AUSTRALIA Page 5 - Western Australia/South Australia - December 2006.

Australia, the adopted homeland of both Mal and Lee. The only continent under one government and the country we both love. The picture above is the “skyline” of our city, you can click on the picture to get a larger image. Perth is one of the most isolated regional capital cities in the world. There are so many things to say about our country that I simply do not know where to begin...

Friday December 1^st 2006 Bush camp 20k's from Madura to Madura.
Approx. 19.84k's Average Speed 10.86kph Cycling time 1Hr(s) 49Min. Max speed. 53kph Max temp we recorded °C
Terrain: Flat Road Conditions: Fair - Mild weather, Light side/tail wind. Overnight Accommodation: $0.00. Standard )

Saw our first "live" snake today, a jet black specimen about two metres long - it stopped on the road and raised it's head to look at us, then scurried off into the bush.

The flies today were by far the worst we have encountered billions of them and "sticky" - without the netting over our faces, it would have been unbearable. Saw a kangaroo fatally injured from a traffic accident.... I still regret not stopping and "using my hammer". I believe there are two types (or more?) of people... Those that can "use the hammer" and those that cannot... I think I belong to the latter... I MUST try to change and put the animals feelings before mine. Most of this carnage could be stopped with the stroke of a pen. STOP TRUCKS TRAVELLING AT NIGHT. Votes and the "Money God" will NEVER allow this simple solution. Just like "Battery Hens" who will remain in their cramped cages, so the carnage will continue.... Oh! the power of votes and the money God... Certainly more powerful than any religion we humans have invented.

Scheduled Rest day today.... so we booked a budget room at the Madura Oasis... We took one with a fan (no aircon) as it was not so hot today. We reasoned that our tent does not have air con either :-) Now the chores... Laundry, cleaning, bike maintenance, etc.. Yuk!!! Did I say “Rest Day”???? Catchya Tomorrow

Saturday December 2^nd 2006 Madura to Bush Camp about 75k's from Mundrabilla.
Approx. 43.09k's Average Speed 9.53kph Cycling time 4Hr(s) 31Min. Max speed. 37kph Max temp we recorded °C
Terrain: Flat Road Conditions: Fair - Mild weather, Side head wind about 10 past. Overnight Accommodation: $0.00. Standard )

Started late today for a variety of reasons A & J cycled in about 9.30 and used our room for water and shower.. The managers at Madura were most helpful with supplies to tide us over for a few days until our supplies arrive at Eucla. We can relax a little now. We were stopped by some Canadian Tourists who were cyclists, having toured Canada and were about to Cycle New Zealand. We mentioned our wish to cycle NZ and that our best friends were New Zealanders.... They talked about dates but were no where near our dates. Besides we think that Anne and Graham, our friends, will give us lots of places and people to see. They insisted we take an ice cold coke, so we did :-) He is 66 yrs old and still cycling – looks as fit as a mallee bull.

The countryside is very barren now, with few tree's and the wildlife slaughter is staggering. The smells are putrid but we are getting used to them now.. We found out that the govt. answer to the slaughter is to hire “shooters” to slaughter more.. That way there are less to damage the trucks... I am constantly bewildered as to why the human being hates animals so much. Am I missing something?

Not much more of interest today so will Catchya Tomorrow

Sunday December 3^rd 2006 Bush Camp about 75k's from Mundrabilla to Bush camp approx. 17k's from Mundrabilla.
Approx. 58k's Average Speed 8.28kph Cycling time 7Hr(s) 00Min. Max speed. 14kph Max temp we recorded °C
Terrain: Flat Road Conditions: Fair - Mild weather strong headwind. Overnight Accommodation: $0.00. Standard )

Low stats today, energy levels down due to poor diet... We will soon be in Eucla where our stocks will be replenished. Adjusted all our clocks and I wiped out my cycle computer stats, So I reset Lee's about two hours into our ride. The ones above are fairly accurate.

