# Esperance to Albany [Western Australia] 750 kms in 10 Days



## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

DAY 1 - POST 1 - ESPERANCE TO ROSES-QALLUP BEACH

I recently completed a ride from Esperance to Albany in Western Australia. As I get my act together and process the photos I will share a few here, just for a taste of riding in my part of the world.

Todays riding was 52.9 km and in an overall time for the day of six hours and third six minutes.










Esperance foreshore before heading out on my 10 day 750 km ride from Esperance to Albany in Western Australia.










Dropped in on the not so Pink Lake.










Telegraph Road, Esperance. Having left the minor road, now on the track part heading through to Murray Road.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

Finishing off the first day's riding &#8230;










Playing with flies










Now on Murray Road, Dalyup within an hour's ride of the lime quarry and Quallup Lake and then Roses-Quallup Beach my destination for the day.










Overlooking Roses-Quallup Beach. The blowout in the distance was my access to the beach, my camping spot for the night.










I made the beach. Setting up the Tarptent Double Rainbow on Roses-Quallup Beach. Pretty windy but the tent handled it fine.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

Blue-tongue lizard [actually a skink] crossing Telegraph Road just off the South Coast Highway. They cross so slowly which means they are often squashed &#8230; so sad. At least this one and his/her partner crossed safely this time.


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## rifraf (Dec 22, 2012)

Something wrong with your pics - they are not visible except for the first 3

I get them when I click on them as it takes me to your flicker acc.

I just mention it in case your not aware.

I'm unsure if the issue could be at my end.

The page appears fully loaded.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

rifraf said:


> Something wrong with your pics - they are not visible except for the first 3
> 
> I get them when I click on them as it takes me to your flicker acc.
> 
> ...


Thanks for letting me know. Flickr was being a pain earlier on. Hopefully now fixed.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

Day 2: Roses-Quallup Beach to Quagi Beach - 35.5 km - Elapsed Time 8 hours 16 minutes in total










View from the tent as first light appears over the horizon at Roses-Quallup Beach, Monjingup, Western Australia










The first hour of the day was spent climbing the blowout from Roses-Quallup Beach, Monjingup, Western Australia up to the ridge line. It is hard to capture the steepness or difficulty of the climb, but no riding was to be had this first hour.










A moment's pause at Munroe Point as I look west to Warrenup Beach and on to my destination for the day Quagi Beach. The view is very deceptive; not reflective of what was about to come my way.


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## H0WL (Jan 17, 2007)

Refreshing post! Not much going on up north where it's winter.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

Day 3 [Day 2 riding] continued: Roses-Quallup Beach to Quagi Beach - 35.5 km - Elapsed Time 8 hours 16 minutes in total










A moment's pause at Munroe Point as I take in the 4WD track and my next hour or three's riding. The view is very deceptive; not reflective of what was about to come my way.










A moment's pause on the 4WD track as I work my way west to Barker Inlet Beach. This was one hour into the ride of the track and only a few kilometres along the way.










At the eastern end of Barker Inlet Beach. Google Maps said there was a track here. I guess a rock fall is a track right? Well it worked out okay, I went down it, fingers crossed


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

Day 2 [Part 3]: Roses-Quallup Beach to Quagi Beach - 35.5 km - Elapsed Time 8 hours 16 minutes in total










Now on Barker Inlet Beach in the Stokes National Park. Definitely the highlight of the day's riding. The Salsa Mukluk handled it fine; I only dropped the tyre pressures to around 12 PSI.










Stopped for lunch here on the beach. This was on day 2 of my 10 day 750 km ride from Esperance to Albany in Western Australia.










An interesting rock formation on Barker Inlet Beach that caught my eye.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

Day 2 [Part 4]: Roses-Quallup Beach to Quagi Beach - 35.5 km - Elapsed Time 8 hours 16 minutes in total










The effects of climate change? Salt plains (lakes) in Stokes National Park.










The last stop on Farrells Road before my destination for the day, Quagi Beach in the Stokes National Park.










Relaxed, recovered and refreshed Quagi Beach in the Stokes National Park as day 2 comes to an end.


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## cyclingdutchman (Mar 18, 2015)

Awesome pics and trip! Thanx for sharing. 

Is.there a gps track available? 

And is that telegraph road the same one from the dire straits song?


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## richwolf (Dec 8, 2004)

Nice!


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

cyclingdutchman said:


> Awesome pics and trip! Thanx for sharing.
> 
> Is.there a gps track available?


