Around Australia on a GSA. Three months, Two People, 26,000 Kilometers.

[obsidian]

From what I read in the propaganda, there were camels that walked along the beach at sunrise and sunset, so seeing as we'd be getting up early anyway, we got up early to see the camels at sunrise, but there were no camels.



It was about 6 am, and we walked along the beach, peaceful, the pools of light began to change colour from pink to blue as the sun began to rise.  The temperature was already about 18 or 19 degrees.  We thought we'd come back here later, so we headed into town for some breakfast, and a little tour around.

Walked around town and saw the “Sun Cinema”





an amazing outdoor cinema



that has lawn-chairs and an old building with posters and cameras from years ago.  



We passed by all the pearl shops, what Broome is famous for,



and had a looked at the pearl boats, and read a bit about the history of pearl diving.



Joe tries out the croc head



After town, we headed back to the beach for a nice relaxing afternoon.





The evening quickly came, 4x4 and some cars littered the beach, with their lawn chairs and their chilly bins:  "esky" for you Aussies or "coolers" for you in North America.



We watched the camel trains take people up and down the shore.  











After the sun set, we headed back up towards the hotel, and found a fantastic place to eat some dinner.  Yum!

Over all it was a fantastic day off.

[obsidian]

We left Broome at 6:15 am, the land was completely covered in fog, rolled through thick like pea soup.  Of course, we saw lots of wildlife like kangaroos and wallabies, crows and the wedge tail hawk and others feeding on roadkill.  The road trains could be heard, but not seen through the curtain, their rumbling creating tremors in the fog, parting with their bull bars, cutting like a butter knife.  



We traveled in our veil for about an hour before the scorching sun stung the mist, evaporating it into nothingness.  



Our first stop was the Sandfire roadhouse to gas up.  



It was appropriately named, and ironically burned down a few months before.  As Joe paid for gas at the temporary kiosk, I watched the peacocks roaming around.  It felt like a strange place, really on the edge of nothing.  The attendant stated they were going to eventually rebuild it, but really, what would be the point in that?



We continued on, the land was baron and flat, there is really nothing out here, except the road kill and the road trains.  The bustas keep us on our toes as the eat away at the flesh of the dead, and depart when they hear the sound of engine.  The BMW is quite, so they don’t here it quite soon enough, exiting just in time, before our wheel makes it their last supper.  



We watch people camped out on the river

Our next stop the Perdoo roadhouse had a bit more stuff, had some lunch outside and relaxed before final leg.



The last leg to Port Hedland, the wind picked up, crosswind pushing us towards the center of the road, the bike took it pretty well but it was scary a few times when road trains would pass and the wind would suck you into their front grill, or try to anyways, also passed by a heap load of termite mounds wearing hardhats, sorry no photo, but if you are ever that way look out on the south side of the road.



We finally made it into Port Hedland, an industrial town, salt, iron and others, center around the main river mouth, the town is an afterthought, but still a nice sunset to be had and a good dinner of steak and fish at the esplanade restaurant.  



Walked 8 km to town, joe was not happy about it, but we finally made it.  I got mad at him for not taking the cell phone, and he got mad at me saying that it was farther than I said, however, I did say that it was 8 km to town, and 4 to the shops, so it was no big surprise.  I think the stress of dealing with the cross wind put us both on edge, but it was over... for now.



It was then back to the room to finish up for the night and off to sleep, not a big day for us.



Japanese Graveyard at Port Headland



Perl Luggers and Gold Prospectors



We walked around the beach walkway, no turtles this time of year.

 

Still an amazing sunset



More of the sunset.  This is a west coast specialty!

[obsidian]

A not so early start as we decided to sleep in a bit for this “non-consequence” ride of 340 kms to Karijini National park.  We took our time getting ready and packing, making sure not to leave anything behind.  As we bombed down the main road from the caravan park, neither of us took too much notice of the wind cropping up from the harbor.  In fact, it wasn't until the causeway that we stood up or, the bike stood up and took notice as a giant gust tried to slam us into the side of a road train coming in the opposite direction.  As the Garmin took us on a wild goose chase around south headland to find fuel, the wind was blowing steady and strong with no sign of letting up.  We finally gave up following the garmin and found a shell station to take our money as the bike guzzled back 24 liters of fuel.  I went into pay and as always was amused by the stunned attendant.  For there only being a few people filling their tanks they sure couldn’t figure out how to operate, organize or just ring up a fuel bill, probably coming off their p high.  I could have easily gotten away without paying for our tank, but i'm not that sort.

Back on the bike we tried to make some headway to Karijini, battling the wind the entire time.  Each gust stronger than the last, and it seemed that no matter which direction the road was headed, the wind would always be a crosswind, fighting Joe for control.  



We stopped a few times, and once in the middle of a desolate area where the wind howled across empty fields of sun baked grass, it felt like we were in the middle of an unforgiving land, not a few hundred kms from the nearest town.  Finally, after 250kms of tug-o-war with the mother nature, we turned into the Manjini roadhouse for a top-up and to use the toilets.  Again, a stunned attendant and the toilets were out of order, yay.  I guess i'll have to hold it til the camp.  



We see a DR kitted out filling up as well, with and ADV sticker, I envied him a bit, having such a light manageable bike, we had let go of our DRs a few months before, to fund this trip, but our trusty steed would take us farther, faster and with more comfort than he would ever have. So suck on that

The scenery  began to change, the hills swarmed around the road, egging us on to explore the area.  We made our way into the heart of the park.  



At the magnificent Mount Bruce, we turn into the gravel road and find our way to the Eco Retreat.  



Into Karijini



Flora checks out the Spiniflex


Joe does a drive by



We stop to have a look at the map of the area

Even with the trouble with the wind we are making good time.  We check in and get our camp number and find a tent spot a little closer than what we would like, but good non the less, set up camp and scrounge around for some food at the eco center.



Typical termite mound of the area

After locating a bag of chips, ice-cream and a drink, yes, heathy I know, we pick up a few maps and look at booking a guided tour or walks.  Joe doesn't seem to impressed with the park so far and is pretty tired from the battle with the wind.



Joe says we don't need camp chairs, not when you have the GSA

“so why did you have us coming to this Karijini, doesn't look like much”  Joe says in a tired tone.
“I dunno, it looked interesting on the website, and everyone said to come here” I responded.
“well i'm not seeing it, and it doesn't look like anything is here” He states.
“i don't understand these maps, I thought the gorge was right here, but I guess not”  I look at the map perplexed.
We walk back to the tent to relax, but joe gets antsy and walks back to the office to try to get something booked.  I sit in the tent and read the propaganda.  A few minutes later he returns.  I look up and the look on his face I know he gave up on the whole thing.