Cool night last night so pretty good sleep. Not a great deal of interest on the ride today... Lots of Kangaroos waiting to be slaughtered by the trucks tonight.. and last nights slaughter commencing putrefaction. Loads of birds are killed some Eagles and Kites.. Crows seem to be in the minority – perhaps they are smarter? Have not seen a “pink and grey” either (Galah). Of course we could have cycled into Mundrabilla but it is less expensive to camp just outside... We have no need of their facilities other than a shower which we will buy in the morning.

Saw a burned out car today... We heard on the “Radio Chatter” that one had caught fire near Mundrabilla – As far as I know, no one was injured... Costly fire I can tell you!!!

Well that's about it for today... Catchya Tomorrow.

Monday December 4^th 2006 Bush camp approx. 17k's from Mundrabilla to Bush Camp approx 28k's from Eucla.
Approx. 54.99k's Average Speed 11.08kph Cycling time 4Hr(s) 57Min. Max speed. 21kph Max temp we recorded °C
Terrain: Flat Road Conditions: Fair - head/side/tail wind. VERY Hot.. Overnight Accommodation: $0.00. Standard )

Odd day weather wise No wind to start with, side wind from the north for most of the morning. It got very hot (42º C) by about lunch time, then a cool change with a southerly coming in at about 10 past the hour. We rolled into Mundrabilla, one of the few “independents” to survive. Cheap fuel for motorists and damn good food. Hard to make the owner/manager smile though. We had a shower and breakfast here and picked up some fresh fruit. Lee went into the ladies and soaked our shirts in cold water.. We put them on wet and was cool to go.... Saw Emus Roo's and lots of birds (Live) and the last nights slaughter. We had heard before we left that the Crows take the eyes first... I can assure you this is true. Had a long chat with a “truckie” He too said that we need to get the “Gung Ho” truckie minority off the road... He was very “cagey” when asked about “pills” and said they are no good... Maybe work a while at first but are useless long term and cause “aggro” plus lots of other problems for the user(s). He appeared a responsible guy, working for a company we have come to respect for their courtesy and caring driving skills BUNKER is the company name. Oddly enough for a “Male Chauvinist Pig” like me to admit, the female truckies are the best drivers by a mile... Full Stop!!!! Not much more news today.. Should be in Eucla am... Catchya Tomorrow.

Tuesday December 5^th 2006 Bush Camp approx 28k's from Eucla to Border Village.
Approx. 42.41k's Average Speed 12.15kph Cycling time 3Hr(s) 29Min. Max speed. 32kph Max temp we recorded °C
Terrain: Flat Road Conditions: Fair - tailwind warm/hot. Overnight Accommodation: $0.00. Standard )

Called in at Eucla to check if our food parcel had arrived. We phoned family to check mailing address and found it was not Eucla but “Border Village some 12 k's further... (About 1 hr. cycling time). Met A & J at Eucla Village and they too are waiting for a parcel to arrive. They stayed at Eucla. We had breakfast in Eucla Village and then cycled to Border Village.

Border village is an overpriced “Third World” dive. It is filthy here.. We took a “Budget Cabin” ($50.00 per night) only to find it was infested with rodents. I saw live mice and lizards and droppings from other animals.. Next morning we told management and it was ignored with heartless indifference. As you all know we now live in a world that simply does not care about anything... Absolutely pointless letting the health Dept. know... they will probably chuck their resources towards prosecuting the informer!!! Little choice to remain due to our food situation, so we changed rooms. Prices here (and most other roadhouses, Norseman to Ceduna) are just ridiculous, they continue to tell the lie that freight causes HUGE mark-up's (eg.. Noodles about 650% mark-up). In reality they are just greedy, a clear indication of how ANY monopoly would behave if society allows monopolies to form. Catchya Tomorrow.

