Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Day 18 & 19 – Great run into a rest day


Not a bad way to end the day
The run into Ceduna was the best surprise of the trip so far. For some reason I’d miss read the map for the last two days, and assumed I’d be heading southwest. With all weather reports showing strong southerlies, had prepped for crosswinds at best, headwinds at worse. Again the route was Northwest all day.

The wind was not right up my backside, but I’ll take it hammering up my left buttock and occasionally having to right the bike, over headwinds any day. It gusted so hard all day (and helped by starting earlier enough to ride the first 30 mins in the pitch dark pre-dawn) I made Ceduna two hours earlier than hoped. A very satisfying end to this leg of the journey.

Lunch a long way from anywhere
There is really not a lot to say about the scenery yesterday. Hills are down to almost nothing, and it’s just vast industrial wheat growing as far as the eye can see. Peppered occasionally by these little dusty villages huddled round the grain silos. It feels about as remote from big city life as you could get in the developed world.

Traffic has died down even further, and is more noticeably dominated by tourists. And it’s been amusing me what “real life,” you know the bit where you go to a job 5 days a week, get a house, kids and all the paraphernalia does to people. As it’s term time the only people on the roads are students and retirees. They are as enthusiastic as each other in their waving, tooting and generally being nice. In fact it looks and feels as though they are all on one huge trip together, all as excited as one another, but how they’ve prepared for the trip is gloriously different.

More seaside piers, obv
The retirees come past in their pristine compact 4x4s, hauling well maintained caravans, spare petrol strapped to the sides, plastic lock boxes on the roof, thermal coffee mugs in cup holders, sun hats on in the car, and all dressed like they are off to a golf club bbq.

Then the students come through in a wonderfully motley assortment of old vans, 90s saloons, 80s 4x4s,, windows open feet out, music blaring, camp gear flapping on the roof, occasionally surfboards strapped on any old way. Coffee cups, coke cans and road trip detritus cluttering the dashboard. Have little doubt few of them know where the catch for the bonnet is or how to change a wheel or where the next roadhouse is. They all have that glorious air of the best plan in life made on the hoof, in a pub, over a beer.

I envy them being in that slim window where you believe you’re invincible for a few years. And it’s fascinating because clear both groups are doing the crossing for the same reason, you can see the motives are the same. All “real life” seems to achieve is to make you a little more cautious. Personally also love the idea of these  same retirees waving off their grandchildren on big trips, assuming they are prepped up to the hilt. Little do they know.

Flashy frontage to hotel
Ceduna itself is a dusty little town of a couple of thousand on the shores of Murat Bay. It’s another of those places that has taken on a rather mythical relevance on the road. It is the point where without question I’m over half way to Perth. It is also the last service town of any size for over 700 miles, and it is the gateway to the Nullabor proper. It is also the first full day’s rest stop for a week. Getting here last night felt great, as did discovering the sports shop has all the cycle spares I need.

Crapy motel part
The motel is something of a disappointment sadly. Wanting to treat myself I’d booked into the smart looking (and annoyingly expensive) Hotel on the shorefront. Turns out the big flashy frontage masks a pretty average motel behind, but what a cracking view from the café at the front (see top).

I’m writing this looking at the same view after breakfast. Now it is then off to close out a long list of admin, and hopefully find the Japanese cycle touring couple I spotted yesterday coming into town. It’s the first people spotted on a bike in a week, and the first cycle tourers at all. Guessing they have come in from the other direction, so keen to get tips.

So that’s it. A day off the bike, in the sun by the seaside, an easy day’s cycling in here, and on the way to the finish line. Feels good.

For anyone reading this relatively regularly you may have noticed updates are coming in batches. Pretty sure it going to be this for a week. Internet is patchy round here.

Stocking up on essentials
Miles: 109 – Minnipa – Wirrula – Ceduna

Breakfast – Standard
Lunch – Cheese toastie, Yummy dried beef sticks, rather too many fruit pastille type sweets and an Almond magnum. – Wirrula Grocery store – Aware this is hardly going to win me Woman’s Own Nutrionist of the year, but bugger it I was hungry and those where the first things that appealed. The store cum post office, was just about the most remote rural place you could imagine, but the lady running it was very kind and friendly.

Dinner – Curiously disgusting grilled fish at the grandly titled “Bistro” in the hotel. Wanted fish, but not battered, so chose the grilled option. Bizarrely they had still covered it in batter before grilling it. Was really revolting and expensive.

1 comment:

  1. You blatantly bought some Bieber fragrance for Jamie didn't you? Liking the General Store that sells literally everything from banking, to dining, to gasoline. A guy's dream store surely? Battered, grilled fish. Sounds amazing with some ketchup

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