Tuesday 2nd October - Reach halfway today!

Tuesday 2^nd October

Please note the grammatical error at the place nextdoor!

Penong, home to the Windmill Museum

Chris among the windmills

Road train carrying gypsum from the mine north of Nundaroo to the port at Ceduna. About one per hour pass each way.

The pier at Ceduna. 

M

Ceduna is my favourite place we've visited so far even if it is windy and cold even when sunny.

4 Diesel Locomotives take the empties away from the port at Ceduna.

Today is the day I cross the halfway mark. After another futile spotlighting session it starts cool and grey with big puddles on the ground. There is a little drizzle in the air but it comes to nothing as we drive out to KM post 350 to start the day. There is a tailwind for once and I fly along to Penong which is the first place we’ve seen for days that is more than just a roadhouse. There are houses and shops a windmill museum which includes the largest windmill in Australia but it is not very large. It was used to pump water to fill steal locomotives for South Australia Railways back in the day.

After a quick meal I continue to fly along with the tailwind but the enjoyment is spoilt by saddle soreness, something I’ve never really suffered before. Today I try wearing two pairs of padded shorts which eases things a bit but with the headwind gone this is the top of the problem list. Later in Ceduna we get some local anesthetic cream to try tomorrow.

We stop at the side of the road to refill my bottle and it happens there are some sheep in the field with two llamas. They are clearly there to protect the sheep (as seen on TV) and they see us stop, come over to the sheep and herd them to a longer area of grass where the sheep are hidden from us. Very impressive.

In the early afternoon we arrive at the port of Ceduna where we have to pass the famous fruit fly quarantine post that stops us bringing fresh fruit in from West Australia. It is not very thorough! Ceduna has a rail link and also we have been passed regularly by smart, special road trains taking Gypsum from a mine north of Nundaroo to be exported by ship. The turn south into the town brings me into another strong headwind for a short while.

We check into a cabin on a caravan park but chase off when we hear a train arriving at the port. We miss getting a decent picture as it arrives and annoyingly later when the empties left despite a chase across town. We are told by the Information Office of a location for Hooded Plover but we do not locate them. Again. We did see both types of Oystercatcher and our first Australian Pelican of the trip.

Shop, topping back up with fruit and veg. Find we can post some of the blog and book another couple of hotels for future nights. This is the first internet access we’ve had for 1000 kms and 9 days since leaving Norseman.

134.48 km today in 4 hours 32 minutes – an average of 29.5 kph. Total so far 2132.59 km. This is more than half the total route which is expected to be 4134 km. No point turning round to Perth now, it is closer to go to Sydney.