Day 34 Port Fairy to Port Campbell 105 kms

Woke to rain and strong winds this morning plus the phone ringing madly. It was 6.30 and our son was ringing to say the battery on my car at home was flat!! He is using my car while we are away, anyway told him to ring the RACV to fix it- I couldn't do anything from here. We had slept in and we had to rush to get out to catch the riders before they headed off.
I'm starting to get really tired. My mood is a little flat and I think because I am tired and also that the adventure is coming to an end. It has been a huge undertaking, not only for the riders but for Collis and I as well. We started planning these rides nearly 2 years ago and every spare minute I had was used in the preparation towards this. It has been my focus for 2 years and it is coming to a close. I am unsure what I will do with myself next but a few of the riders want us to start planning the next rides.
Most of the riders went to the Cheese Factory for a drink and then we had morning tea at the 47 km mark. Lunch was at the Bay of Islands and into Port Campbell by 1.30. The scenery is changing with spectacular views along the road.
Georg has been contemplating going home apparently, since he had the fall off his bike. He wasn't enjoying the pain he was having from the fall, the cold weather and the restrictions that both were putting on his riding (of course the trouble with his tent wasn't helping either). BUT he has picked up and he is glad he continued on especially for the scenery leading into and along the Great Ocean Road.

Rain again  this afternoon but we had all set up our tents and settled into the well stocked camp kitchen. Some of us did get a little wet running from the tent area to the amenities block.

Day 33 Port Fairy 0 kms Rest Day

Collis has been fighting off a cold for the last couple of days, coughing and sneezing all over the place. He is worse today with aches and pains as well as all other symptoms. I have been dosing him up with lemon drinks, vitamins, oranges and sudafed so hopefully this may be the peak today and he will start feeling better tomorrow.
Slept in, which is usual for rest days. Went for a walk into town with Collis and Annie. Bought the kids some presents seeing we've been away for nearly 6 months. Some nice little art galleries but too difficult to transport anything home with all the luggage we are carrying. Ended up having lunch in town before taking Collis home and putting him back into bed. He slept for a couple of hours and felt some improvement when he woke up.
I read out the letters of encouragement that had been placed on Facebook, at the briefing and they were appreciated by all the riders. We finalized the photo competition for this leg with Ben as the winning entry. The theme was the "road" and his winning photo will be on the front cover of this leg.

Day 32 Mt Gambier to Port Fairy 162 kms

Crossed over into Victoria early today- back where it all began! The weather changed slightly with the sun shining at morning tea. We had morning tea at Dartmore and we were delighted by the tree 'chain saw' carvings.

There were carvings commemorating the Great War and further down into town in the children's park they had a nursery rhyme tree with every nursery rhyme you could think of plus on the boundary fence was all the Australian animals local to that area. It was fantastic.
Lunch was at a roadhouse in Heyward. We had been contacted by a fan on Facebook, Meredith who wanted to try and catch up with us on the road. We gave her a destination and an approximate time but we arrived an hour earlier than expected and I didn't have a contact number for her so I was a little worried that we may miss her. Meredith came early just in case this happened and she was able to catch up with a few of the riders. Lovely lady who is following us on Facebook and my blog and would love to be part of it. She kindly gave a donation for TADVIC as well. It was great to meet her.
This was the lead in for our last rest day so quite a few of us got cabins again. The weather has been changeable all day but no one had to ride in the rain.
The winds over the last 30 kms were difficult for everyone and they were all pretty tired once they arrived. The facilities at the park are top notch and has a pleasant manager who was very helpful.

Day 31 Robe to Mt Gambier 130 kms.

Beautiful morning today with clear blue skies and mild temperatures. Everyone got away at good times although I thought Woody had gone earlier just to find out that he had gone back to his cabin and fiddled around for at least another half hour so when we caught up with him he had only gone 15 kms. He will be late for morning tea.
The wind is behind them and most of them are flying along. The Irish boys were going really well today and were up the front with the bobsie twins (Pat and Lorraine).
The scenery is once again lovely today with pastures and lots of sheep. There is soo much water sitting around in all the pastures. No drought around here.
Had lunch in Millicent where we caught up with Robbo who has ridden out to join us for the rest of the trip. There are quite a few Morgan cars driving along our route today. One Morgan car got very close to a number of the riders and Jim went up and spoke to one of the drivers to report him and ask him to stay away from the riders.
Woody had trouble with his bottom bracket, which seized up and we had to pick him up and drop him off at the bike shop in Mt Gambier. Lovely campsite with most of the riders opting to camp.

Day 30 Robe Rest Day 0 kms

Did the usual sleep in today having talked Collis into a cabin for the 2 nights. Half are camping this break as the camping grounds are very nice. The facilities here are very nice.
Went into Robe to check out the shops and found alot of them closed for the month of August. It was a shame as I was in a shopping mood. Peter went for dinner at Sails and said it was the best meal he has ever had, better than anything in Sydney.
Another lazy day today.