Joe checks out the propaganda

“didn't book anything at the office?” I ask.
“no, my cheapness overcame me, I didn't think that any of the tours were worth it”
“thats fine, cuz I think we should just do the main gorge area north of here anyways”
“What ever you want, i'm fucked from today”
“just relax, we'll get it sorted, we'll do the walk tomorrow and then maybe the Joffe falls walk the day after, we don't have to do much, we can't see everything in 2 days anyways, so we may as well enjoy ourselves” I said.
“fine, we'll get the driving done tomorrow then I can relax before the big ride the day after”
“sounds like a plan”



The afternoon view

We lounge around the campsite then before dinner we decide to check out the Joffe gorge just to see what all the fuss is about.  A sign directing us to the lookout comes up on the path and we head towards it to see.  
“Now thats worth it” joe exclaimed “this is what I wanted to see”
“i'm sure the area up north will be better too”
“ya, if this is a sign of things to come, then i'm sure it should be amazing”
“for sure”


We make our way to dinner and find a “cook your own adventure” style where you grill your meat at the grilling station and help yourself to a salad bar.  In theory it all sounded good, but the cost was pretty upsetting at 30 for a cook your own.  However we had no alternative, having no room on the bike for food storage, we had to take what we could get, and that would be at 30 a plate.  We headed back to our site with the light now completely faded and marveled at the amazing sky.  The camera and tripod came out to get a few shots of the night sky.  The sky was brighter, clearer and more amazing than we had see since we began this trip, and it was a privilege just to witness it.  As the temperature began to drop, we felt it was a good idea to get into sleep mode so we could start the day fresh.  Into the sacks we go, the cold creeping into the tent, we can't escape it.



Flora can't find the infinity on the camera...

Somewhere in the middle of the night, my mattress deflated, and I found myself awake and not understanding why it was so uncomfortable.  Gurrr, a second time now that the mattress has forsaken me.  I promptly wake joe up to tell him that he is going to share my fate the next night as he was going to swap with me.  The morning is cold, but I bound out of bed to get a glimpse at sunrise.

[obsidian]

The night was freezing again.  At today was a half relax half walk day.  We headed over to the Eco Retreat, to charge the laptop for $5.  Everything runs on solar power.





Joffe gorge, which was accessible from our campsite, was a nice easy walk for the day.  







It was late morning before we got there, and clambered down into the gorge to get some amazing shots of the cascading waterfall and the ice cold water below.





























We ended the night with some amazing stars, howling dingos and the temperature plunging well below zero.  We were told at dinner that quite a few people left early due to the temperature, so we're not a bunch of big babies..... yet.

[obsidian]

We woke up to the freezing cold, you could see your breath in the still air in the tent.  It was hard to negotiate our way around packing and putting on the bike gear, our extremities numb and everything not entirely working properly.  Finally, we had everything loaded, we were dressed, and we did what we could to scrape the frost off the seat and windscreen before our departure.  



It was just after 7 am, the sun finally was up, and we had 30 km of corrugated gravel to negotiate before we reached the main road.  Luckily there was no one stupid enough to be up this early, so we had the road to ourselves to pace it over the corrugations.  



The cold snap seemed to have caused the animals to stay in bed, as we didn't see a single roo while we made our way to the foot of mount Bruce.  Finally, at the main junction, we say goodbye to the beautiful Karijini and we head west towards Tom Price and Paraburdoo which is our first fuel stop of the day.  The road to Paraburdoo was carved between the rocks and winding through this amazing part of the country.  

Joe:  From the turnoff towards Paraburdoo, until the town itself the riding was excellent.  Gentle lazy turns on excellent sealed road.  All the while showing some pretty nice scenery similar to the innards of Karijini park.  We rode a bit quick, just to eat some miles up early and arrived at Paraburdoo a few minutes ahead of the schedule I had memorized.  

Finding fuel was a sinch as the shell station was right there in our path.  We fill up with more “regular” fuel.  The attendant asked “Where ya headed today?”  “Exmouth” I replied. “Stuff that, that's too far for me.” She guffawed a bit.  I went outside while Flora got me a coffee and her a hot chocolate.  Meanwhile some German tourists were quizzing me about the bike.  I find the German questions always the funniest.  Anyone else's first question about a motorcycle is “How fast does it go?” a German will normally ask “How far does it go on a tank?”

With our adoring fans in Paraburdoo appeased for the morning we mount up and head out of town on the B-road that will eventually intersect Hwy 136.  Again the surface was perfect, although the road actually had no lines it didn't matter.  Traffic was scarce.

Forty minutes later we intersected Hwy 136 which came from Tom Price.  We decided to take the longer route via Paraburdoo because it was sealed.  It was just a matter of speed on a 700km leg.  Also, I enjoy gravel roads very much, but do feel I need a point to take one.  Taking a gravel road for the sake of taking one doesn't seem very logical to me.  

The scenery was gradually “falling away” and back into desert scrub bushed and plains.  Cows littered the road every few miles and generally took no notice of us.  They got out of the way, and got fatter and fatter the further we went.  I had planned a rest stop half way, but ended up just heading on to the Nanutarra roadhouse.

Nanutarra:



I don't usually expect much from roadhouses, and especially so when they are the only thing for a couple hundred km's either way.  Even my expectations were shot from Nanutarra.  We pulled in and spied the pumps, chaos consumed the busy roadhouse as caravans, semis, cars, and 4wd's came at it from every which way.  

We got to the premium pump, pulled the nozzle out and waited.  The pump was shut down and there was a sign saying wait for attendant.  Yet, there was no attendant there.  Flora wandered to the “greasy spoon” next door to find out.  Finally a dirty guy looking like he just emerged from the 60's and still hadn't shower wanders right by me and then into the kiosk and stands there staring at me.
I wasn't mad, more just felling a bit like “what the fuck”, so I walk a bit closer and yell through the door in my most manly voice possible “Can I get some gas or what?”  That worked, pump switched on and Flora went into pay.  

Instead of realizing it was a lost cause we decided to grab a bite to eat , I ordered the hamburger, small chips, a powerade, water, and flora had a grilled cheese sandwich.  All takeaway style, the total, a whopping $41.00.  My burger alone was 14!  I decided to chew slower than normal to savor my greasy sub-standard $14 burger.  Yet to be fair it was filling, and that is the point I guess.




We say goodbye to Nanutarra and its crappy little roadhouse and say hello to 275km of absolute boredom.  In fact, I think it was on par with the Stuart Hwy!  We only did one stop along the way, and it was a quick one for water and nothing else.  



Towards the end Flora was singing, parodying songs.  I think more to keep me awake and laughing than any other reason.  


Termite Hershey Kisses

We sped past Learmonth and its RAAF base and some kind of weird satellite dishes and arrived in Exmouth just before 3PM.  





Flora went in the BIG4 and dealt with the staff, and our laundry while I sat around for a good hour helpless and feeling broken on so many levels.  



As I write this now, it's time for my feeding.  So we will grab some grub and get to sleep.  We have a huge day tomorrow with the Whaleshark Dive tours,  hopefully we see one of those bad boys up close!

[obsidian]

We excitedly woke up at 6:30 and ready ourselves for the big day of “whale-shark” tours.  We made our way to the front of the park and waited for a bus to pick us up to take us to the wharf.  Joe couldn't remember who we booked with and after the first bus came and we weren't on the list, we figured it would turn up eventually.  Finally another bus came by and our names were on the list, thankfully as we didn't have the email print out or any recollection of who we did book with.  



