I took her for a brief spin when I'd finished, and had a local explore. As suspected, there wasn't much to investigate but it's always good to see what is about.
Windmills. Loads of them pumping water and casting shadows.
And weird footprints.
I like doing my own maintenance because it means I can keep an eye on what is what and have a good idea of things to watch, and have a point to work from should something go wrong. It's all part of being self sufficient and not living off or relying on others I guess.
It's so easy in our world to go from amenity to amenity and mod con to mod con without really being tested on any level but that testing is ( for me at least) all part of why I travel; the living off my wits, sourcing what I need and getting out of my comfort zone. Otherwise it's just doing the usual daily stuff in different places and that to me is bit pointless.
It's very dark until quite late here and that always surprises me. Those bloody birds are just waking up too, gathering themselves together for another day of wing flapping and squawking.
I've allowed myself three weeks to potter westwards, which should give me sufficient time to see what I want to see en route, and still reach Perth by mid April when I have stuff to do there.
Later
I had a fabulous ride today, blown from Penong nearly to the Border Village by a very helpful tailwind. I had planned to stop round about Nullarbor but made such good time that I just refuelled and carried on. I just sat tight and steered and the wind did the rest.
At Nullarbor roadhouse, as I was paying, about twenty big bikes came in for fuel - Harleys, Triumphs, a couple of Kwakers etc, and when they saw us it was question time. But the funniest bit was as I left and they gave me a guard of honour, lining their bikes up and hi fiving me as I rode out. Very funny, and free entertainment for the assorted caravaners too.
I've been across the Nullarbor before but never on two wheels. Years ago, I had a truckie boyfriend who drove road trains between Perth and Mildura
and I used to go with him and drive a bit too. Despite being Sunday there was still quite a bit of traffic on the road, including some cyclists and a horse and cart. The horse and cart was towing a spare horse too. Poor thing; it has to walk all the way and when the other one gets tired, then has to take its turn at pulling.
Although traffic crossed this region all the time - it's the main east to west route - it is still very remote and inhabited, an open flat land punctuated by a couple of fuel stops and a few coastal lookout points. It's mostly mallee scrub, saltbush or blubush and the space seems to go on forever, dipping out of sight and over the horizon in all directions.
I was hoping to find a cafe called The Great Aaustralian Bite along the coast somewhere given that this bit of coast is the Great Australian Bight, but alas, I've failed in that front and am rather disappointed!
Because I'd made such good time today and had got much further than expected ( about 400 kms), I hadn't planned where to stay. So I rode to one if the lookout stops to consult my Wiki camp app by the Ocean. A few vans were parked up and a group of orople waved at me as I headed towards the ocean. As I came back a short while later, a lady was standing on the track waiting for me. I wondered what had happened and fully expected a tucking off but nope, it was Joan whom I'd met the other night at Murphy's Haystacks, with Jim and some of their friends !! It was really good to see them again and a great end to the day.
So I stopped by them for the night and once again, they fed me - they have to use their fruit and veg up before reaching the WA border tomorrow where it gets confiscated as you're not allowed to take it between states. One of their friends has her 92 year old mother with her, driving around Oz on a camper. A really spritely old lady called Gladys, from Brisbane, who is totally switched on and a bit of a fiend at cards. However, according to her daughter, she can't be bothered to live past 95 although the signs are that she'll easily make 100! And she's outlived three husbands! Very cool lady.
Now it's dark and in in my swag behind Joan and Jim's van, amongst the saltbush with waves crashing against the cliffs along the Great Australian Bight a few hundred metres away. The endless skies are now full of stars which go on and on, and there is no man made light anywhere. The sense if perspective is intense, a real sense of being a minuscule spec in infinity.
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