Day 29 Salt Creek to Robe 130 kms

Annie's birthday! We woke today to a nice morning with some cloud but it doesn't look like rain. We had the briefing this morning and all wished Annie a happy 45 th birthday. I did threaten that I would wake her in the morning by jumping on her in the tent. I unzipped her tent but she was ready for me and it's a while since I have had to climb into a tent. So she missed out.
The ride started off with good winds and cloud cover but after morning tea the heavens opened again. It was such a shame as the scenery is so special in this area but it's difficult to get excited when you are cold and wet. Then after lunch the weather changed again with the clouds disappearing and the sun coming out. Perfect finish for the ride into Robe.
We took Annie and Peter out, for her birthday and Pete's prize for the photo competition. We went to the pub and the meal was pretty good but the dessert was magic. The pub's decor was typical English pub and an open fire. Nice night.

Day 28 Wellington to Salt Creek 105kms

It was threatening rain again today but it really only drizzled for about 15 minutes, which was just enough to wet them and make them colder. We lost Ben again today with him going off viewing something but then not being seen again by anyone. He did turn up for lunch so I wasn't too worried for very long and he did send me a text today.

The scenery around the Coorong is spectacular even in the drizzle. The bird life is unbelievable and our bird book has come out a number of times today, trying to identify them. We spotted a large flock of pelicans flying in formation overhead during lunch. Peter managed to get a decent photo.

We stopped for lunch and was of course rewarded with the display of pelicans but then we were in camp by 1 pm. Quite a few camped today but the usual ones went into the dongers or cabins. Annie even camped today. Nice camp ground but some areas of the grass was very soggy and the facilities were a little ancient. Adam, the manager, is trying to do the place up and he has been spending quite a bit of money but it's a big job. He takes groups on fishing trips and hunting trips (deer). He is a bit of a go getter.
Annie and I went for a walk around "town" and found the local primary school that appeared to be fairly new but abandoned. All the windows were boarded up. We did a little wander around the school and found a tennis court, an amphitheater, a basketball court, a discovery centre and an area that looked to have had a swimming pool at some stage.

It was really eerie wandering through as it looked like the kids were removed in the middle of a class as everything was just left there. We had fun making up stories to what may have happened but spoke to the guy who lived next door and it was nothing sinister (as we had suspected). The school had been updated and expanded in 1999 and had about 30 students, then around 2005 the government stopped the school bus service and the school population dropped back to around 6 students. Then they decided to close the school.

The boys all watched the Wallabies vs the All Blacks with the All Blacks winning well and Jim donning his wallabies cap for Collis.
Collis shouted everyone a mullet dinner at the roadhouse tonight and there was very little left on their plates. It was pretty nice and followed nicely with some ice cream. Adam went out to light an open fire for the campground at around 8 pm but changed his mind when he found that half the group had already gone to bed and had turned the lights off around the area.
He had lots of mallee roots in the trailer and those of us still up would have enjoyed the treat but instead we stayed in the roadhouse chatting with a couple who had become stranded due to the hire vehicle they had breaking down.

Day 27 Gawler to Wellington 120 kms

Woke to rain again this morning which appears to be fairly persistent today. It kept drizzling all morning but it didn't get any heavier than that. Still very annoying and cold. Those that camped last night will have to dry out their tents tonight. Collis had a small mishap last night when he was settling the car for the night, he bumped into another car and knocked off his car decorations. The man was very understanding and is not going to pursue it but we checked with him again this morning just to confirm this.
It is going to be a longish day today with lots of hills, wind, rain and cold. I'm really looking forward to it- not. Those that normally ride together seemed to have split up this morning. Theo was riding on his own and Paul and Richard were a fair way apart as well. The groups were split also with one half getting into morning tea at 9.30 and the other half coming in dribs and drabs between 10 and 11. Peter got lost very early in the day and ended up riding at the back of the pack with the last rider. Annie was no where to be found on the route at all, she had said she would take a few different roads but we should see her near to Palmer, but we didn't. I tried to contact her but her phone was off and she eventually sent a text to say she was close by. Ben told some of them that he was going to the whispering wall but forgot to mention anything to us and we hadn't seen him all morning either. He also had his phone off and we were waiting for him to turn up, he eventually tried to ring after I texted him and then I rang him back. He had gone on ahead and was at Murray Bridge already so he was going to ride onto Wellington. At last we were able to leave Palmer and try to catch the earlier ones at Murray Bridge for lunch.
When we get to Murray Bridge, we find the early group had decided not to wait for us and were no where to be found. I went for a walk down the local shops and come across Chris, John, Theo and Jim in a coffee shop (that's 4 accounted for) then Mark and Kirsten were spotted riding out of town (so there is another 2). With Ben on the road to Wellington it gives us 7 found and 8 to wait for. Richard was the first in, followed by Annie (troubled by magpies swooping in the park) and Paul, then Lorraine and Pat, and closely followed by Peter and the tail rider eventually riding in. Georg was nowhere to be found now but he does this often and we didn't expect him to wait around, hopefully he will be at Wellington when we get there.
The rain stopped at lunch time and for awhile they had a nice tailwind which eventually turned into a headwind for the last 10 kms. Five plus us are camping tonight. I think the others have all piked out and will spend the rest of the trip in cabins (I don't blame them as it is what I would do if I was on my own).