We boarded, and the bus took us a half hour away along the narrow coastal road that led to the Exmouth boat launch past the lighthouse along side the ranges that separated the coastal winds from the sheltered town.  The weather was looking a bit dodgy, the clouds overhead threatened to thicken up and the wind was becoming consistent.



A tender came to pick us up from the mainland, and take us to “Magellan” our boat for the day.  As we all waited for the crew to finish their duties, it seemed like the weather was not going to let up, what a disappointment after the weather we road in on the day before.  We sat anchored in the calmer area of the reef, the waves one tenth the power of what we could see breaking on the reef further out, the waves catching the wind and creating a white sheet of water hooking over the yellow coral below.



Captain Bill uplifted the anchor and we were off to a quick snorkel spot while we awaited the spotter planes to find the location of the whale-sharks.  We stopped next to a interesting reef, and we all tested our gear in the water.  I was surprised at the current running through the area, and not being the strongest swimmer, it was defiantly a workout.  Though the coral wasn't as colorful as we had seen on the east coast, there was still hundreds of fish of all kinds.  The waves were kinda freaking me out, and I couldn't seem to remain calm as I could see the waves crashing over me while I stick my head in the water to see below.  Frustrated after a few attempts I decided that my gear fit OK and I headed back to the boat, while Joe seemed to thrive on the adverse weather and he was gallivanting off into the reef to find as many types of fish as he could.



Back on board, the master divers Melanie and Danni served us morning tea and Bill fired up the engines to take us outside the reef.  We went up to the fly-bridge to have a listen to what was going on, and they're spotter plane refused to go up due to the weather.  It was windy, but no where near a huge crosswind by any means, and eventually they struck a deal with three planes and five boats to split the cost of the spotters.  As planes were going up, we came around the opening in the reef to open water, where we could see the spray close up, and 2-3 meter rollers as they battled their way in from the sea.  Oh I really hope I don't get seasick, or can't handle the waves.  As Danni explained what to do when we see the whale-shark and the code of conduct stating that you MUST remain 3 meters from the head or body and 4 meters from the tail.  Everyone listened intently, but for some it when in one ear and out the other.  



And then we waited.  Trolling around until the spotter planes found the whale-shark.  Things began to look pretty grim, the weather was not letting up and it didn't seem like there were going to be any  sightings.  All of a sudden we get a call from the spotter plane, Bill radios back to deckie and its all on like Donkey Kong.  

Melanie yells at group one to get ready and we all don our flipper and masks and get ready on the back deck.  Mel waits for the signal and jumps in, directed by the deckie, she moves towards the whale-shark and we try to follow.  As we jump in there is mass confusion, bubbles everywhere and flippers and flailing hands as everyone scrambles to view the whale-shark.  I see a brief glimpse before I get a flipper in the head and then in a flash the 5.5 meter fish is gone, and Mel along side it as she tries to direct the group to view it.  

With missing the majority of the viewing and struggling to get onto the back deck due to the “whale” in front of me beached up on the swim-grid, I was reluctant to go out again, but the second time was a far better viewing as I stayed hot on Mel's fins to catch a better glimpse at the spotted beast.  This time, I ended up right in the path of the mighty fish, and quickly dashes to the left side before I was left for bate.  

To see such a huge thing head on was pretty spectacular but it wasn't going to move for me, it wasn't going to move for anyone, it was tough and it knew it.  I panicked and moved to the left to see it pass by, and was lucky to have no flippers in my face this time, and a sweet viewing spot to see it go by.  I swam along side it for a while until it was just too quick for me and the rest of the group and it was passed on to the next group.  We waited for the boat to pick us up again.  The “whale” was in the way again and I had to be hauled up on deck so I wouldn't get sucked under the back of the boat.

We get a call that the fish is in a dive, so we'll have to wait until he resurfaces.  Almost on cue, Captain Bill then spotted some manta rays and Dani and Mel went over the procedure of how to react around them.  
“when I put my hand up, float in the water like a jellyfish” Mel states
We all gather on the back deck, both groups, and all plop in the water right next to the rays.  We are right on top of them, and they float around like spaceships with their mouths wide, hollow black and white suction holes as they glide around us with their “wings”flapping.  Joe and I end up alone, and we are amazed at how many are around us they duck and dive in a group, like a dance troop each preforming the same move as it reaches a certain spot.  It felt like we were there for hours, just watching them dance around us.  



I'm thinking the day has been a success, but as a bonus, another whale-shark has turned up, Joe is keen to go in again, but I'm still tired from all the swimming with the rays so I sit this one out.  He tells me it was a slower female, and he was able to swim along side her as she was at a slower pace.  We catch a few more trip with a shark before lunch.

As an added bonus we saw humpback whales on 4 different occasions on the way back in, then they took us for one last snorkel, then back to the bus



On the bus, Dani was driving, and there is a huge screech with the breaks, and we're thinking maybe she lost a tire or something, but no, there was a porcupine on the road (Echinda they call them here).  Mel jumps off the bus and uses a towel to cover the frightened thing and move it off the road away from any danger.  The thing was huge!  (no pictures sorry!)

Next we just miss a kangaroo as it crosses the road, then we see an emu with her chicks as she raced along side the road.



No underwater photos, but the Whaleshark looks like this!

Back at the camp we shower and I go out to feed the birds with neighbors next door.  





Those beaks are sharp!

Joe went to the info center to check his email and to make sure our bills are scheduled online.  We then headed down the street to the IGA for a few groceries to prepare some dinner: pasta, tomato sauce and some Caesar salad.  On our  way back we spotted a few KLRs among the tents.  

“we should go over and say hi” I said.  Joe was reluctant, after a long day I think he just wanted to sit and have a relaxing dinner.

“Come on, we'll just go over and say hi, then we'll go eat” I coaxed.  He finally agreed and we went over to introduce ourselves.
“Hey, are you the guys with the KLR's?” Joe piped up.
One of the fellows looks up from his writing, “ya, thats ours”
“Ya we're here on a BMW, we thought we'd say hi and see where you are headed” Joe said
“We're headed right around”
“We're headed right around!” we exclaimed
“Which way?” joe
“North from here, and you?”
“South, counterclockwise” I said
“where did you start?”
“Sydney”
“and you?” joe asked
“Cannberra”
“Unreal, so we're meeting pretty much half way!” we chimed in
we all took a seat and introduced ourselves.  The boys, Matt and Joe, two high school friends now in their late thirties doing their trip of a lifetime on two KLR 650s.  Though they are BMW riders back home they felt the KLRs where the right choice for the trip.  I ran back and got a notepad and pen so I could make some notes about where they had been, and share the information across the board.  They were happy to chat with us, and we sat for hours pouring over the maps, comparing stories, making suggestions and generally chatting about everything.  Before we knew it it was 10 pm and the lights of the camp kitchen flickered off.  Neither one of us had eaten dinner, so we ventured back to our dinky cabin and they made cheesy rice and we ate our salad.  After dinner we all decided to catch up in the morning.



Joe and Matt looking at the maps

Day two:  Exmouth, a day off

Our day off started slow, we didn't rise out of bed until 7:30, and by then almost half of the caravan park had departed or were on their way out.  With only two days left until school holidays were over, most people had to get back to where ever they were from, which was a few thousand kms away.  We had a quick breakfast and caught up with the boys.  The plan was to do a few things around town and then head out to the lighthouse.



