70 Kms south of Perth, WA, Australia
I'm sitting in my tent on the side of the road. A closed, barricaded road section. Just off the main freeway into Perth. Right next to the railway track...which actually has trains....with load whistles...that luckily don't blow at night. One of the worst camping spots in all of Australia, I think. But as I was cycling the world's best cycle path, a freaking freeway, along side the freeway, but separate, finding optimum bush camping spots was getting challenging to say the least. This pull off looked promising, just not elegant. And if the deep sand hadn't bent my derailleur all whacky it would have been a good night. It had to be the sand. I didn't feel the bike hit anything. But after pushing it through a section, when I got back on, it wouldn't go. Big problem. I tried bending it back, but it was twisted so the guide wheels would not align properly. No tools to torque it with. Even if I could have gotten it to go in one gear in the rear, I would have been happy. Nope. Skipping all over the place. Oh well. I've learned to just deal with problems as they come. One foot in front of the other. Not a fun problem, but nothing that money won't fix. And so I called Waugal, my hiking buddy, and he's picking me up this morning. All will be fine. A little wrinkle is the derailleur hanger mount is also bent, needs replacing, and that may be unique to my trike. My bike shop back home, Bicycle Man in Alfred Station, NY, and Peter Stull, the owner, has offered to express ship me one if need be. What road support!!! He's been there when I've needed him. Love it!
But it's taken me a few weeks to get to Perth from Nannup. I've been taking my time, enjoying the sights and the people. First stop was the cutest town called Margaret River where I stayed 3 nights with a friend of an Aussie couple I met at a campground in Scotland. Don't ya love it?!?! She has a boarding kennel there and I camped in the yard as her book collection took over the house. All non-fiction on any topic you could think of. Amazing! And April included me in so many different things: a poetry class on sonnets (University for a Third Age...check it out), a vegan dinner at the Soup Kitchen (best meal in ages), an over 55 gym class (I felt so strong, but my upper body is out of shape and I over-stressed my back:)), the Eagle Heritage Center (so interesting learning about raptors of all kinds and seeing them hunt in free flight), a group hike and drone presentation, and went to the movies. Then she got some dog boarders:(. And one night of the barking and I had to find new accommodations. On the hike I met Lidia and she offered her dining room floor in her one bedroom apt. Ok! So I stayed 2 nights with her and did my errands in Margaret River including an organic farmer's market...yum!
This was so exciting. Owls are quite magnificent!!
Froggy Mouth Owl. The look like the branch their sitting on:)
And always a snake hanging around.
Oh, yes!
Next stop up to Dunsborough for yet another air mattress replacement to be picked up at the post office. Expend and K2 Base Camp store in Brisbane have been wonderful getting replacements to me. The mystery is why do the channels blow? The mats are still usable but awkward and uneven. This time I have Exped's Hyperlight. It's smaller than the Synmat UL, more body shaped and not as thick but takes up less room in the tent. I've got my fingers crossed!!
On the way to Dunsborough, I stopped into the Wardan Aboriginal Culture center. April had driven me up here when I was trying to find aboriginal artwork, but I didn't have a look around so I stopped in. It's a family operation, the parents having built it and now the children, Nina and Vivian are running it. Art gallery, museum, classes teaching indigenous skills like finding bush tucker (food), making tools, and throwing spears. For 60,000 years the indigenous people lived and thrived in this challenging land before white settles invaded and displaced them. There's so much knowledge of the land and the seasons to be gleamed from them. Don't lose it. I had a wonderful visit and left with lots of hugs and good wishes.
Then I went to Yallingup, a beach community, for a night at the campground and a swim and sun on the beach. This was my first time in my bathers here.
Gotta use the lingo. Hopefully in Tassie there will be more opportunities this summer. It felt wonderful. And every stop is so social it can get exhausting. At the campground I had a mom, her daughter, and the daughter's friend on one side...and a retired couple from Perth on the other. And we shared many chats in the few short hours. Lots of stories, too many to share. The bike, obviously is the attraction. Nope, never lonely.
On to Dunsborough, but not until I stopped on the way out of Yallingup for free range eggs and wood-fired bread. Yum! The plan in Dunsborough was originally to attend a beach bash. At the vegan dinner in Margaret River I met Lee, a young woman who lives in Dunsborough and teaches movement classes. She was hosting this beach bash and invited me to attend. Timing was the issue. It was still 4 days out. Wasn't going to work. But I did want to catch up with her so after getting my new air mattress at the list office, we met up at a cafe. She's a kindred spirit. A real light in this world. And I wished it would have worked out for me to stay. But I've learned sometimes you have to just enjoy the moment and the connection for the time that you have it.
Keep on pedaling. My plan was to hug the coast and the Geographe Bay around and up to Perth. A beautiful area. Busselton was bustling. A triathlon was happening on the weekend. Get in and get out. Too busy for me. Did manage to find some replacement clothes at an op shop. But letting go of the old faves that have been with me for-ever, is hard. Haven't done it yet, so I have too many items. I do think about why the throwing things out is so hard. I like my old clothes. They've served me well. Looked good, at least I thought so. We're mates. Seems cruel to just stuff them in a bin (garbage can). Sad too. Why? What is thus relationship we humans have with possessions? Why do we need to "own" things? I walk through a gallery and look. I enjoy it. But I'm also tugged with wanting to own the beauty. I can't so it's easy. But what if I could? What would owning give me?
The Western Australia Christmas Tree that blooms bright yellow this time of year.
One of those great wild camping spots I find mist every night. Isn't Spacey, my Big Sky Revolution 2 P tent, cute. I must say I'm ever so happy with my choice of "homes". Just crawling in at night and being able to leave the flaps open, not worry about the rain, is such a treat...especially as it gets warmer and the night breezes are ever so welcome.
Paul and Cherrie, a couple that cycled the Munda Biddi, a 1000 km mountain bike trail here, and I met at the campground in Nannup, spotted me as they were driving home to Perth and stopped to say hello. Small world, isn't it?
Lovely water view this night. What's not to love?!?!?
Onward and upward. Had some wonderful bush camping spots along the way. It's so easy in rural Australia. As long as I have enough water, every place is a campsite. Ants are the biggest issue. And they are everywhere. And every size. Teeny, tiny, like the period on this page...up to an inch long or more. And they get in my tent. And then there's the flies. In my eyes, up my nose, in my ears, even in my mouth. Thank goodness for the bug net. Frustrating to look through but a lifesaver.
I had a lovely stay with Warmshowers hosts Jose and Linda Narvaez-Evans in their Frank Lloyd Wright home high up the hill. They had a separate unit for cyclists. So sweet. And with storms expected, I stayed an extra night. Linda had to leave for her father's birthday party in Perth but I had plenty to do on my own since I was right in town. And then in the morning before leaving Jose and I chatted over a wide range of topics from the Internet to US politics. I love a good film discussion and a differing point of view. Opens me up to looking at things from another side.
Alongside the highway from Mandurah to Perth, and beyond, is the most amazing cycle path...it's a freeway for bikes!!
And a few more nights on the road brings me to today and my predicament. I just looked at a map and I'm so sad not to be biking the rest of the way.
Livin' the life!
BagLady