Day 26 Clare to Gawler 95 kms

Woke to rain on the tin roof. It has been raining most of the night. 5.30am rise as we had the briefing at the caravan park booked for 7 am and we had to pack and have breakfast. Watching out for stray animals on the way there as it had stopped raining but still half dark. We spotted a bunch of a half dozen small kangaroos followed by a group of another four not far down the road. Poor Richard has come out here, all the way from Ireland and is still to spot a live kangaroo. He's seen plenty of dead ones and he has even eaten one so he knows they do exist but just not for his eyes.
Light sprinkles of rain this morning as they were riding and it is still cold. Georg is complaining about the cold now although it doesn't seem to worry him when it doesn't rain. He doesn't like the rain and I don't think any of us do, even those in the car. The group has been so lucky with the rain up till now but unfortunately this cannot remain so as we head into a full-on Winter in the southern states. At least today has only been sprinkles until we pull into Gawler. Then the skies open and it has rained most of the afternoon. Collis and I decide to camp, Lorraine, Pat, Jim and Chris decided to join us. Theo is torn between tenting and sharing with his old mate John, who has taken a cabin with the cabin winning out. The boys decide to have a happy hour inviting the camping women over into their comfortable cabin before joining us for the briefing and another meal provided by Cycle x. Pizzas tonight just as an extra treat.
We ended up getting 9 family pizzas and 3 garlic breads. Nothing left at the end of the hour.

Day 25 Clare Rest Day 0 kms

Another rest day. Pretty overcast and cold, a good day to be off the bike. Collis and I have got ourselves this lovely little B&B and we get to have a sleep in, I even managed to get breakfast in bed.
We drove to Burra this morning and checked out the local antique shops but they were fairly overpriced. Collis is wanting a cow bell but the shops are asking $140 for the cheapest bell. So then we decided to check out the real estate, now this is more our prices. There was a cute little 3 bedroom stone hut for $95,000. I want it until we check it out and the windows are all boarded up, too much work for us. Found the best bakery ever in Burra and had an early lunch of pies, sausage rolls and cakes. (It's a rest day!)
We travelled around the area taking lots of little unmade back roads and had a lovely time. It is so nice to have the time to do some sight seeing. The riders all spread out doing their own things and some did the winery tours ordering some home deliveries.
Our evening was spent in front of the fire watching trashy television.

Day 24 Laura to Clare 90 kms

It was cold but not as cold as they predicted but I did have trouble keeping my nose and face warm overnight, I may need a balaclava. Collis got the fire going again so it was warm near the fire while having breakfast. Chris' birthday today! After last nights nice wine we decided to buy a few bottles even though we don't drink red wine but we have been told by the experts that it was a nice drop.
No rain around this morning but still cold out on the road. Most riders stopped at Georgetown but I think it was only Lorraine and Pat that ended up having a coffee. Then morning tea was at Yacka. The local park has picnic tables that the locals have done mosaics on the table tops and the seats depicting the towns history. We took this opportunity to present Chris with her birthday present (a cap to replace the one she ruined when she fell off the picnic table in Minilya). We also did the judging of the photo competition for the last leg. One of Peter's photos won the competition and will be featured on the front cover of Stage 4 book. Well done Pete, it turned out really great.
We managed to dodge the rain today but it was looking pretty bleak as we arrived at Claire and it wasn't long before it started to rain again. Most of the riders have upgraded again tonight. Collis and I have got ourselves a B&B hoping to have a good break before we go into the last week and a bit after a very long journey. Not far from home now.

Day 23 Port Augusta to Laura 115 kms

Didn't think I would sleep well last night after the nanny nap in the afternoon but I slept like a log and apparently missed some excitement in and around the caravan park in the middle of the night. People were whistling and yelling and then moving heavy equipment loudly. No one got up to find out what was going on but we all survived and myself oblivious to it all.

Nice ride out to Horrocks Pass but the weather was looking ominous above the Flinders Ranges. Sure enough we arrived at the top of the Pass in thick fog and the beginnings of misty rain. It was pretty cold and I stayed in the car while the others had Collis take photos of them at the memorial. Of course over the pass the scenery changes completely and you are in a totally different world, lush green pastures and lots of giant gum trees. This is one of my favorite spots in Australia as it is just so pretty.
Trouble is the weather broke and we ended up getting wet and the wind was really icy according to the riders. Morning tea was at Wilmington and the local shop allowed us to use their outdoor sitting area that was covered for our break. Then we all stopped at Melrose for coffee and hot chocolates at a really quaint little coffee shop with lots of unusual artifacts and an open fire. It was a bit hard to leave the warmth. We had to keep going as Collis was shouting everyone a pie and drink for lunch at Stone Hut.
Ben decided to take a scenic tour up to a lookout and ended up a long way behind the rest of us but he was keeping me up to date with his whereabouts via the phone and text messages. I'm glad it was worth the journey as the cloud lifted just as he was ready to take the photograph. It had been a dirt road and his brakes all jammed up with mud so he had to walk the last section and then clean his brakes. He ended up catching the last rider and they rode into Stone Hut together where we were waiting for them. Stone Hut is up for sale so not sure if it will be still there when we go through next time.
We arrived in Laura and we appreciated the manager lighting an outdoor fire for us. It is a cute little caravan park with the best showers and a fantastic camp kitchen. The park is owned by the local community and is one of the best we have stayed at. Alex, the manager, was lovely and he and his wife Barbara ended up making us some damper and providing us with 2 bottles of local red wine, very nice. Then at the end of the night Alex organized a sing-a-long with the riders. Those that went to bed said we were all out of tune but we enjoyed ourselves.
It is supposed to get down to one degree tonight so I've rugged up with two layers on, my hot water bottle and my dolphin blanket. Hope this is enough.