Went to visitor info center, lady tried to push the scenic flights on us and pointed out a few beaches



Getting Gas



We were all pretty hungry and went off for some lunch in town, Matt picked up some sea sickness pills for his day of fishing the next day.

It was some time in the afternoon before we got our shit together and headed out to the lighthouse.  Joe was leading us, and missed the turn off, so we had to turn around, then up the hill where everyone was surprised by a huge left hander at the top of the hill.



The Lighthouse was an amazing lookout, everything in the area was so flat



We pose at the lookout



Lighthouse closeup



Bikes on the lookout



Bikes and the lighthouse



Old Radar Tower



Joe walks along the beach





Probably talking about bikes, or sand or both

We went further along and to the beach where Joe and I almost got stuck in some thick sand on the BMW



The writing is in the sand... for now



OMG it's BIG BIRD



Then, we went south of town to one of the gorges, went and stood on the lookout.  





Posing on the Lava rock



Matt doin the Crane



The rock was lava rock with holes in it, and we were impressed by the gorge, we weren't expecting it.



Overlooking the gorge



Ultra-lite flying around

Road back down the road and stopped at the big prawn



The prawns here are amazing!



We all pose under Prawny the Prawn...

went back to the caravan park, and were going to go for a beer, when Matt discovered he lost a bracket off his bike for the mounting pannier.



Back at camp

Matt was frustrated, the bracket would be somewhere 30 kms either side of the city, so they took off to see if they could find it.  Joe joined to give a hand, but the light was fading quickly and it was unlikely to find a small bit of metal on a huge stretch of highway.

Walked across the street to the Thirsty Camel, Joe and the boys downed a few beers before we decided to order some dinner.
We sat down again at the camp kitchen and talked until 10pm, until the dudes cleaning up kicked us out.
Joe (other Joe) turns his camera around and shows us a shot of him at Monkey Mia:
“everything that is in Monkey Mia is in this photo,” he grins, as he shows us a wharf, a store and a bunch of fat tourists.  Not for us I thought, I'm glad we made the decision to come to Exmouth instead of there.

At 10pm, they kicked us out, and we said we'd catch up in the morning.

[obsidian]

The morning came too soon as we listened to the alarm at 6:30.  Another night till 10pm chatting with Matt and Joe about travelling, riding and relaying info about places we have been and places they have been.  I managed to pack everything relatively quickly and Joe attempted to help strap things to the bike but failed miserably.  His duty of loading the panniers on was done so I took over and finished up the camping gear and food bag and headed to the toilet before we took off.  

On my way back Matt and Joe sauntered over with their coffee mugs in hand to see us off.  Best wishes all around as we were sorry to see them go.  It has been very few and far between meeting travellers like ourselves.  It was a shame that we hadn't known about their route, we could have joined them, or vise versa.  We exchanged numbers and we hope to catch up with them when we come around to Canberra.  Hugs and handshakes were in order and we were off, into the brisk morning air around Exmouth.

Joe:  Saddened to see them go, yet at the same time, knowing they will have a blast.  I'm sure we will see them in Canberra again.  In fact I think we will make a point of it.  I think running into Matt and Joe couldn't have happened at a better part of our trip for us.  Just as we had been getting comfortable with our routine, the couple nights going over routes and ideas were enough to shake up our “comfortable” plans and keep this whole thing as the adventure it really should be.



The road pulled us along its flat and slightly undulating curves.  We pass by sheep, goats and cows and very few cars.  We desperately looked for a change in the landscape, but to no avail.  It was the land of the scrub.  



Perhaps the only redeeming feature were the thousands of termite mounds in the shape of Hershey kisses dotting the barren landscape.  As the clouds overhead began to thicken it created quite a scene of shafts of light highlighting the mounds as they sprawled across the scrub.  It wasn't too far into the ride when Joe decided he was hungry, and we had to top up with gas, so we made the turn into Coral Bay to remedy both.  The 12 km road in was not much different to the main road, except the traffic exiting out.  It seemed today was the last day for people to get back for school holidays and there was a few eager SUVs that couldn't wait to speed past us at 140-150 on some of these roads.



A village with the soul purpose of being occupied by tourists, we were happy that we decided not to stay here.  We road along the main road and found the caravan/restaurant/fuel/ATV rental/Post Office and filled the tank.  At a $1.70 a liter, it made for an expensive fuel stop, however the breakfast of fresh fruit and yogurt made up for it at $5.00, and $7.50 with cornflakes for Joe.  



We sat and waited for our meals and a border collie came up to have me throw her ball.  She gently rolled it over with her nose.  I threw it up, and she caught it in her mouth, and then gently rolled it back again.  Again I threw it, and she did the gentle roll.  I was amazed at her skill to roll it back by a flick of her nose, thus minimizing her having to do any movement whatsoever.  Our breakfast quickly came and we devoured it.  



Joe finished his coffee while I played with the dog, then we topped up the tires with some air and left Coral Bay behind.

Joe:  The breakfast, the coffee, and the cafe owners attitude made it a nice stop.  Also the dog with the ball was funny as hell.

We turned back out on the main road, passed the roadhouse and we were glad we didn't' stop there.  Kept riding, kept meaning to pull over to have some water, but we were so close, 60 then 50 km from town, so we decided to keep going.  


Bananas!


Bananas, Bananas!!!

Finally, for what seemed forever, we managed to make it to town.  



Church in town

We passed the caravan park on the way in, but decided to keep going to grab some lunch.  We were both still hungry and found a nice place along the waterfront to devour some fresh catch and a hamburger.  The wind gradually picked up pace, though the sky was now clear blue, and we decided, now over full, to head back towards the caravan park and check in.  



As there were no tent sites, we opted for a chalet, which was heaven with its own en suite.  

We both hogged the shower while we attempted to clean the ride off us.  Now mid afternoon, we spied the giant dish on the hill used in the Apollo and Gemini space missions and went over to have a look.



Pretty red flowers



HUUUUGE dish!

The huge defunct dish towered over us.  Sitting on the only hill around the area, we got a brief overview of the agriculture center for Western Australia.  Canarvon produces about 70% of Western australia's fresh veggies, and its the only place where the inland desert reaches out to the sea.  Though the weather was pleasant, their tourist guide was pretty much grasping at straws, and Joe and I blobbed out for the afternoon, mentally preparing ourselves for the next week of riding.  We've been travelling for 36 days now, since leaving Sydney, it only feels now, that we're getting into a groove.



Cactus by the dish

Joe:  Carnarvon wasn't exactly what I expected, its a cross between a beach town and rural centre.  Cool in it's own right, and had some pretty friendly people.  Going to the dish was great, and really makes the mind wander about what NASA has up their sleeves now when that thing was built in the early 60's.

