Day 67: Billabong to Nerren Nerren rest area

August 9, 2022

Start: 9:35 am
Distance: 47 km
Ride time: 2:39 hours
Average: 18 km/hr
Max:30 km/hr
Finish: 12:40pm

Every time I thought about getting up there would be a sprinkling of rain. I only had a short distance to do today. It wasn't forcast to rain at all. I refused to pack up in the rain.

After a couple hours it stopped long enough for me to pack up everything. There were small puddles of water inside the tent and most things were damp.

I won't survive multiple rainy days in this tent. I might have to start staying in cabins if there is a long spell of wet weather.

I went to the roadhouse and had muesli, yoghurt and fruit for breakfast. This roadhouse had a few healthy choices. I feel so much much better eating normal food instead of deep-fried stuff. Hopefully the food options will increase as I get closer to Perth.

I also bought a couple of salad rolls for the road. And a packet of jelly beans.

The day's weather changed several times from almost a sunny day to light rain. I wore my rain jacket several times during random isolated showers. I think this is the first time I've worn my rain jacket while on the ride this year. I was surprised to find some doggy bags in the pocket from back home.

During the sunny breaks in the weather I was happy to stop for more flower pics:

This flower is off a medium sized bush with covered in these flowers.

This is off a small grevillea tree. It stood out brightly with the red.

This is the tiniest of flowers. Maybe only 4mm across.

From a small bush covered in these flowers.

Today's tree pic. The vegetation height has continued to increase.

Without too much effort, I arrived at the rest area. It's huge and could accommodate 30 caravans or more.

There are only two shelters and I commandeered one in case it rained again.

Swallowtails kept checking on their nest under the roof.

The ground is bitumen so I couldn't put tent pegs in. It was very windy and cold. I looped my tent ties over some bollards and weighted the other side down with a water bladder. The wind helped dry everything out.

My nearest neighbours offered me a coffee. I learnt that coffee sometimes comes with treats so I said 'yes please'.

I scored a coffee and biscuits and a banana and some friendly conversation.

It was windy and cold so I spent most of the afternoon happily in the tent. At one time I ventured out of the tent and I was invited over to a camp fire.

The fire was welcome and warm. The conversation was about caravans and bicycles. I asked what was their most luxurious item and was told the mattress and the shower. One van even had a dishwasher. The van had 4 different water tanks.

They seemed aghast that I would drink water from a river (my next stop). They offered me drinking water and fruit cake. I took the cake.

They were all lovely people and half of them were dairy farmers from Bunbury. We spoke lots about this. I love milk and drink a lot of it.

Meet the kind Robert, Richie, Jenny, and Carol.

The afternoon wind dried out my tent and things.

Today's ride: 47 km (29 miles)
Total: 3,932 km (2,442 miles)

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Bill ShaneyfeltWonderful how you get quality pictures of tiny wildflowers! I sure wish I knew an Australian Botanist who could ID them! My luck in finding photo matches recently is dismal.
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1 year ago

Vince McCarthyIt's all good Bill. No stress.
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1 year ago