{"id":3907,"date":"2012-11-15T07:21:41","date_gmt":"2012-11-15T06:21:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.worldbiking.info\/wordpress\/?p=3907"},"modified":"2019-12-30T09:56:16","modified_gmt":"2019-12-30T14:56:16","slug":"stranded-in-the-southwest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.worldbiking.info\/wordpress\/2012\/11\/stranded-in-the-southwest\/","title":{"rendered":"Stranded in the Southwest"},"content":{"rendered":"

You must<\/strong> visit Southwest Australia.<\/em><\/p>\n

We\u2019d been hearing that mantra since we touched down in tropical Darwin almost two months back.\u00a0 And how could we resist?\u00a0 \u00a0Locals promised us some of the best scenery in Australia- fields of colorful wildflowers, \u00a0winding country roads, rolling hills covered in vineyards and a chance to get up close to some of the world\u2019s tallest trees in beautiful Karri forests.<\/p>\n

And it isn\u2019t just Australians who are talking up this pretty corner of their country.\u00a0 \u00a0Lonely Planet named the Southwest as one of the world’s Top 10 Regions\u00a0in 2010.\u00a0Sure, we were already way behind schedule and needed to get a move on towards Melbourne.\u00a0 No way did we want to risk overstaying our 3-month visas and miss our flight to New Zealand on 10 December.<\/p>\n

But the pull to explore another part of Australia\u2014one with actual towns and trees\u2014was strong.<\/p>\n

The Southwest\u00a0is<\/em> stunning.\u00a0 A day\u2019s ride out of Perth and we were pedaling along pristine coastline gawking at the wild surf on one side and a carpet of wildflowers on the other.\u00a0 A couple more days and we were bumping along a rough track lined by towering Karri trees.\u00a0\u00a0 And then suddenly our tour ground to a halt.<\/p>\n

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Another steep one!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

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It’s cool and damp in the southwest–this was a beautiful spot just next to a river.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

We\u2019d recently ticked past the 120,000 kilometer mark.\u00a0 \u00a0Quite naturally, my hard-working Koga was suffering some minor ailments.\u00a0 The back wheel had been wobbling badly for weeks.\u00a0 Eric insisted this was normal wear and tear and I\u2019d just have to get used to less than stellar performance.\u00a0 And I did.\u00a0 My Koga and I would go through the aging process together.\u00a0 Trading him in for a fresher, sexier model was out of the question.<\/p>\n

But this was serious.\u00a0 My high-end bike was riding like a second-hand Huffy.\u00a0 Turns out the hub was out of commission.\u00a0 It would have to be replaced.\u00a0 And there we were, tinkering with the ball bearings at a dusty rest area 60 kilometers from the nearest town.<\/p>\n

Lucky for us, a couple of French tourists had a breakdown with their rented caravan.\u00a0 The mechanic sent out to bail those two out ended up giving us a ride into Pemberton.\u00a0 And from there our next Warm Showers host, Thomas, picked us up and gave us a lift out to his farm.\u00a0 Lucky, indeed.<\/p>\n

Sorting out a replacement hub sucked up almost a week of our time. \u00a0Not that I really<\/em> minded\u2026life on the farm was far from unpleasant.\u00a0 I could spend hours gazing out at the 50 odd kangaroos that roamed the property.\u00a0 There were afternoon walks exploring the woods, leisurely meals (not our usual 3-minute dinners sucking down a plate of pasta) and a fluffy comforter to dive under and drift off to sleep.<\/p>\n

\n

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Another wonderful host family in Australia!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Kangaroos right out the front door at the farm near Northcliffe.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hub fixed, we hit the road again.\u00a0 The heavy rains we\u2019d been experiencing over the last week showed no sign of letting up.<\/p>\n

As we shivered and sneezed and tried in vain to keep dry, I almost missed the intense heat of the northern interior.\u00a0 ALMOST.<\/p>\n

\n

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Gone are the days of warm weather cycling!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\n

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The rugged coast near Esperance–what a spot to take in the sunset!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Another night wild camping–this time near the pretty town of Denmark.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Nullarbor Predicament<\/h3>\n

Pedaling steadily toward the Nullarbor (“No Trees”) Plain, we were treated to more pristine beaches and long stretches of rugged coastline.\u00a0 Finally we arrive at Norseman, the final stop before entering \u00a0the 1,200 kilometer empty expanse that is the Nullarbor.\u00a0 There are no settlements.\u00a0 Just roadhouses\u00a0 serving overpriced meals and selling a few expensive \u00a0essentials.<\/p>\n

The Nullarbor is one of Australia\u2019s classic road trips.\u00a0 Spending 10 days crossing the flat and featureless landscape on a bicycle might well be mind-numbingly boring, but it would be an accomplishment.\u00a0 The Nullarbor seemed like a must-do for any serious round-the-world cyclist.\u00a0 We had a decision to make.<\/p>\n

With less than a month left on our visas, we still had 3,000+ kilometers to crank out to reach Melbourne.\u00a0 The breakdown had cost us dearly in time.\u00a0 3,000 in a few weeks was certainly possible (we\u2019d done as much when crossing the US).\u00a0 But it would leave little time for rest or relaxation.<\/p>\n

Hitching a ride would give us the margin we needed.\u00a0 We decided to let fate settle the question.\u00a0 We\u2019d spend an afternoon loitering at the Norseman BP and if a truckie agreed to give us a lift, we\u2019d take it.\u00a0 If not, we\u2019d hunker down and pedal like crazy.<\/p>\n

What can I say?\u00a0 Australians are just too kind and friendly.\u00a0 We got our lift\u2014two days in a road train all the way across the Nullarbor.\u00a0 Doesn\u2019t look like we missed much.\u00a0 Just a lot of empty land covered in saltbush and bluebrush.\u00a0 But maybe I\u2019m just justifying our decision to hitch.<\/p>\n

In any case, it\u2019s now back on the bikes for the final lap towards Melbourne.\u00a0 Fishing villages and remote beaches await us on the Eyre Peninsula and then it will be on to the Murray River region before we take on the Great Ocean Road.<\/p>\n

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Sunset in the Nullarbor–proof that there are a few trees to be found!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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New Zealand awaits! Time to keep on pedaling.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n

Catch up on the latest news via the\u00a0World Biking Facebook Page<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Send us an email at worldbiking@gmail.com<\/p>\n

Leave a comment and let us know what’s on your mind<\/em>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You must visit Southwest Australia. We\u2019d been hearing that mantra since we touched down in tropical Darwin almost two months back.\u00a0 And how could we resist?\u00a0 \u00a0Locals promised us some of the best scenery in Australia- fields of colorful wildflowers,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3918,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[176,49],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nStranded in the Southwest - Worldbiking.info<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/www.worldbiking.info\/wordpress\/2012\/11\/stranded-in-the-southwest\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Stranded in the Southwest - Worldbiking.info\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"You must visit Southwest Australia. 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