Day 22 Port Augusta Rest Day 0 kms

(Kathy writing again)
Had to jump out of bed this morning as we were putting on another breakfast for the riders. It was just the usual with eggs, bacon, tomatoes, hash browns, mushrooms and chipolattos. It is Peters birthday today and even though he tried to keep it quiet, we managed to suss it out thanks to Facebook. He is a man with everything so not an easy one to buy for but we ended up with a bottle of wine and a map of the Nullarbor.
As this was the last meal I have to cook, I didn't have to spend another rest day shopping for food. We did have to buy our food supplies (which are minimal) and I got myself a pair of gloves ($3) and Collis and I both bought ourselves cheap magnifying glasses as he keeps breaking his and people keep stepping on my prescription glasses when they fall out of my hidey hole (the front of my top).
We went to the local flea market and picked up a kookaburra for the backyard, a brownie Downey plate and a backpack (wallabies for Jim). The food there was pretty good and we bought an egg and bacon pie, apple pie and a bread & butter pudding. Yummee!
Spent the rest of the day doing washing and having nanny naps. Nothing too exciting. Most of the riders went for walks to the shops and some of the local attractions. Quite a few of them bought themselves rubber gloves to be used when folding their tents in the morning. That will be a sight when they are all walking around with bright yellow gloves on.

Day 21 Kimba to Port Augusta 167 kms (According to Garmins)

Everyone is feeling more positive today after a good night sleep in the motel. The sun is shining today and not a cloud in the sky. I was feeling a little embarrassed after my upset yesterday but no one even heard my carry on over the mattress. The mattress dried off over night so no real harm done. I think I'm coming down with something as I've had this headache for about 3 days now. Hopefully it's just hay fever as we still have a couple more weeks to go.
Fuel was way over the top here at Kimba but there is no competition with just one petrol outlet in town. Kyancutta was selling diesel for $1.61 but at Kimba it was $1.69. We got $25.00 worth to get us through to Port Augusta. The road out of Kimba was terrible in the car so I can imagine what it would be like on the bike. It felt like you were driving constantly on the rumble strip and this went on for 10 - 15 kms before it smoothed out. The wind is still blowing today but it is either a tail or side wind depending on which way the road turns.
Peter came into morning tea at the tail end today which was very much unlike him. He had broken his gear cable and was riding with just 2 gears. John changed the cables for him, there and then, but there still seemed to be a problem, as if something was stuck in the mechanism. Peter now had more gears to work with and he took off. Collis rang Port Augusta bike shop to see if they had a spare part but they mainly deal with mountain bikes so we rang Whyalla who were wanting to send out a mobile mechanic except none were available. When Peter came into lunch it appears whatever was blocking the gears had cleared and he once again had full use. Hope it stays that way.
We were all in at the caravan park by 3.30 and the Irish boys, the bobsie twins and the tassie couple all upgraded with Woody squeezing in with the boys. The rest of us are camping and the facilities here are A1. Did the shopping for the last meal I have to cook on this trip which is breakfast tomorrow. Shared our meal of chicken and salad with Annie but I did not share my baileys Irish with anyone. Pleasant evening.

Day 20 Poochera to Kimba 170 kms (Mileage in question)

Cold morning again today which seems to be the norm the closer we get to Melbourne. I was once again lovely and warm in bed with my cheap $6 blanket under the Donna with me. Theo and Mark seemed to be the first up this morning with Theo beating me to the water boiling duty. It was lovely of him to take on that job for me this morning. The camp kitchen soon became very crowded so I moved myself and Collis out into the cold so the riders could stay warm at least while they have their breakfast. The day looked as though it might turn out to be pretty cold and wet all day.
We quickly packed their bags into the trailer and truck before they got too wet as the rain started pretty well straight after the last rider took off. It wasn't all that heavy as the wind was very strong and blustery.
You couldn't judge which way the wind was blowing up till morning tea as it was all over the place. We parked the car in a position so that the riders would be protected from the wind as much as possible while they had their break. Everyone found the morning ride difficult due to the wind strength and changing direction.
A few stopped at Wudinna for a coffee, as recommended, but some couldn't find the coffee shop so kept going. The ones that did stop enjoyed the break. The wind direction improved and was mostly behind them up till lunch with just a couple of light showers at this stage. After lunch the wind was definately behind them and very strong but the rain became quite consistent with a few heavy downpours. The farmers would be pleased but not so the riders. There was very little we could do for them but feel for them.
We arrived at Kimba in the middle of a downpour and everyone decided they certainly didn't want to camp tonight and everyone upgraded. They were coming in dribs and drabs so we unloaded their bags under shelter and I sat with the baggage to ensure they were safe until each rider came in looking like drowned rats. At least their belongings were dry and they were able to have a hot shower in a warm room and have a hot meal and feel so much better.
I was getting quite annoyed that the riders kept accessing the back of the truck for their food boxes and not bothering to close the back and therefore everything in there getting wet. I closed the flaps about three times within an hour only to come back to the car once the final riders were back in just to find the back once again open and our mattress soaked. I know it is only water and it will dry off but it is the thoughtlessness of it that got to me. Collis has requested at the briefing tonight that the riders no longer access the truck or trailer without asking permission first once we have unpacked. Gee I can be a pain in the arse at times.

