A collection of long distance ride reports by Melvyn Yap
Day 73: The Natural World
May 27th, 2011
Madura to Cocklebiddy
Distance: 97km
Total distance: 4189km
The moment I woke up, I was entertained by a hungry mouse picking on my rubbish bag outside my tent. Food must be scarce out here. I leave a small piece of bread outside my tent every night to keep the mice away from my tent. Every morning when I checked, the bread would be gone. This happened both in caravan parks and bush camping sites.
Caught red-handed, you little bugger!
Today I only had to ride slightly less than 100km so I took my own sweet time to get ready. I felt excellent today, I think I’m starting to like Nullarbor more and more. This morning, I continued riding up the Madura pass. It took me 30 mins to ride up the 1.5km but I was rewarded with a beautiful view of the basin below where I rode yesterday. The rest of my journey was largely flat and nothing much happened other than the jaw-dropping sight of some oversized trucks.
Campsite at the caravan park last nightA pet galah at the Madura roadhouseThe climbing of Madura Pass continues. What a way to start my dayThat logo looks familiar... oh that's right.. tumblr! hahaSee the road on the plain below? That's where I rode yesterday. Quite a climb, eh?Witness the force of a recumbent leg!Stray cattles again! A great sense of humour you have WAWanted to stop and smell some flowers and then I saw thisHere comes the road-trainausaurus!Another one! Quick, take cover!On their way to build a life-size optimus prime!A dirt road next to the highway.. but WAIT.. those tire marks belongs to a bicycle! Must check out where the dirt road goesThe dirt track brought me to this! An abandoned car in the middle of nowhere, but there's more...Further down the dirt road was an abandoned water well. Was this place once a farmland? That would explain the fence too, but those years when the farm exist must be very toughA bag of (hairy) worms, nature is just full of surprisesA fallen vertebrate comrade! Tempted to bring the skull home but then I remembered 'take nothing but photographs...'
Reached Cocklebiddy in time to see a beautiful sunset. I was quite disappointed with this caravan park. Unlike Madura, there were not many trees here and camping ground were mostly mud and gravel. Their burger didn’t taste good either. Anyway, Cocklebiddy is a small roadhouse, so shouldn’t expect much from it. Just like the other roadhouses, the noise level of the power generator is barely tolerable.
Road trains nesting areaMy campsite for tonight. Wind partially blocked by the bush behind my tentIronically, I have yet to come across a life kangaroo at the NullarborAn awesome fiery sunsetThe most beautiful sky I've seen so far at the NullarborCocklebiddy roadhouse at the foregroundIn Carl Sagan's words, it is the responsibility of all 'to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known'
3 thoughts on “Day 73: The Natural World”
WOW your pic of the sunset is absolutely incredible. What a trip you are having…..:)
Wao! This post totally reminds me of WA. Both the mouse as well as the skeletal remains of the sheep. When I travelled up north our bread supply was attacked by ‘Mickey’ at night, and upon arriving our very run-down homestead, we were greeted by the skeletal remains of the sheep. But in our instance it was because the homestead was located between the indian ocean and a salt lake! But great post and wonderful… actually.. more like interesting photos Melv! Always fun reading your blog!
That skeleton actually comes from a roo. Most of them were crushed into pieces but this specimen was all intact. I’m hoping to someday do a cycle tour in the top half of WA!
WOW your pic of the sunset is absolutely incredible. What a trip you are having…..:)
Wao! This post totally reminds me of WA. Both the mouse as well as the skeletal remains of the sheep. When I travelled up north our bread supply was attacked by ‘Mickey’ at night, and upon arriving our very run-down homestead, we were greeted by the skeletal remains of the sheep. But in our instance it was because the homestead was located between the indian ocean and a salt lake! But great post and wonderful… actually.. more like interesting photos Melv! Always fun reading your blog!
That skeleton actually comes from a roo. Most of them were crushed into pieces but this specimen was all intact. I’m hoping to someday do a cycle tour in the top half of WA!