My front tyre held air overnight, to my immense relief. No one arrived at the chalet, to Mum’s chagrin. 

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But eating breakfast in the communal kitchen did mean we saw a brown goshawk come down to the birdbath. 

I rode back into Broome about 8:30. I went to the other bike shop, to replace my sealant stock. The tyre was fine on the corrugations. On the road into Broome, I saw Karen again. She’s been down at Barn Hill, my destination in two nights time and is heading up the Dampier Peninsula. 

The shop was very busy, apparently there’s a triathlon tomorrow. I met Mum and Dad back at the town beach cafe for another coffee. They are going up the Beagle Bay for two nights so will overtake me somewhere on the road on Monday, unless I’m in Bidyadanga. We’ll meet up again near Karratha. 

I stayed at the town beach cafe after they left and had another coffee and lunch with Lucy’s uncle John who’s been in the Kimberley for decades. He was very lovely, as you’d imagine, and shouted me lunch. He was basically like, it’s a long way of not much heading south. He obviously knows Jen’s mate Ingrid, who I’ll stay with in Bidyadanga. Between that, Barn Hill and two roadhouses, I think the leg to Port Hedland should be alright. After feeling so accomplished when I arrived in Broome having dimension the Gibb, I’m back to being anxious about the next leg. 

I rode out to the BBO turnoff thinking be wind wasn’t so bad, then the road turned and it was a bit of a struggle. John had offered me a lift in his troopie, as had Mum and Dad but I wanted to ride. A little headwind is good for the soul. Obviously I questioned my choices around 20k out having had to pedal down into a depression and surveying the uphill. I tried to call Roebuck Roadhouse from the gateway gate but they didn’t answer which I took to mean the caravan park was probably full so I came in here again. The guy remembered me which was pretty good, I don’t even think he saw my bike. Although I guess someone walking in without an engine noise is a giveaway they’re probably cycling.

The journey south starts tomorrow!