Thanks and not as yet. I have the tracks for each day [bar one which is stuck on the GPS] but haven't as yet put it all together as single track.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

Day 2 coming to an end: Roses-Quallup Beach to Quagi Beach - 35.5 km - Elapsed Time 8 hours 16 minutes in total










Quagi Beach camping area in the Stokes National Park is very much car focused. The camping bays are all hard-packed so unless you have a free-standing tent you need to find a soft bit of ground as I did. The tent is a Tarptent Double Rainbow.










A change in pace; a Banksia, maybe a B. integrifolia sharing my camping space at Quagi Beach camping ground.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

THURSDAY DECEMBER 7 - DAY 4 QUAGI BEACH TO MUNGLINUP BEACH CARAVAN PARK

A longer day today at 78.4 km and an overall time of eight hours. It was all road riding with a mix of bitumen, minor 2WD roads and Munglinup Beach Road which I am sure is going for the most corrugated road in Australia.










This abandon property on the corner of Sears Road and the South Coast Highway caught my attention so a short break from riding to take in my other passion, photography.










This abandon woolshed on the corner of Sears Road and the South Coast Highway caught my attention so a short break from riding to take in my other passion, photography.










Back on the South Coast Highway; some days highway riding was unavoidable. Today was one such day. Despite the lack of shoulder the traffic volumes where not to bad and hence it was not an overly bad road to ride on.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

Day 3 Continued &#8230; Quagi Beach to Munglinup Beach Caravan Park










The Great Southern Land. As the heat builds, the flies comes, and life on the farm continues. Straw being bailed to provide cattle feed over the long hot summer months.










Young River Station looking a little tired and depilated, a decline it seems from its heyday in the early 2000s. Paused here whilst riding the South Coastal Highway.










The bike normally sends the cattle scattering; not these three. They stood their ground eying me off. Thankfully for the fence


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

Day 3 Completed &#8230; Quagi Beach to Munglinup Beach Caravan Park










Off the South Coast Highway now for the next two days . Springdale Road is a mix of dirt and bitumen and provides an alternative route into Hopetoun if you do not mind a bit of gravel riding. It has been in good condition both times I have ridden it which says something for the minor roads around here.










Lunching in luxury . A nameless ephemeral creek which must flow hard and fast when it does given the culvert works here was my lunch stop today. A change from the scrub on the side of a road.










Late harvesting on Munglinup Beach Road. Case IH equipment seems popular around here so not surprised to see a Case IH 8120 harvester in action.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

Day 4 [Part 1]: Quagi Beach to Munglinup Beach Caravan Park - 78.4 km - Elapsed Time 8 hours.










Breaking camp at the Munglinup Beach Caravan Park. I think I paid around $25 for an unpowered tent site and for that privilege I got to share the bit of grass with the generator which went all night. Funny that didn't get mention when I booked in.










Taking a break on the edge of the Lake Shaster Nature Reserve.










Love the name of this bay, Starvation Boat Harbour. I wonder what had happened to give it this name? Good camping at the harbour but I bypassed it this ride.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

Day 4 [Part 2]: Quagi Beach to Munglinup Beach Caravan Park - 78.4 km - Elapsed Time 8 hours.










Back on the coast and now in a completely different environment. The area is known for its limestone as can be seen from the Southern Ocean East Road and the mining of lime. This is also the locality for Starvation Boat Harbour.










Thanks to Greg for identifying this plant for me; should have realised it was a gumnut! Greg is pretty sure it is a Eucalyptus preissiana Schauer [Bell-fruited Mallee].










Well the sign on the Southern Ocean East Road did say it was closed. Of course I had to ignore it; whoops. Swimming with tiger snakes and a fatbike where not quite what I had in mind for this ride : The outcome? A detour of some 42 kilometres.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

Day 4 [Part 3]: Quagi Beach to Munglinup Beach Caravan Park - 78.4 km - Elapsed Time 8 hours.










Taking a break on Springdale Road whilst completing my 42 km detour around the Jerdacuttup Nature Reserve. Springdale Road eventually becomes a bitumen road before intersecting with the Hopetoun-Ravensthorpe Road.










Christmas in the bush? Not sure what to make of this finding on Springdale Road at all. It was just in the "middle of nowhere" so to speak; no driveway or housing nearby.










The ubiquitous floodway sign; common as in the West Aussie bush. The only problem is, the road is, eh going uphill here. Whoops! You see floodway's are normally low points where waterways cross the road.