Day 19 Ceduna to Poochera 140 kms

The computer said it was one degree in Ceduna when we woke to the alarm this morning at 5.30am. Collis would not believe it but he immediately put the heater on in the van. I jumped into the shower to warm up before starting to pack the car once again. Just as I got out of the shower the lights went out. They went out through the whole town. Lucky Collis had boiled the kettle once while I was in the shower so at least we had a hot drink before we left.
Just as we arrived at the caravan park the electricity came back on so we were able to boil the water for the morning tea. It originally looked like we would have to get the generator out at morning tea and boil drinks individually.
Morning tea and lunch went off well but poor Paul has received some very sad news that his mother Winnie has passed away today. He is not sure what his plans will be at this stage but all our thoughts are with him at such a sad time.

Day 18 Ceduna Rest Day 0 kms

(Written by Kathy because Collis couldn't be bothered)
Lovely to once again have a sleep in and a slow process rising out of bed. We had a TV in the bedroom as well as the main room so it was a bit luxurious lying in bed and watching the morning shows. Shame is that there is still the same rubbish on the tele as what was there when we left. I really haven't missed my TV at all.
The usual rest day things to be done like the washing and shopping. No more bush camps but tonight is our half way BBQ dinner for the riders. That's half way across the Nullarbor. We decided that we would give them a fish dinner as we were in a fishing spot so we headed down to the fish factories. We managed to get prawns, whiting and shark from Baldy's fish factory. Then we purchased sausages, chicken burgers and lamb chops from the butchers. Salad ingredients from the supermarket. So next I made a tossed salad, potato salad and coleslaw and marinated the meat and fish. By this time it was nearly time to head over to their caravan park.
A nice dinner was had by all and we had catered just the right amount of food. Another rest day over.

Day 17 Nundroo to Ceduna 152 kms

Two degrees this morning at 6.30. Why are we getting out of a warm beds to freeze our fingers off just to get to Ceduna in the early afternoon. The temperature did rise but very slowly. I was wearing thermals until early afternoon. Ben decided to leave early so he could go to Cactus Beach which will add an extra 44 kms to his day. He said not to expect him at morning tea. Woody wants to do his 100 mile today so he is planning to take a few diversions and he won't be at morning tea either.
Woody changed his mind once he found out that the roads he was going to take were unmade, so he will ride around Ceduna when he gets there. No sign of Ben at morning tea. The supplies are minimal but I managed to dig up enough sweet biscuits and some apricot delights. The group were reminded to finish off all fruit & vegetables before we get to Ceduna, not that many had much left seeing we last bought anything fresh way back in Kalgoorlie.
As we were coming into Penong we find Ben totally lost, having ridden past the road to the beach and then unable to find any indication where he should go. He had asked in town if he would be able to ride the road and had got a "yes". Collis told him where the road was and as we drove past we saw that it was an unmade road and wondered if he would be able to go very far. We all stopped at the general store but it wasn't open and looked as it may not open anytime soon, so we had to go to the service station for something to eat. Ben nearly beat us all there as he couldn't go far down the road at all. The woman serving was really rude and did not appear to enjoy her job at all. We didn't stay long.
Lunch was pretty basic and everyone finished off their fruit but Lorraine and Pat couldn't finish their carrot and garlic so it was thrown out. We managed to get through quarantine on the outskirts of Ceduna without any dramas. Got to the caravan park just to find that Mark and Woody took the very last cabin 2 minutes before we arrived. I was not impressed but I was determined I was not camping over the next couple of days. We managed to get a cabin in another caravan park and we are quite comfortable. It will be nice to have a day off as I feel we haven't had a rest day for quite awhile. (Actually, it wasn't that long ago- Eucla). Just feels a long time ago.