Wednesday December 6^th 2006 Border Village Rest Day.
Approx. k's Average Speed kph Cycling time Hr(s) Min. Max speed. kph Max temp we recorded °C
Terrain: Flat Road Conditions: Fair - tailwind warm/hot. Overnight Accommodation: $0.00. Standard )

Sod's Law! (The Irish call it Murphy's Law). Of course the parcel did not arrive... We are moving on with a savagely modified menu. Working to a strict menu we should have enough to provide energy to pedal. It is 186 k's to the next roadhouse, “Nullarbor”. If they follow the same policy (Greed) there will be little we can buy other than the normal “Grease Pit” Menu.... We will not know until we get there.

There is no phone out here other than a limited CDMA service (not our phone, our phone is digital) at Eucla and the corporate vermin's (Telstra) overpriced land line. Calling is not easy... After Nullarbor, Yalata I believe is closed so Nundroo will be next - about 150+ K's (3 Days). After Nundroo, we should get to the small community of Penong. Penong has, from memory, a small general store, certainly we can buy enough here. Enough conjecture, by the time you read this you will know the answers...

There is no Internet on the Nullarbor, (There are some “email terminals” – most are out of order - available at horrendous prices) so I have been unable to upload since Esperance on18-11-2006. Totally unacceptable for a 1^st world country. Catchya Tomorrow.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Thursday December 7^th 2006 Border Village to Bush Camp 144k's from Nullarbor.
Approx. 43.88k's Average Speed 8.58kph Cycling time 5Hr(s) 6Min. Max speed. 19kph Max temp we recorded °C
Terrain: Flat. Road Conditions: Poor - Ferocious Headwind, cool to mild. Overnight Accommodation: $0.00. Standard )

Late start (After Lunch). Broken solar panel required repairs... Met some nice people this morning and chatted longer than should have. Little choice but to eat at the roadhouse and buy a “cut lunch”. I have said lot's about “Sod's Law”, but hey !! we need to make good time and what happens? Everything is against us, the headwind is howling, and we are “marginal” on the calories (Kilojoules)... Maybe the wind will be kinder (not) tomorrow. It has been hard on Lee and my knees, plus it is hard on the “ears” (Wind in the ears).. The only good thing, is that it is cool, coming off the “Great Southern Ocean”. Biting “March Flies” were out in force today – they have plagued us for weeks now, but were particularly plenty full today.

South Australia's roads are not as good as WA, no shoulder. Without a shoulder it can be both hard and dangerous for us. I will not bore you with the dynamics, but most cyclists and ALL recumbent cyclists will know what I mean. Just had dinner – three packets of “2 minute noodles and a tin of “Braised Steak and Onions”. How the manufactures of these products get away with lying on the label is beyond me. The ingredients said 16% reconstituted meat (Not steak) and mountains of cheap “filler”. Our Govt. MUST be supporting them or they would be forced to tell the truth.. Enough from me Catchya Tomorrow.

Friday December 8^th 2006 Bush Camp 144k's from Nullarbor to Bush camp overlooking the Great Australian Bight.
Approx. 72.08k's Average Speed 11.87kph Cycling time 6Hr(s) 4Min. Max speed. 27kph Max temp CONFIRMED 51°C
Terrain: Flat. Road Conditions: Poor - Ferocious headwind VERY Hot. Overnight Accommodation: $0.00. Standard )

We did not have a thermometer today, but we both felt that today was our hottest day EVER.... We started cycling at 0930 and by 1400 (2pm) we had done only 40 k's... The headwind and the heat combined to slow everything... We reached a “covered” table and sat on the seat in the shade... The concrete seat was too hot to sit (in the shade) and we had to cover it just to sit down. Our water had become too hot to drink in the bidden's...

Out of the blue two young children came with a glass of cold water and said “would you like some cold water”. We gulped it down and went to thank the parents. They filled the glasses and we drank those too They also filled our water bottles. We consumed more than twenty litres of water between us today and we are still drinking in the tent. It is frightening the amount we need just to survive. The people who gave us the water are just typical Aussies – great people.

