Friday 28th September. Mudrabilla to Border Village plus a bit

Friday 28^th September

Signpost to various parts of the world at Eucla where there is a short climb to the Nullabor Plain.

Posing in front of the Police Car that did a breathaliser on Mandy at the border between the states of West and South Australia. The policeman did not want to be in the picture.

Yep that's Chis in the pouch of a giant plastic Kangaroo. They do love their large statues.

Time off by the Southern Ocean after the ride.

It was cold in the wind and we did not try paddling.

We see plenty of Kangaroos but the Wombats and Camels evade us.

Old smoker couple coughing in night. As no hurry today, we get out early in half-light to birdwatch along the track marked with a 9 on an old fridge heading south from near roadhouse. Good views of Spiny Cheeked Honeyeaters that are most striking and luckily red bills give them away. Redthroat but not much else around. Lack of calls suggest birds get up late. On way back get really good view of a mae Australian Bustard that moves towards us in stately manner and crosses the rack behind us. On main road see Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo fly over and playing call gets him to come back but sadly does not unfurl its crest.

Set off with gilet and full arm warmers on and they stay on all day and still it is a little chilly. It is supposed to be a southerly today but typically it is really an easterly headwind all day and getting stronger all day. I’m riding with saddle slightly forward and with padding strapped on top to try to stop saddle soreness. Road surface is quite smooth all day and flat apart from the short climb up to Eucla. Pass trees decorated with bras, pants, cups and Christmas tat. Borrow mug for rest of trip to rplace tatty paper cups.

As climb up to Eucla (the escarpment comes to the coast here to form the Bunda Cliffs) I meet a Frenchman running the other way (with fly net over his head.) He is about the same age as me with same glasses. He is running 70km per day and is supported ever 12 km. He has come from Sydney and will get to Perth on October 20^th (when I should get to Sydney.) That is pretty impressive going! My efforts continue to look puny compared with others out there but when I stop at Eucla an overweight couple are amazed at my efforts.

We carry onto the WA/SA border and Mandy has her breath tested by Police on the border. She passes and they let us photo their car but not them (hair too long, he says!) Large fiberglass Kangaroo outside the roadhouse. Check into smart cabin 33 at Border Village at 80km done.

Have lunch then, despite the strong headwind, do another 34 km to bring the total for tomorrow down to 150 km. It is noticeable that Highway 1 is narrower in South Australia and the shoulder is gravel so I cannot safely ride onto it to avoid trucks. If there is a wide load (which have pilot vehicles for warning) I have to stop before pulling off.

The extra bit is along the coast of the Southern Ocean and the wind is coming up from Antarctica and feels like it! I get a Nankeen Kestrel hover over me then stoop to ground only 10 metres away. Nice views of the coast and after I’ve stopped I go back the other way for a kilometer just to show my how vice it would be with a tailwind!

Stop at viewpoints and get Singing Honeyeaters in a kerfuffle with a recording then spot a Southern Right Whale mother and calf heading west very close in. A new whale for us and very pleasing though we had hoped to see them after tomorrow as several spend the winter at “Head of Bight.”

Back to eat at roadhouse with typical cuisine. A good day today and saddle sore seems less of a problem today, thankfully.

114.58 km today in 4 hours 58 minutes – an average of 23 kph. Total so far 1681.63 km