Made Hopetoun. Had to snap an image of the welcome to Hopetoun "art work." The town is actually a nice friendly place to visit; well worth it.

That ends day four.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

Day 6 [Part 1]: Hopetoun to Wild Camp [Fitzgerald River National Park] - 61.4 km - Elapsed Time 8 3/4 hours.










Heading out of Hopetoun on Hamersly Drive and before the "fun" started I was distracted by the first of two sand monitors for the day. As it turned out it was timely as got to chat to a couple of local bicycle riders (roadies); the only riders I met on the ride.










Having passed Culham Inlet I paused for a moment to take in East Mount Barren and Barrons Beach. East Mount Barren stands at 311 m. Thankfully the road swings around to the left of it.










Having passed Culham Inlet I paused for a moment to look back and capture an image of its peacefulness.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

Day 6 [Part 2]: Hopetoun to Wild Camp [Fitzgerald River National Park] - 61.4 km - Elapsed Time 8 3/4 hours.










Time for the "fun" to start. I actually surprised myself and rode all but about 50 metres of the climb. Mind you that was about it for the day 










Looking back to Hopetoun from the foot of East Mt Barren. The view takes in Barron Beach and Culham Inlet. The ride down the other side was to come &#8230; yippee! 










East Mount Barren close up. From here I rolled down from the foot of the mountain deeper into Fitzgerald River National Park to participate in its good and not so good aspects.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

Day 6 [Part 3]: Hopetoun to Wild Camp [Fitzgerald River National Park] - 61.4 km - Elapsed Time 8 3/4 hours.










Looking west across the expanse of the Fitzgerald River National Park with Mylies Beach in the foreground. My plan at this point was to pretty much follow the coast to the western boundary of the park. Oh for the plans of mice and men.










Having entered the Fitzgerald River National Park the Hakea Victoria or more commonly known Royal Hakea started to dominate the landscape. Regretfully I was out of wildflower season so no flowering specimens where to be seen. The Noongar name for the plant is Tallyongut. They can grow to around 3 metres tall. This was one of the tallest I saw today.










Now at Hamersley Inlet and contemplating the Hakea Trail as a way to head west along the cost. Note the steps: they were the easy ones. The log stairs where to come and come and come &#8230;


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

Day 6	[Part 4]: Hopetoun to Wild Camp [Fitzgerald River National Park] - 61.4 km - Elapsed Time 8 3/4 hours.










To reach the Hakea Trail proper one must first get to the beach at the inlet. Today there is a trail to provide, eh, easy access. When I walked this area in 2008 we were on our hands and knees with backpacks getting through the bush to the beach! Oh how things have changed. This is however really a walking trail and not at all ideal for bicycles: read log steps and more steps and more steps.










Paused for a moment to take in the vista of the Hamersley Inlet. What is frustrating now, is that the 4WD track on the other side of the inlet is so obvious. I could have taken that track <smacks head>.










Made the inlet having survived the Hamersley Inlet Link Trail log steps.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

Day 6	[Part 4]: Hopetoun to Wild Camp [Fitzgerald River National Park] - 61.4 km - Elapsed Time 8 3/4 hours.










To reach the Hakea Trail proper one must first get to the beach at the inlet. Today there is a trail to provide, eh, easy access. When I walked this area in 2008 we were on our hands and knees with backpacks getting through the bush to the beach! Oh how things have changed. This is however really a walking trail and not at all ideal for bicycles: read log steps and more steps and more steps.










Paused for a moment to take in the vista of the Hamersley Inlet. What is frustrating now, is that the 4WD track on the other side of the inlet is so obvious. I could have taken that track <smacks head>.










Made the inlet having survived the Hamersley Inlet Link Trail log steps.










Made the beach at Hamersley Inlet. Paused to contemplate going on and battling the rock outcrops or turning back to take Plan C.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

Day 6	[Part 5]: Hopetoun to Wild Camp [Fitzgerald River National Park] - 61.4 km - Elapsed Time 8 3/4 hours.










Back out at the Hamersley Inlet day area pumping up the tyres in preparation for some road riding when this goanna came wandering by.










Now on the outskirts of the Fitzgerald River National Park and wild camping alongside a former firefighting water hole.










Day 6: Esperance to Albany: The Unconventional Ride. 750 km in 10 days. Now on the outskirts of the Fitzgerald River National Park and wild camping alongside a couple of firefighting water tanks.

