After checking into the Boddington Motel, and having a lovely warm shower and drying myself with the softest towels ever, it was back to the pub for dinner. I was still starving, and in need of something substantial. A parmy with veg, yes sir-re Bob, that is me. Will went for his usual steak. Both were great meals, and after a couple of beers and a glass of red, we were both ready to retire.
Not a bad sleep, and then it was breakfast, which was included in the room, with wheatbix, sultana bran or rice bubbles and toast. We ate everything. Got to make sure we have enough energy. I was confident today, as we'd bought some bananas (can't help singing that Gwen Stephanie song every time we eat one), I'm sure this is where I went wrong yesterday. Bananas are a cyclists best friend. Full of delicious goodness.
So after having a nice chat to Karen, who owns the motel, we finally got underway just after 9am. As we turned onto the Crossman road, we spotted a cycle path and followed that for a couple of kays out of town, before having to get back on the road. There was no shoulder at all, but the few cars we saw were awesome, and gave us plenty of room. Lots of waves today, and lovely gentle hills. There was no problem with people seeing us today, we were team yellow, bloody blinding yellow.
Yellow leader heading down the cycle path out of Boddington.
Our first Emu, just out of Boddington. We could hear his drumming sounds.
The old Crossman roadhouse, that is only a canopy now, was where we stopped to have a banana (this shit is bananas, B. A. N. A. N. A. S) and a coffee. We've got smarter, and made a cuppa back at the hotel in our thermos'. The bloody drinks were too hot, so we put them away for lunch. We rolled down the Albany highway 500mtrs, to turn right onto the Crossman Dwarda road to head towards Wandering, then Pingelly. It was a really nice quiet road, with rolling hills, and lots of sheep, canola and cows. Oh, and a large, and very noisy, flock of red tailed black cockatoos. Those things are pretty big. It was fun watching how the sheep reacted to us, racing off with their lambs away from us. Sometimes they got so scared they ran into each other.....so funny. One time, the paddock was full of Rams, and the stampede started a fight, with several of them head butting each other. Stupid buggers!
Bit cool, but sun wash shining, and the road quiet.
About 8kms along, the road widened with new surface, and it was beautiful. We cracked open the packet of Minties, a new weapon in our artillery to keep us occupied when climbing hills. About another 8kms we turned off on a dirt road we'd driven on in January, to head for Pumphreys Bridge. We decided that we'd camp there tonight, as we new there was water and we could have a fire. It wasn't a bad dirt road, but it did make the hills a little harder than they would have otherwise been, and Minties were needed.
Look at all that golden Canola! How beautiful.
Not too bad for dirt, pretty compact, thank goodness.
We were supposed to turn left onto the Noombling Norrine road, but got confused, and carried on straight. We hadn't seen a car on this road and then we heard one coming up behind us. I thought I'd get over more to the left, out of the way, but the tyres got bogged down, and you'll never guess what happened, me and Fat Betty, got dirty. No harm done, but the car did stop and the lady driver, was very concerned about us. I assured her I was fine, which I was, and that I am good at falling now, with the clip in shoes. She asked us if we'd like to stop in at her home for some food, just down the road. It sounded like a good idea, until we discovered it was actually not in our direction, and 20kms away. But such a lovely gesture.
I managed to break away for a change.....
As we carried on, we came to a pretty steep, long climb, and I was actually feeling ok. Will was feeling the effects of his two super hill days, and was taking his time. We got to the top and decided to have some lunch and see where we were, we were both feeling like something was off.
Woo, yeah, another hill beaten down! Come on Will, it's lunch time.
So we whipped out our new little chairs, and our left over coffees, and while Will checked maps and stuff, I chucked together a couple of Ham and Cheese rolls each. We sat next to a gorgeous yellow field of canola, and made our plans. It was confirmed, we'd messed up, but I wasn't going back, so we found a campground only 15kms away, and headed for that. As a wonderful surprise, the dirt soon changed to sealed road, we saw no cars, and it was great riding. We did see one farmer on his motorbike, checking fences, who shouted a "g'day and where ya from?", and looked like he might like a chat, but we were on a roll, downhill. We did yell back some responses, and gave a big smile and wave. Lots a farmland, animals and birds. Nice gentle hills, and before we knew it our turn off arrived. Left onto York Williams road, more dirt, but only 2 more kilometres to the campground.
Could be worse, rain, wind, flies....all much worse than this nice spot.
The kids just chilling under the trees.
And oh my goodness, what a wonderful spot this is. Neither of us had heard about it, but it is super. There is a little camping kitchen area, with gas stove and hot plate, tables and seats, a water tank (that needs to be treated), and clean non-stinky drop toilets, with toilet paper. Yes people, even in the bush you get toilet paper here in Australia! Oh and did I mention fire pits...woo hoo, we're having a fire.
Come on Will, it is only two kays, and we're done. No more hills today.
A quick change of shoes, for the practical work.
That is all I see you lazy shits doing, couldn't you collect wood or something?
So we pick a sight, change our clothes, and get to work. Will is like a bower bird, and goes to all the other fire pits and steals their wood (there were no campers), while I put up the tent and make beds. As we arrived pretty early, about 2:30pm, we had time to kill. We filled up the big 4L bottle with water and put in four pills to purify it, then left it to do it's thing. Then we went for a walk to explore and check out the dam. The Dwellingup to Narrogin rail line went through here, carting timber even going as far as South Australia. It was built in the early 1900's, and there are some ruins to look at. Lots of lovely bush, birds, and hopefully some hopping animals later. The kookaburras have already had a laugh at us, and we've watched lots of camper vans pull into the other area, just for those types of vehicles. We are all by ourselves up this end. Such a great spot to find after a wrong turn.
Camp set up, hut secured in case of rain, wood collected, let's go for a walk.
Remnants of the old water tank to supply the trains carting timber.
That's where you're sleeping tonight if you snore Willsie...
Mummy possum and her baby came to say hi, Dad was in the next tree across.
A conservative fire for our first one. I'm chatting to the possums.......hmmm!
Tomorrow is forecast lots of rain, and cold, so I hope we can get somewhere we will be able to get warm.
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