June 2nd, 2011
Grass Patch to Esperance
Distance: 93km
Total distance: 4898km
This road is seriously no place for a cyclist. Still the same highway as yesterday but the lousy weather turned my ride today hellish. Rain and fog covered the road in the morning. As the day progresses, more and more road trains were seen. There were significantly more death trap corners today, noticed that as I struggle to find room on the undergrowth covered shoulder and the inability to see the traffic on my side mirrors. If it’s not because of the honking road trains from a distance, I reckon my guts would be splattered all over the road like those poor rabbits and roos. Traffic visibility was an issue too as my glasses and mirrors were covered with water droplets. The heavy shower that comes every so often and the occasional motorists that didn’t had their headlights on forced me to ride with a full-on concentration on the traffic, impossible to view and enjoy the scenery. It was an extremely demanding and stressful riding. The wind today turned headwind too, further reducing my speed.
Thankfully, I did eventually arrive in Esperance and as an added bonus, all my limbs are still intact. Since I did most of the distance yesterday, I finished my ride today relatively early at 2pm. Went straight to the town centre to check out what they have and was frustrated by the fact that they have Red Rooster but no KFC, why!? I’ve been craving for their hot and spicy for 2000km! Checked myself in a youth hostel as the campsites in caravan parks here cost about the same. Weather was still gloomy and rainy here in Esperance, and it was expected to get worse in the next few days. Wasn’t how I imagined my rest days at Esperance at all! Shame, shame, shame.