Day 6 comes to an end.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

Day 7 [Part 1]: Wild Camp [Fitzgerald River National Park] to Jerramungup - 92.9 km - 37 C - Elapsed Time 9 hours 41 minutes.

A big day today; 92.9 km, temperature in the shade, 37 C (GPS says 39 C but heck two degrees was not noticeable trust me) and nine hours and 41 minutes on the road.










This billabong in the Fitzgerald River National Park is a bit of a "mirage" in that it is cooling water but it is water with a catch; salt and more salt. No drinking water to be had here. Maybe good for a salty swim but that is about it.










The less than glorious Fitzgerald River where it crosses the Old Ongerup Road and enters the park. Very saline water so not suitable for drinking.










Late harvesting happening near Jacup. Saw my first harvesting equipment for the ride with this JCB Fastrac 3185 pulling a chaser bin down the South Coast Highway. I assume moving to the next harvesting location as the local farmers work fast to wrap up the season.

That is it for Day 7. The distance, the heat and really the riding locality did nothing to inspire much in the way of photography.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

Day 8 [Part 1]: Jerramungup to Bremer Bay - 87.2 km - Elapsed Time 6 hours 46 minutes.










I was too wiped out to take a "welcome to Jerramungup" photo the afternoon before so took it as I was leaving this morning as my official record of visiting.










Telecommunications are as important in the "bush" as they are in the city. This is the Gairdner River Exchange which provides telecommunications including mobile phone coverage, microwave repeater and I believe ADSL 2+.










Telecommunications are as important in the "bush" as they are in the city. This is the Gairdner River Exchange which provides telecommunications including mobile phone coverage, microwave repeater and I believe ADSL 2+.


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## HotHead (Feb 24, 2015)

Man! That's quite the tour! Interesting wildlife you have there. We don't have anything like them in Michigan. Nice to know they are friendly. Great pics and story!


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

Day 8 [Part 2]: Jerramungup to Bremer Bay - 87.2 km - Elapsed Time 6 hours 46 minutes.










Leaving the South Coast Highway for the day and turning on to the curiously named Devils Creek Road which is a road train route; only baby road trains here but.










Good news. All access to the Fitzgerald River National Park via Devil Creek Road is open. Not that it mattered to me as I was turning off before entering the park.










Stopped on Devil Creek Road for a break. Took this photo as reflection on life on the farm in early summer.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

Day 8 [Part 3]: Jerramungup to Bremer Bay - 87.2 km - Elapsed Time 6 hours 46 minutes.










Playing with the big boys on Swamp Road. Found it best to pull over and let them pass even though the drivers were pretty good, with most of them slowing down for me.










Day 8: Esperance to Albany: The Unconventional Ride. 750 km in 10 days. Next stop Bremer Bay. The dirt was about to come to an end for the day with bitumen to be my friend whilst battling into headwinds through to Bremer. There is always something every day it seems to take the edge of the enjoyment of riding. BTW that water bag was repositioned 










Made Bremer Bay and the chance for a decent night's sleep at the Bremer Bay Resort and to beat the incoming storm. Mind you they have an interesting concept of what a resort is . All good but and friendly folk. Bremer Bay is also a chance to resupply more so if coming in from or heading out to the Fitzgerald River National Park or bypassing some of the South Coast Highway.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

Day 09 Part 01 Bremer Bay to Wellstead - 86.2 km, Elapsed time: eight hours 21 minutes.

All bitumen roads and highway today. Decided to ride on past my planned camping spot to Wellstead as I was making much better progress than expected. All up 86.2 km in an elapsed time of eight hours and 21 minutes. Dawdled a bit today.










Leaving Bremer Bay with the storm clouds still omnipresence. I paused for a moment on the Borden-Bremer Bay Road to take in the Bremer Bay sand dunes and the storm clouds.



















Fours hour after leaving Bremer Bay the storm clouds had gone and the sun was out. Still not enough drying happening to get the harvest going but. This small local farming operation was still on hold for the day when I rode past.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

Day 09 Part 02 Bremer Bay to Wellstead - 86.2 km, Elapsed time: eight hours 21 minutes.

All bitumen roads and highway today. Decided to ride on past my planned camping spot to Wellstead as I was making much better progress than expected. All up 86.2 km in an elapsed time of eight hours and 21 minutes. Dawdled a bit today.










