Betten On Bike: DAY 89 - 7TH JULY 2013 - NUNDROO ROADHOUSE TO SMOKEY BAY

Day 89– 7th July 2013 - Nundroo Roadhouse to Smoky Bay

Cold very dense foggy morning and today’s ride is another long distance one so we arranged to meet at Penong, the first little township past the Nullarbor Plain which is 83 kms east from Nundroo on The Eyre Highway.

Before I left the roadhouse I went to brush my teeth at the roadhouse amenities and as I walked out I heard heaps of angry loud expletives from a truckie carrying his breakfast in a bag and walking back to his truck from the roadhouse cafe. He was very put out about something – hope he calms down after he has eaten (& before he gets back on the road !!)

Cycling Stats: 198 kms

Cycling Average: 30.6 kms per hour

The landscape is predominately agricultural lands – wheat fields and sheep and the terrain is still hilly.

Arrived in Penng (named after a derivative of an Aboriginal word meaning ‘waterhole’) which has a uniquely Australian skyline of wheat silos & windmills and is known as ‘the town of 100 windmills’ – appropriate that Walter & I chose to stop here with our Dutch heritage. Funny because we also met a lovely dutch couple there from Christchurch and we had a great chat with them about the re-building of Christchurch, their travels and their love of the Australian outback and their plan to race in the world land yachting championships in Perth next January. These are certainly a pair of active retirees.

Thank you to the lovely friendly guy in The Caltex Garage at Penong who upon hearing about our fundraising for Alzheimer’s Australia Dementia Research Foundation was surprised we didn’t have any fuel sponsorship so handed me fuel cards to the value of $70. I joked with him when he said that Shane Crawford came come through and that he had said to Shane if you sign my wall I will donate $500 which of course Shane had done. I said that Walter would be happy to sign his wall for $500 too !!!

Later it was time for lunch by the side of the road and eating the last of our tomatoes as we would be going through the Quarantine Checkpoint at Ceduna in another 40 kms or so. At Ceduna in The Foodworks store we met another cyclist who we had heard about from some travelers and he told us he was cycling from Fremantle to Hervey Bay and enjoying the adventure immensely.

I had a quick look at the waterfront at Ceduna then it was time to take the Adelaide road and then take the turnoff to Flinders Highway for the about 40 kms

trip to Smoky Bay. Walter called to make sure I was on the same road as he was and I caught him as he needed a refill of water.

Smoky Bay is a small sleepy fishing place with a lovely jetty, a beautiful bay and according to the brochure is ideal for swimming, crabbing and windsurfing.

After we set up camp I took off and enjoyed a relaxing walk over the jetty in the late afternoon sunshine of South Australia. The winds have dropped so it is a very pleasant evening to be camping and tonight’s meal is beef stroganoff with rice and fresh asparagus. Desert is yogurt & tinned mixed berries – enjoyable after a long day on the road. Good to be able to replenish our groceries and fruit at Ceduna as we haven’t been able to shop at a supermarket since Norseman. (around 1200 kms back)