We started cycling again at 6pm and covered the remaining 32ks in record time... Our night camp is shared tonight and we were given another three litres of water by some kind people camping here. It would be hard if we did not get this additional water. Still very hot but the headwind had died down to a trickle, enabling our speed boost. We are at the most photographed part of the bight... We will put the pic here when we can.

Just eaten our “Meal of the day” - “Noodles with dried peas and baked beans” :-) Catchya Tomorrow.

Addendum: We now have confirmed (two independent sources) the temp reached 51º C (123.8 Fahrenheit) with 27% humidity. It was 39C at 10pm... Frightening Temperatures...
Saturday December 9^th 2006 Bush camp overlooking the Great Australian Bight to Nullarbor Roadhouse.
Approx. 77.54k's Average Speed 12.71kph Cycling time 6Hr(s) 6Min. Max speed. 26kph Max temp we recorded °C
Terrain: Flat. Road Conditions: Poor - Tailwind at twenty past the hour. Cold. Overnight Accommodation: $0.00. Standard )

What a difference a day makes... Said this before! I doubt if the temp reached 25C today. For most of the day it was bellow 20C, coupled with occasional showers. What a contrast. People were great today. Many stopped and gave us their fruit/veggies, rather than dump at Eucla/Ceduna. Tomatoes, Nectarines, Lemon, Rock Melon, Apples, Pears and more.. We feasted on these today, it was great. Met up with A&J today and found they too suffered greatly in the heat.. Andrew said he just went into “survival mode”.

Inside this cheap (By Aussie standards) Accommodation....

We have not seen any dead Kangaroos since Eucla.. But heaps of live Dingos.. I suspect they are feeding on the carnage, however, I have no proof. Picked up an injured falcon (I think) today... Hit by a vehicle. Not sure if it will survive.
We are in a “Backpackers” room at Nullarbor Roadhouse $42.00 per night. It has a double and two single beds & no Rodents.

Thanks must go to all the people that stopped us and gave fruit/veggies. We do not know your names but hope good fortune smiles on you. Now for the evening chores :-), A shower is the only enjoyable part of our “rest” stops. Catchya Tomorrow.

Sunday December 10^th 2006 Nullarbor Roadhouse rest day.
Approx. k's Average Speed kph Cycling time Hr(s) Min. Max speed. kph Max temp we recorded °C
Terrain: Flat. Road Conditions: Poor - Tailwind at twenty past the hour. Cold. Overnight Accommodation: $0.00. Standard )

The weather this morning is atrocious. (for us) Cold – high winds – heavy rain & thunderstorms. We decided on our rest day only this morning. A&J decided to put their waterproof gear on and battle the winds, however they were staying in the $125.00 per night rooms so it would have been expensive to remain. I hope they get a “good run” and miss the showers – they are lucky people (some people are not). A day of repair, laundry, and maintenance where possible, on the bikes. Plus of course the body can recover a little. Called family this morning and found all is OK . My daughter Pam, is attempting to get us back to Perth for my Daughter Sharon's wedding on the 6^th Jan 07. I hope we can find a way. I said train, bus or plane is OK even send our car to Port Augusta by train and we will drive back. It is so bloody hard with no phone or Internet. Catchya Tomorrow.

UPDATE: Called Pam. No passenger seats available on the train, cannot freight car until February, buses no longer run. CAN get flight. Will call AM tomorrow (Monday) and book. Will let you know how we get on... We have 26 days until the wedding and 23 days before the (intended) flight. We are well over 1000 kilometres from Adelaide. Cycling time will have to be better than 45 ks per day and no rest days. We will re-evaluate in both Ceduna and Port Augusta. If Port Augusta (PA) we need secure storage for our gear and a bus to Adelaide. PA is about 270 k's before Adelaide... (About 5-6 days cycling).