[obsidian]

The alarm chirped at 6:30 am and I shuttered at the thought of getting out of bed, and took my time, dreaming of another hour of sleep.  With the strength of a thousand men I pulled myself up from the bed, dodging the pillows I tossed across the room in the middle of the night in a fit of rage as they lacerated my neck in the wee hours.  My head had a jarring pain, and left side of my neck felt crooked from the pillow's clasp.  I climbed into the shower to try to soften the muscles in my back, the pain still strong and hopeful.  I popped a few headache pills and hoped that would do the trick.  I ushered Joe to the shower and started organizing things for packing, putting together breakfast and getting dressed.  My focus was totally off, and it seemed to take forever to get myself organized.

Joe:  Sometimes I wish I could help Flora more in the whole packing thing, but it just isn't in me.  I try sometimes but tend to make it worse in the end.  I was the kid that never could figure out Tetris.  Flora did get it all sorted and we mounted up the bike in the first bit of drizzle in a long, long time.

We sat and had our breakfast and I glanced outside.  It had rained last night, and the ground was still damp.  Joe loaded the bike while I washed up the dishes, checked the room, and threw Joe a towel to clean off the seat.  All packed up to go, we headed to the station to fill up, and we were on our way past the giant dish and on towards the flat plains.  The blue skies we had were now a distant memory as we witnessed the front moving in, and fast.  



By the time we reached the Wooramel Roadhouse, Joe was regretting not putting is liners in.  We pulled over, and while he went in to get a coffee I tried to fish the liners out of the top bag, trying to wedge my hand between the mesh of the pack-safe that was over the bag to search for the liners within.  Joe said it looked like I was trying to berth a calf, but hope I never have to know if there is any similarities.

Joe:  The Wooramel roadhouse brought hope back to me.  Gone are the roadhouses praying upon every tourist to spend far more than what is a “fair value” on anything and everything.  Coffee was back to $2.60, fuel was reasonable and the place was clean.  The staff were also friendly!  I'm really starting to like WA the more and more we go south.



We stop for a rest



Road Train crashes the shot
Back on the road again, the wind began to pick up, each passing km, the intensity thickened until our wheels were beginning to be forced off the road.  This was soon followed by the rain, pelting down on our helmets and wicking under our chins.  Our attempt to stop at the Overlander Roadhouse was thwarted when it was chocker blocked with caravans, so we decided to make it on to the next roadhouse 52 km away at Billabong.  A quick refuel and then into the cosy cafe to have some grub and a hot drink while our memories tried to remember the weather from up north.  The diner was inviting, with photos of past patrons littering the walls.  I picked up a 1985 addition of “Gulliver's Travels” and wondered if we would ever be captured by people one sixth our size.  Though our travels would never be exciting has those depicted in those pages, I'm sure we can find some good stories to tell.  Again, back to the cafe, we sipped our hot drinks and listened to the Elvis rendition of “falling in love with you”.  

Back on the main road, we battled against the “Grey Nomads” as they plotted their way across the country.  The only vehicles that seemed to keep up with us were the distinctive “city cars” that were black or red, and very clean, or the rushing courier trucks that had no problem putting their foot through the floor.  



We had our fill of the coastal hwy, and turned off towards Kalbarri.  It was much better now that the wind was almost straight in front of us.  The bike felt more stable on the ground, only buffet came from in front of us.  The wind picked up momentum as we headed towards the coast, and by the time we made it to town, it was at a steady 50-60 km/hour with gusts of far more than that.

Joe:  As much as I complain about riding in the wind and rain, there is simply no better scenery or experience than nature itself.  Furious gusts of wind and rain are awe inspiring, and the spectacle we were witnessing was nothing compared to what was waiting on the coast for us.

We found our accommodation for the night, a lovely plastic laminate cabin, brown head to toe, offloaded our stuff and headed a few blocks into town to find some lunch.  After a few failed attempts at finding a cafe, we stumbled upon Angie’s Cafe on the main road, which had warm meals.  After a filling lunch, I topped it off with a nice scoop of gelato.  We then walked down to the beach, and got a gentle sand blast as we made our way over to the breakwater.  



The waves were crashing over the rocks something fierce.  If this wasn't the stormy season, I would hate to see it when it was, I'm sure it could be twice as nasty.



Kalbari Panorama, the wild west coast



Don't leave sad babies in your car... sad babies can melt!



Crazy windy weather



Wicked Camper... Spinal Tap design.... you see a lot of these here....

We wandered over to the small supermarket and butcher, got some fixings to make chicken, rice, and vegetables for dinner in our diarrhea styled trailer cabin thing.  Perth via the Pinnacles tomorrow.  I expect the weather to suck.

[obsidian]

After Joe talked on the phone with Rob last night, he made the executive decision that we were going to go straight to Perth today.  With a longer run of 700 kms and weather predicted to be a bit of a shocker, we decided that we would go for it.  The rain and wind had kept us awake much of the night in the caravan park in Kalbarri, but that didn't stop us from getting up only 10 minutes after the alarm rang this morning.  I was having some bazaar dreams, probably from the crazy chicken I attempted to eat for dinner.  

Our plastic laminate castle couldn't hold us captive much longer, even after getting up after the alarm, we still managed to get out by 7:15.  I slipped the keys into the front lock box at the office a we were off, down the road watching the waves crash ferociously at the bar.  





A few quick stops along the coast to see the tourist attractions then we tried to bee line it to the next major town to gas up.



The sky threatened us with rain, as we followed the coast with screaming wind, and the odd shower or two.  



We stop by the convict detention center, in ruins and the weather made it more mysterious and foreboding than ever.







The weather starting to turn



Looks like rain... chubby rain!

We finally reached the Pinnacles, paid our 5 bux to drive around them on hard compact sand, it still didn't' stop the front tire from washing out a few times, the tourances don't seem to do well on the sand.  



The Pinnacles were very cool,  shafts of stone, eroded over millions of years littered the landscape.  



It was cool to drive through them and see the size for ourselves.  





A few of them made it feel like Stonehenge.











stopped at wind farm to watch the giant turbines go around, so cool

got rained on, the sky was black

Perth seemed like miles away, but finally we got there, and then the GPS directed us to the wrong address.  We then got the right address and got to Rob's place, no one was home so we went up to the bottle shop and picked up some red wine.  Joe phoned Rob to find out when they would be home, he was just out walking the dog.

Got back to Rob's and met his lovely wife Di, she showed us where to offload our stuff and make ourselves at home.  What generous people to let us into their home after only meeting Rob and his friend Russell in Alice Springs for a few days a month ago.  

Di made some fantastic pumpkin soup, and some sticky-date pudding with caramel sauce and ice cream.  We yacked with Rob, Di and their daughter Kate and friend Suzi all over fantastic food and of course, the red wine.  With weather like this, it is always good to have red.  Once the guests have left, we chatted a bit more about cameras and riding, and about our filming.  We talked about our route, everything regarding our trip and much more, I think we'll be kicking around Perth for a few days while we organize ourselves for the next leg.  It feels like a major marker in our trip, from Darwin until here, and now it is the leg back to Sydney, the return home.  Our halfway point behind us, I hope that we can take our pace down a bit and slow it down, enjoy and savor our trip from here on out, there is so much to see here and we are only scratching the surface.

