice roadside stop with a view of the surrounding hills. The only trouble was the flies. I was riding again with the fly net over my head. Excellent investment at only $2.

Road side rest area north of Geraldton.

Nice View, but lots of flies.

I headed off to Geraldton and just as I made it to the outskirts of Geraldton, the sea breeze came in. I stopped at a roadhouse for an early lunch. Believe it or not, but all of the taps at this massive roadhouse and it's parks and picnic areas had the handles cut off. I finally found a tap out the back to top off my water supplies. I kept to the highway to get through Geraldton. What a mistake! It's very busy.

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Today's route

As I'm coming down the final big hill to get me on my way out of Geraldton, I'm facing the sea and riding down this huge hill in granny gear. The wind was so strong, I was going downhill at 5 km/h.

I headed out towards Dongara, thinking that I'm not going to make it there today. I went to use my mobile phone, but surprise surprise, it has no signal, and I'm in Geraldton. So I dig around for the other mobile phone which is CDMA, and it had a signal. I couldn't park the bike, because the wind kept trying to blow it over, so I ate a snack and made a few phone calls whilst straddling the bike.

On the way to Dongara in a full blown head wind, blowing slightly at me from the right, I eventually had to take the helmet off. The reason was because every time, a road train coming the other way passed me the wind would try to rip my head off. By taking the helmet off, it saved my head from becoming separated from my neck. The only advantage with a howling head wind, was that there was no flies.

I came along to one section where the right hand lane was totally blocked off. The guy with the sign said that I could ride through in the blocked off right lane. It was good cruising with a lane all to myself. Halfway through, there was six guys all sitting on the road playing cards. Obviously on their lunch break. They were trimming the trees along the edge of the road and the wind was blowing the debris away.

The headwind was getting stronger, and I was gradually running out of energy. The bike was quite stable, but I was getting nowhere fast. I noticed 80,000 flies all on my back keeping out of the wind. Probably the extra weight slowing me down.

Yes it's so windy all of the time, the trees are permanently bent.

I finally made it to the historical hamlet of Greenough. At the south end was a huge sign and a picnic area. The sign cut the wind out, and I was able to lean the bike against the picnic table. There was also a water fountain, with a clear sign that a cyclist had been there before, because there was a cable tie around it to keep the tap turned on, so you could fill your water bottles.

The water fountain in Greenough.

Nice picnic table out of the wind.

I had third lunch and tried to rearrange the load slightly. I headed off again, but it was even worse. It was now getting dangerous riding with the cross wind. I had to get off of the road every time something came from either direction because when it passed and cut the wind, I would veer off in some unpredictable direction.

I thought to myself, why on earth am I riding in this? It would be nice going the other way though. Finally the road took a bend towards the west, so the wind was hammering me from my left front. This was even more dangerous. By about 3:00 PM, the road took a turn left again straight into the wind. It was the end of the big S bend, and right on the bend was a roadhouse, and a caravan park.

I decided to take a caravan to get out of the wind. I'd had enough for one day. Having to deal with getting through Geraldton, and the wind. The caravan park had no drinking water because their tanks were being cleaned, so he gave me a large bottle of cold spring water from the shop's fridge. Ahhh, ice cold spring water!

A hot shower, and being a zombie watching country TV for an hour or two and I started to recover. Meanwhile the caravan is still rocking from the wind. Just as the sun set, the wind died.

Next - Day Three