Monday December 11^th 2006 Nullarbor Roadhouse to Bush Camp 20k's from Yalata.
Approx. 73.74k's Average Speed 9.57kph Cycling time 7Hr(s) 42Min. Max speed. 40kph Max temp we recorded °C
Terrain: Flat. Road Conditions: Poor - Cold with strong headwind. Overnight Accommodation: $0.00. Standard )

Managed to book a flight from Adelaide on the 4^th January so that we can be there for my daughters wedding. A bit of luck getting the flight at the right price. NOW we need to get to Adelaide before the 4^th Jan, over 1000k's from Nullarbor.

Nullarbor is a forgotten desert... Howling wind day and night and total desolation. I am still at a loss as to why there is no “carnage” on the side of the road? Plus why there are no skeletal remains? Perhaps large mammals do not live on the Nullarbor proper? If you (the reader) know(s) please leave an answer in our Guestbook . Nice to get back amongst the trees, AND the hills. Quite hilly this stretch about 30 ks from Nullarbor. We know Yalata is closed, we have been told that successive managers have robbed them blind. This has caused the complex to close... (Update 3^rd July 2007, from a reader: I add verbatim and unedited, copied from my Guestbook – I CANNOT vouch for it's accuracy, but it is correct that I was told the above story by both roadhouses AND others)

<SNIP>Read your script on Yalata RH this is not correct, I am one of those Managers and it was colosed due to saftey reasons not poor management. Those stories are made up by Roadhouse management of other roadhouses near by. It would be apriciated if you were to correct this. <END>
Sad really as it reflects on Aboriginal management when this is not the whole story.

Met a young lad with a three legged dog on his way to Adelaide from Perth. He had not spotted us when he camped in a secluded spot after dark.. I succeeded in frightening him to near death, all I did was say G'day mate :-).. Catchya Tomorrow

Tuesday December 12^th 2006 Bush Camp 20k's from Yalata to Nundroo.
Approx. 76.77k's Average Speed 9.79kph Cycling time 7Hr(s) 47Min. Max speed. 42kph Max temp we recorded °C
Terrain: Hilly. Road Conditions: Poor - Strong Headwind, warm weather. Overnight Accommodation: $0.00. Standard )

Nundroo is the last “roadhouse” on the “so called” Nullarbor. We are staying at Nundroo, The food here is OK and the place is clean enough.... Need our beauty sleep :-) We booked an excellent room, but was woken throughout the night by fighting Aboriginals. We were having to get up as we were concerned about our bikes.

Next “place” is Penong, a tiny village with Pub, shop and a few houses. The ride today did not have much of interest. We stopped and cooked lunch at the “closed” Yalata roadhouse. It is a bloody shame that such excellent facilities are just left to rot. Was stopped by four “Yalata” Aboriginals who said they had ran out of petrol... It felt like a scam.. They said they needed a drink and food. I gave them two litres of water. I told them our food is dehydrated and needs a lot of preparation.. They drove past us about 10 minutes later? Other than this it was an uneventful ride. so Catchya Tomorrow.

Wednesday December 13^th 2006 Nundroo to Bush Camp 12k's from Penong.
Approx. 71.64k's Average Speed 10.14kph Cycling time 7Hr(s) 3Min. Max speed. 40kph Max temp we recorded °C
Terrain: Hilly. Road Conditions: Poor - Light winds variable, warm to hot.. Overnight Accommodation: $0.00. Standard )

Wombat killing fields!!!! I have been astonished at the lack of carnage since entering South Australia (except for birds). Seeing our native wombats slaughtered in significant numbers from just outside Nundroo until our stop outside Penong, saddens me. I realise I can do nothing when the money and votes are in the “wrong corner”.

Saw little value in going on to Penong... Our needs are few and we have a nice “Bush camping spot”. Lee cooked a nice dinner from the supplies that My daughter Pam sent. Tomorrow, all being well, we will reach Ceduna. We will have “officially” crossed the Nullarbor. Before we left I have searched the Net and cannot find another Thai woman that has crossed the Nullarbor on a RECUMBENT TRIKE. We know that a Thai girl crossed on an upright bike (http://www.thaibikeworld.com ). We think Lee will be the first on a trike. I am very proud of her. We met another cyclist today that started in Norseman 6 days ago... He has a support caravan, hence no luggage and was carried for 400k's due to high wind, I think he will regret getting a lift “in the middle” Still it is a tough ride no matter how it's done... Anyhow getting tired so Catchya tomorrow.