[UHOH]

wow.   I'll have to do that.   was in perth and adelaide yrs ago

[obsidian]

wow.   I'll have to do that.   was in perth and adelaide yrs ago

Those are easily my two favorite cities in Australia, and if I had to move there tomorrow it would be a tough call which one....

[obsidian]

After a nice restful sleep, we arose to a new day in Perth.  The goal today was to get the bike in for service, and to get some of the errands attended to so our list could get crossed off.  A quick brekky in Rob & Di's kitchen, patted the dogs, and we were off with the trusty navigation skills of the Garmin GPS, and its user error.  



Stick your tongue out


After a few failed attempts, we did find our way to Victoria Park to check the bike in for it's service.  With the bike out of the way, we trotted into town, a bit of a hike from the shop, but we needed our walk.  We found our way to the shopping precinct, and managed to make a fair dent on our credit card to purchase some “essentials” for down south.  



Perth Buildings

We're expecting cold weather, and we're now regretting sending some of our gear back to Sydney.  I honestly don't know what I was thinking when I thought we wouldn't need our thermals anymore.  Oh well, what can you do when you make a mistake, rectify it.  So we picked up some thermals, shampoo, vitamins, hard drives, and a fleece for Joe.  I'm not sure where everything is going to fit, but we'll have to make it work.



Images of Perth

Joe talked to his dad back home, let him know what we were up to and were we were.  He gets worried if he doesn't hear from us for about a week, my parents, on the other hand, probably have no clue where I am half the time as i'm not updating them on a daily basis.  No matter.  So we are barely done our shopping exhibition and we get a call from Rob to meet for lunch.  They swing by and pick us up somewhere downtown, I couldn't' tell you were we were, and we all head up the hill to have a lookout at Kings park.  Beautiful view, and then the clouds descend on the town and our view is shutdown.  So, with that behind us he takes us to the far shore for some lunch along the water.

After lunch, Rob kindly drops us back at the dealership so we can pick up the bike.  I can't believe how quickly the day has gone.  We get the bike loaded up with the backpack full of goodies and we attempt to make our way back to Rob's place.  The garmin foils us again, taking us on a wild goose-chase around town before we figure out the right path and sort ourselves out.  



Beach at Perth





Buddy curiously checks out the camera

 

The walk to the beach is filled with beautiful purple flowers



Perth shows off her stormy side

We sort some laundry out when we get back and I help Di out with some dinner, help walk the dogs (not that these dogs need help) and then sit down to another feast until we are stuffed.  After dinner, Rob showed us his photos from his half trip around oz, it was interesting to see someone elses take on the same things we saw.  Sometimes there were many photos of the same thing as he attempted to capture a moment just right, and then other times where there was no photo for hundreds of Kms or for a few days.

It was then off to bed, I feel pretty tired tonight, and I know if we get the shooting done tomorrow, it will be another long day.  As I type this right now, the rain is thundering down, apparently the weather is NEVER like this.

The next few days are a blur as we went out and got running shots of bike, got more chores done, found a replacement mattress, picked up ram for computer, went out to Freemantle, or Freeo as they call it, had Mexican food.  Went up to Katrine along the Avon river and watched a few of the locals practicing for the “Avon decent” the following weekend.  



Heading up to Katrine



Old farm house in Katrine



Kate takes us to the barn



What better way to decapitate yourself, my dear!  Rex tells us that no-one ever hurt themselves on this equipment....



Portable camp stove!  



Milk shed



Joops, yawing... ok here's a little story about Joops, he had some "stomach issues" and would fart during breakfast, poor boy, he was such a nice boy, but so smelly!



This fella had too much to drink



Ah, don't get wasted on VB, it f*cks you up!

This countryside is beautiful, reminds me of New Zealand.  Met Rob's parents and were met there by Kate who showed us around their 19th century farmhouse and buildings.  

Talked to a family friend of theirs who was staying who had lived in Mongolia for the last 3 years, she talked about how she could really only stand by and watch people live in poverty.



Inmates from Perth

Finally, it was Sunday, we had been here almost a week, ride day was here and we met the BMW club, which included a few characters:  Tony and Ken who had ridden around China were there, eager to find their next trip.  



A German couple who had been in Perth for 2 years had traveled around the World, Africa, Europe, Australia etc, were moving on to NZ end of next year, if you guys are out there, our door is always open.



BMWs everywhere!!



The crowd getting ready to disperse



Trucks were in an organized rally, I can't remember what they were petitioning about, but we had to stop for the police escort.



Rob and Di, and Kate follow us, like we know where we're going!



Kate on her hot yellow bike, go Kate!



Went out for a good ride to the south east of the city, so many bikes out there, Ducks, BMW's, sport bikes, seems like Perth has a plethora of riders.  



At our last fuel stop we see a father and son as the are preparing themselves for a ride across Africa, on their DRZs, what an incredible ride to do, if you’re out there, any update on your trip?

It was then time to get get on our way, or we would never leave, so after another day of relaxing, we said our goodbyes to Rob, Di and Kate, for all their help, support and a place to crash out for the week.  Thank you guys, you really helped out, more than you will ever know.  Can we adopt you as family?  Of course, we don’t want Joops the Dalmatian, he smells bad.

[obsidian]

Ahh our long rest has made us soft and we were borderline on whether we would leave today or not.  After my almost three weeks of the flu, Joe has come down with something.  He woke up at 5:45 to give Rob a ride in is Ute to the airport.  Being that I can't really sleep while he was away, I sort of tossed and turned.  


Joe returned back and said he was still unwell.  My headache from last night was still looming over me, and the day seemed doomed to never get off the ground.  While Di went off to walk her dogs, we made the executive decision that we would go.  Joe said he was well enough to ride, and I had this assumption that I would start feeling better.  


Our time in Perth had been nice, but it was really time to move on and get the second part of our trip going.    It was time, so we gathered up our things, said goodbye and thanks to Di and got out while we still had the motivation to do so.  They had also supplied us a Gnome to place at Gnomesville when we get there in the next few days.  

The air felt nice on my face.  The fog in my brain was still present, but felt like it was slowly fading as we found our way out of Perth.  The city suburbs seemed to go on forever as we merged into sprawling retirement communities around Mandurah.  It wasn't until we reached lake Clifton that the brick and tile homes ceased.  





We went towards the water to check out the Thrombolites, which were submerged this time of day due to the tide.  




None the less, they were interesting.  





By the time we walked back to the bike it was well on noon, and we decided to head to Harvey for some lunch.  After a few false attempts at finding somewhere decent, we came across the only cafe/diner in town to serve up some grub.  It was then up the back roads to check out the Harvey Dam.  By this time my head was pounding, and everything in my body wanted to convulse.  I took it out on poor Joe and we wound up coming down the way we went up back to the main road.  I had really had enough today, I wasn't up for traveling at all.  




It was then on to Bunbury, by the time we pulled up to the big4, it was 3pm and we checked into the camp.



We unloaded the bike and walked into town to scrounge up some dinner.  




The town was actually quite nice, a main street hosted a few antique buildings and it was clean and on the water.  I'm sure its a weekend getaway for may Perth folk.

