August 2008 Monday 18th - Monday 25th
Aug 25th, 2008 by steve
Left Norseman on Tuesday after a milkshake at the local cafe. If you are ever in Norseman a milkshake there is one of the highlights and not to be missed. Did 30kms taking it easy in the patchy sunshine and cold confused wind. Camped in a grove of She Oaks - a good night.
Wednesday did another 30kms in overcast cool weather past salt pans - a large one with some water about 40kms south of Norseman. Road paralleled the railway most of the time. About 5 trains of iron ore from up north thundered by- 125 carriages pulled by three locomotives.
Thursday - a very unpleasant day strong and cold SE wind. Did 36kms into Salmon Gums (Mallee Country) . Small town with every basic thing one might desire - pub, general store, roadhouse, caravan park (with honour box). The pub has the biggest plasma screen TV I have ever seen - 50 inches at least - and a warm mallee root powered open fireplace next to the bar. The caravan park was very well looked after with lovely hot water and a washing machine and clothes line
Friday - can’t remember seem to have missed a day here. Really need a palm pilot thingy to record my entries - so so ‘over’ writing them and then transcribing them to computer.
Saturday- one of the best cycling days I’ve had in a very long time. A brisk following wind warm sunny day, an easy undulating road meandering through small roadside lakes and paperbark forests closer to Esperance. Did 75kms today no strain all joy.
Sunday arrived Esperance midday - headed to first open bakery for a cuppa, sandwich, and read of Saturday’s paper- all in all a very enjoyable 200+ kms cycle south from Norseman.
Monday R&R Esperance - a pretty sea side resort/port town opposite a bay of picturesque islands.