END OF NULLARBOR

Thursday December 14^th 2006 Bush Camp 12k's from Penong to Ceduna.
Approx. 93.53k's Average Speed 10.16kph Cycling time 9Hr(s) 12Min. Max speed. 29kph Max temp we recorded °C
Terrain: Hilly. Road Conditions: Poor - Side/headwind, mild weather. Overnight Accommodation: $0.00. Standard )

WE DID IT !!! AND we have a certificate to prove it :-) We have “officially” crossed the Nullarbor by Recumbent Trike. Another milestone is our “daily” distance... 93.53 Km. The most we have done in one day. Cycling Time 9hrs 12 minutes is also a first (Shows we are fitter). PLUS we think Lee is the first “Thai” Female on a trike to complete this gruelling ride. Well done Lee! Another minor milestone is that we have passed the 3,000 kilometre mark (3034 km) on our Trike's.

We got digital phone coverage for the first time since Norseman in WA. This is a disgusting statistic and reflects ENTIRLEY on a Govt. that simply does not care about its people.

SO WHAT IS THE NULLARBOR?

Essentially it is a “private road” for Trucks, funded by the federal Govt. with YOUR money. This next paragraph covers about 20-30% of Truck drivers.“Thugs Law” replaces state law as far as road rules go. This 20-30% of Trucks and the retarded morons that drive them, write the rules and ALL Cyclists, Caravan'ers, Private Cars, Road Workers etc... are to do as they are told by them. These 100+ Tonne killing machines in the hands of drug crazed retards is simply frightening. Hundreds of innocents will need to be killed or maimed by these morons, before the Votes/Money equation starts to favour innocent humans. Remember these lunatics are driving amongst School Buses loaded with our rural Children, how horrifying. The speed(s) some of these trucks travel at is simply beyond belief.

The other 70-80% of Truck Drivers are much like the majority of drivers on the road, some are VERY good drivers, skilled and caring family men and women. We have spoken to many that resent, with a passion, the “cowboy” minority. The ONLY entity that has more power than the Truck Driver(s) is the Police. We only saw THREE police cars between the 23^rd November to the 10^th December – a total of 17 days. After Nullarbor roadhouse the Yalata Aboriginal population made sure there were many police cars between Yalata and Ceduna.

The road between Norseman and Ceduna is incredibly busy... roughly equivalent to The Kwinana Freeway at night. There is absolutely no sense of isolation. Roadhouses are obscenely overpriced, some are “third world” in standards. There is NO digital phone coverage. The “roads” are no better than a “Goat track”... They get even worse as you move from Western Australia to South Australia. The wildlife carnage is staggering.. <SNIP>.. from a conversation amongst “Truckies”.... “Got 37 of the baaaarstards” (Referring to Kangaroos) “the other day” (Roar of laughter by other truckies)... others joined in with their tally... It was absolutely bloody sickening.....

There is a beautiful aspect to the Nullarbor in the scenery, the wonderful people that travel this road from all over the world, in their buses, caravans, vans, cars motorcycles and cycles. We have addresses from all over the world. The incredible wildlife, mammal's, birds and insects. The rugged landscape. The “extremes” that test human endurance. Plus so much more...

THE ABOVE OPINIONS ARE MINE ALONE. Others see things differently, I believe those that excuse the Truckies behaviour are suffering from “Stockholm Syndrome”. We are certain the guy riding a “Diamond Frame” bike in front of us, just short of Penong who was DELIBERATELY

showered with rocks and dust by a truck coming the opposite way, will side with us... He is a family guy cycling the Nullarbor with a support caravan, + wife and kids. The truck did the same to us when it reached us. Fortunately there was no serious injury to the three of us.

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