Day 16 Nullarbor to Nundroo 145 kms

Nullarbor to Nundroo 145 kms It was freezing again this morning, although I was lovely and warm in my dolphin blanket (Collis was trying to pinch it as he was a little cold). We had to get up in the dark as the younger group wanted to leave early to go view the whales at the Bight. We were up at 6.30 and it was still dark (up till now it is usually light, or first light, by this time). It was hard to get moving due to the cold and the walk to the toilet was nearly a mile long so you were frozen by the time you got there. Those staying in the motel rooms stayed warm until time to get out on the road.
Still driving along the Nullarbor Plain this morning and quite spectacular sunrise over the treeless plain. Then all of a sudden it had finished and we were once again surrounded by trees. Lovely gum trees which were reminiscent of the salmon gums but much, much paler. They were smooth bark, shining in the sun with a very pale pinky colour. Morning tea was just at the 52 km mark on the side of the road. Morning tea supplies are getting very low and there is no real spot to purchase any more until we get to Ceduna. I have suggested to Collis that he shout everyone a coffee and cake at Penong tomorrow morning.
The younger group didn't make it to morning tea but we did wait around until 11 o'clock. Mark had said they would be OK for morning tea but they hope to make it to lunch. We came across a very wide load with a pilot car miles ahead of the truck, with a female driver who was stopping all the riders and telling them to get off the road. She was way too far ahead of the truck as the riders couldn't even see it when she was passing them. Anyway there were at least 6 wide loads that went through this afternoon and we are pretty sure most of the riders got off for each of them although we did spot one who said he did but not from what we observed so we reinforced that he must get off his bike.
We waited a bit longer at lunch after cutting the distance down so the young ones could catch us and get some water and grab something to eat. We stopped at Yalata Roadhouse which has closed since we were last there. Last time we stopped here Fiona and I went to use the toilets and the walls were covered in blow flies (thousands of them). Pretty sure this was an indication that things weren't good there. The younger group saw lots of whales feeding their young and apparently have lots of photos to prove it.
The facilities at Nundroo are pretty limited with long grass to camp on, no camp kitchen and only 2 showers and toilets (unisex) for the whole camp ground. We thought we would end up with the whole camp ground to ourselves as we couldn't imagine grey nomads (who have the ability to drive on to better services) or anyone else being desperate enough to stop here. Anyway we spread ourselves out with most riders upgrading to motel rooms when at 3.30 the first caravaners arrived and there was quite a long queue out the front. Of course Collis and I were parked in their spot so we moved next door and then we had to move from there. You can imagine how happy I was by this time especially after our clothesline full of clean clothes broke and landed smack bang in the dirt. I'm not washing it all again. In this wind it should dry quickly and then the dirt should brush off. I am missing civilization especially on days like today. I'm not saying I want to get home but just have some luxuries again, I'm starting to feel a bit like a second class citizen.
Dinner was at the roadhouse for all of us and they only had 3 meals on the menu- beef schnitzel, beef pasta or chicken curry. None were to write home about and the last 2 were so small that the riders had to order more chips/wedges. Freezing night so off to bed early.

Day 15 Bush Camp to Nullarbor 76 kms

Everyone seems to have slept well and they all seemed to have slept through Collis' antics overnight. Mark, who was sleeping closest to the road stated he thought he had heard footsteps during the night also but didn't investigate. Nothing seems to be missing and I think the noises I heard could have been made by animals as well as humans. I thought we may have had camels in the camp but there was no evidence of any large visitors. The campfire was still smoldering this morning and was easy to restart. Last night was our last bush camp for the whole trip and I was feeling a little depressed by that thought. Why, I'm not sure as they are alot of work for me, in particular due to the cooking, but it just brings the end to the trip so much closer. On the other hand I was able to pack away the dutch ovens and think I don't have to clean these again in a long time. Cleaning up today seemed to take longer than usual but we still beat the riders to morning tea.

After John doing the disappearing act on us yesterday, I decided to have one of his favorite morning teas today. So we had date loaf and an apricot loaf with sweet biscuits and savory mix. Leisurely ride today with the riders having mostly a tailwind, warmer weather and little side trips down to the cliffs to look for whales. We were all into camp by 12.30am. John met the van with his head hanging. He apologized to Collis and that was the end of it. I don't think he will do that again without first letting us know his plans. It was like losing a child (for me) especially after the weirdo action in the last couple of days. I have a vivid imagination and of course I was thinking the worst.
Great to have a hot shower and change of clothing. The Nullarbor Roadhouse is very expensive and another facility to charge $1 per shower (Eucla was the same) and $40 for a mixed grill.