[obsidian]

The weather was a bit nippy when we woke up this morning, and I tried to steal body heat from Joe and decided it was too early to get up.  After two months of waking up at the break of dawn, it seemed like a good idea to change that.   After packing up and a quick breakfast, we headed out at 9:45, turning inland towards the Ferguson Valley in search of Gnomesville.



At the junction of Ferguson Road and Upper Ferguson, we finally find our Gnomes.  



Our borrowed Gnome from Di finally had a home, and we scoured the area before finding a suitable resting place.  



There where thousands of them, all different shapes, sizes and materials.  Some people made plaques, others a hand written note, or permeant marker on the hats or backs of the Gnomes.  





Hey, what's hap'nun?



Hang on buddy



don't be mad, smile for the photo!



To the moon and beyond!



Kinda like Gulliver's Travels, though they're not carrying me off!

We found a group placed by motorcyclists such as ourselves, and we placed ours there as well.  



The Gnome represented us, and a place to visit knowing that we were there.  I'm sure one day we'll be back to find our Gnome.



GPS point for our return



Joe gets GPS signal

With our task taken care of, we continued on towards Lowden, and then south to Grimwade, narrow pea gravel roads taking us through towering Jarrah and Gum trees.  The scenery here is amazing, it reminds me of a cross between New Zealand and Canada:  wide open, but damp and green.  You could spend days on the backroads here, exploring, camping and getting lost.  

It was now after noon and time for some lunch, and we rocked up to Bridgetown with it's quaint main street.  On our way, we passed by a few motorcyclists, as the roads around here are as windy as they are going to get.  In Bridgetown we both had an amazing sandwich as the Barking Cow cafe along the main road.  

After a good feed, we headed back on the road, this time to tackle something heavier.  



Down by the river...

Our route took us 22 kms along the scenic Brockman Hwy, then we turned towards Donnelly River, an old mill town in the middle of the forrest.  



Awesome ride

Releasing that we had prematurely turned, instead of towards Willow Springs, we made the most of it and kept going to Donnelly River.  Passing by abandoned buildings and then a general store, we come to a row of what appears to be vacation homes.  



We see a car parked at the end of the road and a whole heap of Emu's and Kangaroos!  Two older women were feeding them, and told us they were just tourists like us and they all came out for the feeding.  One of the kangaroo's got frisky and almost bowled over one of the ladies.  As they left to get more kibble, we hung around trying not to get our eyes picked out by the curious Emus.  



My eyes... not the eyes!



They are descending on us!!!



We're surrounded... the zombie kangaroos are here to kill us!



A little fist fight



Take it outside



NO, i'm not made of food...



I get the eye up before the attack



Oh look at that, we have snacks



One of the Kangaroos had a new Joey and it's hairless body hid in her pouch with just a head poking out now and again.  



I catch the afternoon light on this guy... very fuzzy wuzzy

Our dash done with the wildlife, we make our merry way back to the road via the dirt tracks.  Easier said than done.  The roads here are amazing, like the forestry roads back in Canada.  



The area was thick with trees and we were the only ones for miles.  



Must have got something caught in the kickstand, as the bike suddenly stopped while we were on this bridge... but a flip down and up seemed to fix it...



pea gravel... my favorite so far....

After a few false attempts, we finally manage to find our way out of the thicket, and back on the main road, for a gentle sweep into Busselton which we will spend our next few nights at, exploring the coast from cape to cape.

Our highlight of the day was defiantly the Kangaroos.  It was so unexpected, as we haven't encounter any huge amounts of wildlife yet in this trip.  Gnomesville was also pretty cool, it seemed like a sanctuary for people, I was really surprised that someone hadn't gone through and destroyed anything, I know in other places this would be a sad reality, but not here!

[obsidian]

We decide to take all back roads today, to get down to the southwest corner to see the lighthouse at the cape.  Along with back roads came back road problems, like the fact they don't build bridges over rivers...... the little ones didn't stop us!



Somewhere near the end of our back road trek, we decide to have a under water picnic...



The river looks like it's moving at a torrent pace..... and as the sign says, if its flooded... your shit outta luck, go back the way you came.



Ride the pea gravel!



Back to the pavement....



Oh look, there's the coast



The lighthouse



The old lighthouse caretakers homes.. you can now rent them from the parks office



Walking to the lighthouse



Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse



we hike to the rocks



Beautiful scenery



at the beach



Flowers still growing in the middle of winter

After a good day seeing the light house, and of course, the back roads we head back to Busselton for the night.  A quick walk proves the most amazing sunset we have seen to date



Dog walker on the beach



Stormy sunset



The BEST sunset!!

Tomorrow we visit a winery, and do a bit more exploring!

[obsidian]

Took main road down to Margret River to the winery



Thorny Flowers



Met with Kate Morgan from Frasier's Gallop and she showed us her winery and test some wine





Went for lunch in Margret River, at tavern it was ok, cheep burger for Joe and I had chicken tacos which were about as far away from tacos as possible





Went to the coast off cave road watched surfer ripping it at the beach on some huge waves



the coastline was rugged and unforgiving



but the skies seemed to be clear just over the coastline



heating up the temperature a few degrees and allowing us to remove our jackets.











Headed up towards the northern lighthouse



Arrived to a disappointing site of chard trees surrounding a stubby lighthouse in-cased in a chain-link fence.  





We started our walk around the lighthouse that was free before getting off the path and watching a few huge kangaroos bound past us.  They were about as tall as us, they seemed un-phased about the desecrated land around them.

After our disappointing visit, we headed back to Busselton to enjoy a nice relaxing dinner before crashing at around 9pm, it seemed the day had the better of us.

[obsidian]

we both had trouble falling asleep last night, but i'm sure it was the wee hours of the morning I finally drifted off into REM.  It has been both a blessing and a curse with our later wakeup times, no point in rushing out at 7:30 when the sun has barley began to rise and the skippies are out on the road like giant jumping pylons.  Our wakeup time was 8:15, we arise and begin our day, both coughing and wining to each other than our throats are sore, and typical banter of “I'm sicker than you, you swine flu spreading mofo!”



After an hour of showering, packing and breakfast, we depart in the misty morning, dodging fresh puddles of rain that fell durning our slumber.  After a refuel, we headed southeast along the Vasse Hwy towards Nannup, the Sunday morning traffic light and local, meaning we haven't found any grey nomads, yet.  The scenery is now beginning to become interesting:  the trees stretching out to the sky, towering a few hundred feet in the air and thick together, blocking out any sunlight to the ground.  



We pull into Beedelup National Park and check out the raging waterfall as a result of the massive amounts of rain this region has had over the last few months.  Water pours over jagged rocks, slowly, over time carving these out and smoothing the edges.  But for now, they remain rough and unformed.  



After a quick river walk, we return back to the road, to find a few nomads now on the road.  









It isn't long until we reach Pemberton, a lost log cabin town surviving on a timber industry.  Making our way up to the main street we come across signage to the “Gloucester Tree” and make our way 3 kms out of town to check it out.  Ack, another national park and $5 each entry fee to see what is inside.  We reluctantly pay it, it seems every bit of nature costs money, and I understand the need to maintain facilities, but as it turns out, the only point of interest is a tree you can climb.  