Dropped into the Bush Chooks Café and Roadhouse [aka Boxwood Hill Roadhouse] for lunch. I initially wasn't too sure about the place but after seeking some local knowledge from the Head Chook, Jill Collier my view changed. Jill was most helpful and knowledgeable. I can highly recommend dropping in and spending a few dollars [the food is good too]; just remember to show an interest in the area 










The Marra Bridge [#0892] spans the Pallinup River at the point where the South Coast Highway crosses the river. The bridge was built by Main Roads WA in 1962. It had been my intention to pull off here and head into the Pallinup Nature Reserve to camp for the night but as it was too early in the day I continued south taking some kilometres off tomorrow's ride.










The Pallinup at the point if flows under the South Coast Highway. It had been my intention to pull off here and head into the Pallinup Nature Reserve to camp for the night but as it was too early in the day I continued south taking some kilometres off tomorrow's ride.

Here ends Day 9. I camped at Wellstead Bush Camp in the end. Photos from Day 10 including the camp and Wellstead to follow.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

DAY 10 [POST 01] WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 13 - WELLSTEAD TO CHEYNES BEACH

A bit of bash for a while on the South Coast Highway before I was able to take a minor road which turned into a track [Google/Open Street Maps had it wrong so a bit of a re-routing required] and then beach for the remainder of the day. Today was the worse section of the South Coast Highway I experienced and I was well and truly glad to see the back of it. A total of 74.5 km and a total time on the bike of nine hours 21 minutes.










Sun rising over my camp site at the Wellstead Bush Camp, Wellstead. Basic campsite with a toilet and shower. Robb and Carolyn Davy are the hosts. A unpowered site is $10 for the night.



















Wellstead Rural Services: general store, supplies, hot food, diner. Actually not bad takeaway food and handy for an emergency stock up. Pretty much it but for the locality.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

DAY 10 [POST 02] WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 13 - WELLSTEAD TO CHEYNES BEACH

A bit of bash for a while on the South Coast Highway before I was able to take a minor road which turned into a track [Google/Open Street Maps had it wrong so a bit of a re-routing required] and then beach for the remainder of the day. Today was the worse section of the South Coast Highway I experienced and I was well and truly glad to see the back of it. A total of 74.5 km and a total time on the bike of nine hours 21 minutes.










Street art at the Wellstead Rural Services roadhouse come general store.










One of the joys of riding a bicycle; the freedom from the tank  Fuel prices at Wellstead Rural Services.










This shelter for the kids waiting for the school bus caught my attention; quintessential rural Australian ingenuity.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

DAY 10 [POST 03] WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 13 - WELLSTEAD TO CHEYNES BEACH

A bit of bash for a while on the South Coast Highway before I was able to take a minor road which turned into a track [Google/Open Street Maps had it wrong so a bit of a re-routing required] and then beach for the remainder of the day. Today was the worse section of the South Coast Highway I experienced and I was well and truly glad to see the back of it. A total of 74.5 km and a total time on the bike of nine hours 21 minutes.










Southern Haulage coming into to load up with wood chips which I assume where being taken south to Albany for export.










Telecommunications are so important in the Australian bush. It is not unusual to therefore come across a microwave [landline] repeater tower such as this one at Green Range.



















Now on Hassell Beach, one of the longest beaches on the south coast of Western Australia at 22 kilometres [source: https://beachsafe.org.au/beach/wa/albany/cheynes/hassell-beach]. I rode about 10 kilometres of the beach having dropped on to it at Bluff Creek. This section at least was a great firm ridable surface only spoilt by the headwind.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

DAY 11 [POST 01] THURSDAY DECEMBER 14 - CHEYNES BEACH TO ALBANY

The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.










This is one sign I was not expecting to see; shows how much I now about fishing! Apparently fishing is big around here, so big have a council supplied offal pit is justified. There you go, you learn something new all the time.










The after-effects of the early morning storm still lingering over the rocky outcrop just out of Cheynes Beach.










The last of the telecommunication towers on this ride. A rather minimalist step serving Cheynes Beach.


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## bikeny (Feb 26, 2004)

What's an offal pit?


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## Papanowel (May 30, 2015)

bikeny said:


> What's an offal pit?


That's a definition from NZ but it might be the same in OZ:

Offal Pits | Greater Wellington Regional Council

BTW, nice ride, I'd love to go back to Australia (especially in Tasmania), I've been to Bremer bay (during the winter) and it was a superb place.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

Papanowel said:


> That's a definition from NZ but it might be the same in OZ:
> 
> Offal Pits | Greater Wellington Regional Council
> 
> BTW, nice ride, I'd love to go back to Australia (especially in Tasmania), I've been to Bremer bay (during the winter) and it was a superb place.