Day 14 Eucla to Bush Camp 115 kms

I woke early to visit the toilet only to find a thick sea mist shrouding the camp site. Walking to the toilet I noticed a thick BLACK light coming off from the back of the toilet block. I couldn't work out what was happening at first and it all looked very eerie.
When I returned to the truck I decided to take a photo of the black light to see what could possibly be causing it. After we packed up this morning I went for a walk around the back of the toilet block and found the travelers cross with 2 spotlights aimed at it. This I presume was the cause for the eerie light.
When we loaded up today, after Collis went around and picked up the bags for those in the luxury apartments and then came back for us 'plebs' belongings, he checked the speedo and it was sitting at 666. This was all looking a bit ominous for the day ahead.
Collis had asked everyone to meet at the border crossing for a photo opportunity. When we arrived they had been there for a half hour eating breakfasts and doing some shopping. Everyone was here except for John who was last seen eating breakfast at Eucla. They decided not to wait any longer for John before they took their photos but we were now missing Jim.
He had been on the phone when we all piled out for the photo and when Collis went back to get him he had disappeared. So the group photo is now missing John and Jim.
Back on the road again and still no sight of John. We stop at 50 kms for a morning tea/lunch break, as it is already nearly 12 o'clock as we have gone back to Adelaide time. We catch Jim who is leading the bunch. The break is near the beginning of the cliffs and most ride out to have a look. Ben says he saw whales and apparently there are up to 52 whales with babies out there at the moment.
Originally we were going to ride 130 kms for the bush camp but the riders have requested to stop around 110 kms due to the possibility of head winds. No real head winds eventuated but mostly side winds after our break. This decision was made last night at the briefing. At lunch Collis tried to stop a few drivers going our way to see if anyone had seen John (was he behind us or in front). Only one driver would stop and he was very suspicious of us. He said he had not seen anyone riding. So we took off again leaving Annie still hanging around the lunch break spot on her own, she didn't seem in a hurry to get back on the bike. Well, we found out later that she started riding when this car passed her and then pulled over further down the highway and the male driver hopped out of the car standing there just watching her come towards him. She was very aware that she was out there on her own and was feeling quite vulnerable so she slowed right down. In the distance she spotted a bike rider coming back in the other direction and thought she would stop this rider and ask for assistance. The rider turned out to be our Peter who had spotted this guy in his mirror and knew Annie was back there alone so went back to check on her. The two rode on together and there were no incidents but Peter is now our local hero.
Seeing John did not seem to be behind us he must have slipped past us at Border Village and is in front of us. So Collis and I race down the highway and drive 130 kms but there is still no sign of him. If he is further ahead then he must have been flying along today. We decide to go back to the 110 km mark, set up camp, unload and then if John doesn't arrive we would have to drive back to Eucla to find him. Once the camp was set up Collis started stopping drivers coming in both directions and one guy had spotted a rider, of John's description, about 30 kms from Nullarbor. We pull out the satellite phone and ring John but his phone is turned off so we then rang Nullarbor Roadhouse who confirm a John Tracey had arrived and booked a motel room. At least we now knew he was safe.
I continued with the meal preparation but everyone was upset that John had decided to take this course of action and not let any of us know.
We had all been very concerned about his whereabouts as this was very unlike John who is usually very responsible. I reminded Collis that the sooner we write up a code of conduct the better for all future rides.
It is Lorraine's birthday today also and she wore her birthday girl badge all day. Anyway I asked Collis to have an early briefing today so that we could present Lorraine with her little present from all of us as she had run out of red wine and this was part of the present. Dinner tonight was Chickpea curry followed by fruit damper. The curry was a huge success but the damper (was all eaten) was a huge disappointment that it was not totally cooked but everyone seemed to enjoy it. Nothing compared to the dampers prepared by Fliss and Jacquei on the other rides. Oh well, it all filled the spot.
Richard surprised us all with his story telling about a couple of Irish brothers and their escapades in outback Australia. It was very funny and entertaining. We all want a new story before the ride is completed. Everyone was in bed by 9.30 pm, spread out across the camping area but still we were pretty close to the road and the trucks were constant most of the night.
Around midnight I was woken by Collis turning on his torch and yelling "There is someone out there!" I turn over to look at him and he is half out of the truck without any clothes on. I tell him to put something on but he just keeps heading out. I hear him run twice around the truck and the campsite with his scuffs on and then he relieves himself before sheepishly climbing back into bed stating, "It's pretty cold out there". I ask for an explanation and he had heard a car pull up and then thought he heard footsteps around the truck but it must have been his imagination. Eventually we go back to sleep when at 3.30 am I hear what sounds like footsteps and sounds like someone trying to get into the van but Collis is also awake and said it was the same sound he heard earlier and it might be the trees. Funny sounding trees so I open the zipper and shine the torch around but find nothing. No way was I going out there on my own. Anyway, we now have our Nullarbor nymph but ours is male.

Day 13 Eucla rest Day 0kms

(Written by Collis)
Woke up to an overcast sky but had a lovely sleep as Kath did also. Sat around the camp kitchen, chatting to the other riders and just not doing much at all.

Went up to the Museum and read about the history of the Gurney family. This was a local family who lived at Koonalda Station which is about 80k east of here. Back in 1974 I worked for a road construction company that built the last section of the bitumen road to the WA border and Neville Gurney used to bring the bore water from the Koonalda Cave to the Road Construction camp, so that we could have showers etc as I remember it was pretty salty. He used to cart water to be used on the road, anyway it was all very interesting and I have very fond memories of this area. The previous night, I had a chat with Rasa the daughter of Steve Patupis the owner and builder of the Motel complex here at Eucla and it's great to know that it is still family owned.
A very restful day, indeed.

Day12 Madura to Eucla 182 kms

Collis advised them all, last night at the briefing,to leave by 7 am this morning. He was then walking around in a panic that they were all going to leave when he had told them to. Go figure!! Woody was one of the first to leave around 6.45 am along with Pat and Lorraine and closely followed by Annie. This all spurred Collis into action early and he started packing before he had even finished his first coffee for the morning. They were only riding 47 kms to morning tea today and they had a roaring tail wind so there was every chance they would get there before us. We eventually got on the road around 8.15 am and he threatened to drive at 100 kms/hour. I sat there and kept quiet so as not to distract him but he only got up to 90 kms/hour.