Joe was brave enough to do the honers.  Up he went, camera in hand to get a shot from the top lookout, someone had to stay down and watch the bags, so I gladly took the job.  



While he was up in the tree, birds began to flock to be fed.  



Budgies and parrots gathered, and small finches, they all swarmed a couple that was feeding them sunflowers seeds.  They seemed to arrive out of no where and leave just as suddenly.  



I found a few almonds to share with them, and they all came out one by one to gently take a nut, hold it in their claw and devour it.  



A few quick photos of them surrounding the bike



thankfully none of them had to toilet on it, and we were off to our next destination.



Heading southeast to Northfliffe, we released it was 1pm, and Joe was ravenous from his tree climb.  We stopped at the main cafe in town and ordered a burger.  These were some of the best burgers to date, no side dish needed!  Then, our plan was to head south through Boorara Gardner National Park, but the road was marked as “closed” when we got to the entrance.  



Shame, it would have been a nice trip through this area.  We were banished to the main drag, and by now there were a few more tourists on the road, making the driving somewhat difficult at times as they struggled with the narrow winding roads.



We decided to skip the treetop walk and save it for the morning when we were fresh and keen, so we pushed on to Denmark, found a grocery store and checked in for the night just outside of town at Ocean Beach.  I can't wait to see the views in the morning.

At the end of the day we settled ourselves in the campground.  



Sunset was soon upon us, and a duo of kangaroos bounded across a grove of trees.  Down by the pond, banjo frogs twanged their song and it echoed across the tall reeds as each individual answered.  



The birds are quite, and not as many as we have seen previous, but I'm sure they will wake us in the morning.  Tomorrow is the tree top walk, and some backroads I'm sure.

[obsidian]

We awoke to rain, but finally, I could feel my sore throat begin to subside, making it easier to breath without coughing out a lung.  Not much on the agenda today: up to treetops walk and a few backroads to explore the area.  We fumble our way through breakfast, and sit and stare at each other, none of us game to move before the other.  Finally, Joe makes his move and a motion for me to get my act in gear and get going.  We load up the bike and make our way out of the caravan park, rain clouds nipping at our heals.  The first order of business is to fuel up in town, then, turn out of Denmark back the way we had come yesterday.

We turned off to William Bay, a beautiful view of the waves crashing over smooth round rocks among sand dunes.  After a quick jaunt down to the beach, we continue our ride west following the deviation at Bow Bridge towards the park.  The strange feeling of being here before has over come us, an almost exact replica of the Northland of New Zealand.  Farms dot the sides of the road with sheeps and cows, and the occasional winery.  Towards the end of the road, the forest thickens and the giants slowly take shape over us.  Not far to the parking lot, we pull up, pay our fees and head up the plank to the first viewing platform.  



Soon, we are 60 meters in the air, and the tree tops are at eye level, the walkway swinging with each footstep.  Joe comments about his tree climb the previous day, and how he was sure he was higher, and, the lactic acid now building in his thighs left him slow and mindful today of his energy.  I too was feeling quite drained, and it was all I could do to put one foot in front of the other to gather distance on the walkway.  



After we finished our treetop walk, we wondered in the other direction to do the “walk through” of the trees, where there were hollowed out trunks to pass through or use as a shelter.





After our walk, it was back out on the road, where we found any deviation that we could, to slow down and enjoy the scenery.  



After an unsuccessful attempt at finding somewhere for lunch, we ended up back in Denmark for a light lunch of salad and falafel, while Joe had, you guessed it, a burger.  More food was purchased from the grocery store, and we headed back to the park to do a quick walk down to the water and to do some route planning.  But first we check out the beach.





The tidal river (i think?) that is running by the campground.... beautiful



The opening to the sea... the waters here are a deep brown from the tannins



The tiny foot bridge brings us to the sandy island



Pelican looks for fish



The trees here look like paintings



Joe looks happy to be walking



Amazing scenery



My attempt at an "Asian pose"  We had seen quite a few tourists over the last few months do these "poses" and a Chinese friend of ours told us there is an actual website dedicated to the art of posing.... I don't think I have the knack...

[obsidian]

As the news predicted, the clouds loomed overhead when we got ready to go this morning.  Our route today though relatively short, involved a lot of stops, photos and walking, perfect for inclement weather.  Our first leg was along the coast, from Denmark to Albany, a simple run, the traffic only that of work trucks and the occasional commuter.  





We then turned off to the Flinders Peninsula:  a spectacular coastline filled with cliffs, dunes and jagged rocks.  We ride to the end of the peninsula first, to check out the view over to Albany, then head back and hit up the Blowholes, which weren't really blowing today as the swell was relatively weak



Not blowing today



View to the rugged coastline



Glad we're not out in a boat!





Back up to the parking lot



Looking south-east

Then it was on to the natural land bridge and the gap.  







Land bridge



I could have stood and watched the gap for hours, the waves crashing up the rocks, slowly eroding the hard granite that stood in it's path.  It is an amazing sculpture, water washed and salt etched.  Every fourth wave seemed to try to out do the previous set, but the winner's mark was apparent on the side of the cliffs.







Upto the wind farm

When we were done, it was a quick visit up to the wind farm just out side Torndirrup National Park.  



On the side of the hills, windmills stood tall and elegant against the green backdrop.  



As we removed our helmets, we could hear the gentle whooshing of the blades as the coastal breeze pushed them around.  It was amazing to stand beneath them and watch them harness nature's energy.  We then went on to Albany, trying to find somewhere decent for a quick lunch.  We parked in the middle of town and walked around to a few before we found a suitable place:  Mean Fiddler offered up some garlic cream prawns for me and a tasty chicken burger for Joe, we finished it off with a scoop of chocolate gelato, neither of us were complaining.  We walked back to the bike and a HD was parked next to it.  



We begin to gear up and a fellow comes by and starts chatting, saying he has just bought an 1150 to do some touring.  Joe and him talk about the BMW for a while, and he departs, leaving us to find fuel.  I am amazed at how many HD riders also are interested in the BMWs, especially for 70/30 riding, which is what most do.

After a fuel up and Joe adding some air into the tires, we head northeast towards the Stirling Ranges.  The landscape is fast changing, from the moderate rain drenched coastline to a more rolling hills to a dead straight until we see the ranges in our sites.  Green pointy tips rise up from burnt brush, from lighting strikes no doubt, and the road winds its way through between the mounds.  Though these are only about 1000 meters in height, at the highest point, they dwarf anything in their path, and boast the tallest peaks in the western state.  We finally find our camp for the night, at the edge of the park, passing by army personnel endurance training in the rugged terrain.  



After we unload, we head up to Bluff Knoll: a knobby knuckle with a fringe of green that offers incredible views of the ranges to the west.  The dramatic sky adds to the ominous ambiance and we gaze off in the distance to the pasture land that will be tomorrow's journey.



On top of the world!!! (or Western Australia......)

[obsidian]

I'll be posting some "out takes" or clips that didn't make the cut.  Some that I still like, but for whatever reason aren't in the episodes.  

This one was cut from episode 4, it's too long, and the audio and picture quality just weren't good enough.  There's a message in there somewhere if you can stand listening to me rant/babble for 5 minutes!