Thanks for the link and feedback. Yep some thing here in Australia. This particularly one is used apparently for disposal of fish remains.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

DAY 11 [POST 02] THURSDAY DECEMBER 14 - CHEYNES BEACH TO ALBANY

The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.










I was to spend a few hours riding through Waychinicup National Park, the home to Mt Manypeaks and some 800+ flora and fauna species including some of rarest animals in Australia including quenda, ring tailed possums and one of the few mainland populations of quokkas [source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waychinicup_National_Park].










My first sighting of Mt Manypeaks as the sun broke through. My ride for today had me skirting around Mt Manypeaks, mind you there was still some climbing on a rocky track involved.










Easily the tallest Xanthorrhoea [Balga Tree] I saw on the ride through the Waychinicup National Park; in fact on the whole ride. A noticeable change in fauna from the Fitzgerald River National Park.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

DAY 11 [POST 03] THURSDAY DECEMBER 14 - CHEYNES BEACH TO ALBANY

The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.










Day 11: Esperance to Albany: The Unconventional Ride. 750 km in 10 days. An unidentifiable, to me at least, wildflower in slow decay in the Waychinicup National Park.










A pink flower. I have an uncomfortable feeling this is a weed, a South African import? - Waychinicup National Park.










A white flower. I am not able to identify it so if you can help, please do - Waychinicup National Park.


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## Surly in OZ (Aug 2, 2011)

Great trip mate, would love to cross the Nullarbour one day and ride West OZ.

OZ.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

DAY 11 [POST 04] THURSDAY DECEMBER 14 - CHEYNES BEACH TO ALBANY

The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.










Working my around Mt Manypeaks on pretty good tracks in the Waychinicup National Park.










Mt Manypeaks from a north-western perspective. My last substantive view of the mountain before leaving the park.










This fence marks one boundary of a 380 hectare section of the Waychinicup National Park fenced off to provide a protection zone for one of the world's rarest marsupial species, Gilbert's potoroo (Potorous gilbertii). The aim of the fence is to protect the native fauna from cats and foxes but it didn't allow for the native predator, the Carpet Snake which is apparently proving to be a well fed pest.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

DAY 11 [POST 05] THURSDAY DECEMBER 14 - CHEYNES BEACH TO ALBANY

The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.










My nemesis, Normans Beach. This was the one and only unrideable beach. Of course I dropped down on the beach near the eastern end so had a fair bit of slogging to do. However I was "recused". Note the house? Well the owner had seen me and dropped down to the beach on his quad bike to see what was happening. End result was a tow for about 500 to 800 metres along the beach. Mind you I then had to push out up off the beach via a muddy creak followed by a steep track. Not fun at all.










Looking west over Two Peoples Bay. I dropped down to the eastern end of the beach and then rode to the western end, some 4.5 km of excellent beach riding. This was to be my last beach of the ride so a nice one to finish off.










I took lunch well above Bettys Beach having climbed out of Normans Beach. It was a pleasant spot watching the ants scarring around below me.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

DAY 11 [POST 06] THURSDAY DECEMBER 14 - CHEYNES BEACH TO ALBANY

The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.










Looking west to Mt Gardner from Two Peoples Bay beach.










Names of geographical locations are at times most interesting.










This sign was a bit of surprise, well a big surprise. Not something you tend to see in Western Australia and even more curious out here in the "middle of nowhere" so to speak.


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## Aushiker (Sep 27, 2007)

DAY 11 [POST 07] THURSDAY DECEMBER 14 - CHEYNES BEACH TO ALBANY

The last day of riding today, so my 10th day of actual riding. Two days of travelling to and from the ride. The day started out well, had a little hiccup followed by another little hiccup so I ended up changing my plans for the last section into Albany and stuck to more bitumen riding than initially planned. All up 77.7 km with an elapsed time of 11 hours.










My first substantive sighting of my destination, Albany. It was so close yet so far with 20 km to ride in to the infamous Albany Doctor: a southern ocean headwind.










Peace at home; peace in the world. This statute in remembrance of the Battle of Gallipoli and the Turkish President, Ataturk marks the end of my unconventional ride from Esperance to Albany, Western Australia.


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