We were on the Madura plains this morning and I had read that the acacia trees were protected from pastoralists and anyone else as they are a hardwood that is used to make musical instruments. They should be a sight when they are all in flower. This plain was once part of the sea bed and is littered with shells and fossils of shells. Then the land rose up and the sea receded to the cliffs.
We made it to morning tea and they were all standing at the entrance to the rest area looking like they had been abandoned. We were 5 minutes past the expected due time.Woody and the 2 Irishmen had decided not to wait but to keep going. We caught up to them further down the road and gave them biscuits and water supply.
We passed a number of Royal Flying Doctors airstrips which surprised me that they were so close together. I would have thought they would have to be a hundred or so kms apart to make them worthwhile. We got to the lunch spot which was Mundrabilla Roadhouse at 114 kms. This had been a bit of a push for everyone as the weather has improved to the point that we had 32 degrees today. The riders (and us) are no longer used to the warmer weather and they were drinking alot more water than they had been doing. Everyone appreciated the great meal selection at the roadhouse after the recent isolation experienced. Everyone is running out of food variety and we all seem to be down to tuna, chicken and salmon tins.

Peter came into lunch reporting that he had been accosted by a mad driver who was complaining about the way our cyclists were riding. The guy stopped his car in the middle of the highway and jumped out swearing and waving his arms about. Peter took a couple of photos but without his glasses on so he missed all the vital information. Anyway a grey nomad witnessed the carry on so we may report him anyway.
Afternoon tea was at a rest area at 145 kms. Everyone had cheered up a bit by this time although they were tired. When we went to pick up our road sign we found someone had defaced our road sign with "F...ing Cyclists on the road". They had written the word on both sides with permanent marker. It was all a bit disturbing to think someone took the time and effort, while we were so close by, to do this. It all felt a little too personal. We will definately report it to the police now.
We decided it would be a good idea to alert the cyclists that some nutter is out there and to take care over the last few kms. As we were passing the "younger" group we were telling them to watch out; through the window of the car. Then Mark decided to jump on and draft for a short period but a car was coming up behind us so we had to speed up and move away. The car coming was a police car with lights flashing. We were pulled over and asked why we were driving on the wrong side of the road. Collis quickly responded with that we were passing the cyclists. It eventuated that they had had a couple of reports about cyclists riding 3 and 4 abreast, which is illegal, so we went on to tell them about the interactions we had with one particular driver today. The police knew exactly who we were talking about and stated they had given him 3 tickets today for various infringements and he may have either done the graffitti or arranged it to be done in some way. The police were able to give us a hand washing solution that took off the offending words from the sign, even though it is still visible because we know it's there.
Saw another blue tongue sunning on the road again today but not much other wild life. It was a delight to spot the cross above Eucla and the shifting white sands in the distance. About half the group upgraded and the rest of us are camping. Quite a few of the riders went to the roadhouse for dinner and it was a really nice meal. I had fish parmiagana which I had never had before (or heard of before) and it was really quite nice and a huge serving.

Day 11 Caiguna to Madura 156 kms

It was lovely waking in the motel room even though it was a pretty dingy room for the price. We could have fitted four in it but we aren't always caring and sharing people especially when it comes to sharing bedrooms. The night was very mild and I even managed to get quite warm, throwing blankets off in the early hours.
Woody was the first away this morning heading for Cocklebiddy for a late breakfast. He was followed closely by everyone else except for Ben who was running very late after his extra kms yesterday. Collis and I were unable to fill the water tank under the truck but we were able to fill all the water containers. But we did manage to buy ourselves tickets to the Leonard Cohen concert planned for early December (not bad for the outback). I had locked our room whilst we packed all the luggage around the back of the motel. Collis couldn't understand why I would lock the door when we only had our toothpaste and brushes in the room (for us to return later to clean our teeth). So he went back and unlocked the room (why??). After the packing I went back to clean my teeth and found the room had been stripped (by the cleaner) and our toiletries gone. The cleaning lady thought we had gone so she threw out our toiletries. Her response was, "Shit happens". How charming!! Not much of an opportunity to replace the toothbrushes out here so it was a little devastating.
Out on the road we saw more bird life with a couple of wedge tail eagles. Then we spotted a half dozen emus in the paddock next to the road and a single guy further down the road on his own. Then late in the afternoon there was a blue tongue lizard sunning himself on the road, I hope he survived as a huge truck was heading straight for him. We also saw more of those plastic wrapped oversized loads today, we have seen lots over the last couple of days.

Morning tea was at Cocklebiddy today and the people working there looked a bit like all from one big happy family. The cleaner who threw out our toiletries also looked like one of these people and apparently was working at Cocklebiddy up till last week. They do make good homemade pies though.
Lunch was at a rest area and then we had a brief afternoon tea break at 140 kms. This has been a really long day both for the riders (who struggled with headwinds up till morning tea and then side winds for the rest of the day) and Collis and I. It gets tiring (and boring) sitting around waiting in the car all day.
We got into camp around 4.30 pm and a few upgraded but most are camping. The men have a key for their bathroom (much to John's disgust) but the girls have been given tokens to use their showers so they must be on timers. Sexism!!
Most of the riders have gone to the roadhouse for dinner tonight and it looks like just Chris and us cooking.