Kalbarri to Perth, Oct 05 - Day 3

Next morning, deciding upon an early start to beat the wind, I got up at 4:00 AM. I went outside and walked around a bit and just about passed out. The last time this happened to me, I had low blood pressure, so I thought lovely, that's all I need after yesterday.

After a quick feed of hot oats, and filling the flask with hot water, I headed out into a beautiful star filled sky, on a windless road. When I say that I headed out into a beautiful star filled sky, that is what it looked like. The road and surrounding areas were flat, so it actually looked like I was riding in the sky. It was wonderful, and the only sound was the whirring of the pedals and wheels.

I rode without lights, as I usually do, and when something comes along, I get well off of the road, and turn the lights on. Every time I did this and stopped, I was still light headed.

Hide/Show Map

Today's route

Finally after a splendid sunrise, and still feeling strange, I stopped for second breakfast, and noted the wind was starting up again, but from the south west. Must be an early sea breeze. All I had to do was make it to Dongara, because the road swings around to head east, and I would have a tail wind until I headed south, but this would be far enough inland to have less of an effect.

It was at the stop for second breakfast, that I started to feel worse, but I knew, I had to get back on the bike and keep riding because I would be fine on the bike. Yes fine on the bike, get on the bike and ride. It was also at this time, that I developed a craving for salad sandwiches, and chocolate milk.

Finally, finally, at last I made it to Dongara. I thought of heading to the hospital, because this blood pressure problem could become serious, but I had to visit the roadhouse first. These cravings were getting worse. I walked into the roadhouse, grabbed two large cartons of chocolate milk, and just as I walked up to the counter, the nice lady walked out with about 8 rounds of sandwiches to load into the sandwich cabinet.

I asked what they were. They were all assorted meat, and salad sandwiches. I said I'll have them please. She asked, what, one round? No, I answered, all of them! I paid and said to her to make some more, I might need them. I sat outside, and drank the chocolate milk, and ate all of the sandwiches, plus some stuff that I had on the bike. Whilst eating, I debated whether to head into Dongara and visit the hospital, but I went back to the shop and got some more sandwiches for later, and some fruit cake, because I had now developed a craving for fruit cake of all things.

After a massive feed, and still feeling light headed, I had this feeling that if I got back on the bike I would be alright. So that is what I did. I headed off with a beautiful tail wind and was reaching speeds of up to 35 km/h. The best so far on the whole trip on flat roads. I reached the turn off quicker than expected, and headed south with a light head wind from the right. I was finally far enough inland to have some wind break.

It was along this stretch of the road that the a**e hole truck driver of the year award was awarded. It was a totally empty road, and a road train from behind decides to put his wheels on the white line of the shoulder and see how close he can come to assassinating me. What he didn't realise, was that I have rear vision mirrors and saw him coming, and I also got his number plate. Our paths will cross again one day.

Just where the Indian Ocean Drive turnoff meets the highway, as I'm approaching the turn off, I spot two cyclists coming out of it and heading north towards me. They pull over and we have a good chat. They were from Germany, and were husband and wife, and were touring on 700c wheel bikes. I couldn't understand their English too well, but his wife spoke better English. I noticed he was as red as a lobster with sunburn and mentioned it. She replied that they had got some sun tan lotion.

They were headed up North, so I pointed out that the two 750 ml bottles on their bikes would not be enough. He pulled a load of empty wine cask bladders out of a bag and grinned. He obviously knew what he was doing, even though their bikes didn't look like they'd take a pounding on a gravel road.

I told them about the road trains, and mentioned that there were three more cyclists about a day or two behind me. I wished them a good trip, and kept going.

You see some strange things alongside the road, and on this trip I had seen lots of shoes, clothes and even some mobile phones, but this stretch of road had the weirdest stuff. I spotted a bra, about 4,000 magazines (all the same), a TV set, and house telephone. It wasn't working, because I tried to make a call on it :)

I finally reached the picnic area that was marked on the map at about 52 kms north of Eneabba. It had a nice enviro friendly toilet, and a shelter, but no water, and no wind. I checked out the back and there is some possible stealth camping spots, but it was too early in the day. So I stopped for second lunch and had a lay down. I was still feeling a bit weird, but was getting better. As I munched the fruit cake, I thought it must have been all those salad sandwiches that made me better.

Picnic area 52 kms north of Eneabba.

Track to possible stealth camp sites?

I made good time to Eneabba, but it was only 3:30 when I got there, and I was stuffed if I could find the caravan park, so I called into the roadhouse and brought a 5 litre container of ice cold water and more fruitcake. Across the road was the football oval and some nice restrooms and toilets. There was even a tap in the picnic area with a sign saying that the water was safe to drink.

Deciding to keep riding and stealth camp the night, I filled up all the water containers, plus strapped the 5 litre container to the top of the BOB trailer, after putting the cold water into the thermos, and drinking most of it. I had nearly 20 litres on board.

Heading off into the late afternoon, it started to get a bit hilly, which cut out the wind. I was starting to look for likely spots to stealth camp. I found a couple but, they weren't quite right. At about 20 kms south of Eneabba, I started up a huge hill, and as it was getting dark I pulled into the roadside stop halfway up the hill. My golden rule is to never camp at one of these places, because of the human filth scattered around these places.

As the land was low scrub and sandy, I was able to head into the scrub, to the south of the parking area, and found a nice spot in a dip in the sand to set up the tent. I asked myself "Why carry all this water, when it's not that hot"? Well I can have a shower. The secret is to have a plastic bidon bottle, and fill it three quarters with hot water, and the rest with cold. It's only 750 ml, but it's enough to have a shower in. You squeeze the bottle to squirt the water in the bits that need washing.

The MSR stove worked faultlessly as usual, and after setting up the tent, and cooking a giant meal, I wasn't all that hungry, and couldn't eat it all. It must be all that fruitcake I've been eating.

It was beautiful, sitting there in the evening, looking up at the millions of stars in the sky, and when there was no traffic on the highway, I could hear the blood in my ears. Amazingly I got a signal on the CDMA mobile, so was able to send a text message. After that, I sat and listened to nothing. Listening to nothing is good. You have to try it, to know what I mean.

Next - Day Four