Gail Drury nears the end of her 860 kilometre ride for Nardy House sensory garden. Diary below shows it’s not all”beer and skittles”!
Day7: This was short day’s ride from our previous night’s camp (shown in the first couple of photos with a moonlight night and an early morning sunrise) even though Gail managed a stirling 63km, but it felt the right time to take a half day’s break at Eucla. Gail passed the halfway mark of her ride at around Mundrabilla. As we approched Eucla we had the first glimpse of the ocean and extensive dunes of the Southern Dunes (although Gail had pointed these out as we headed west). We were able to have look around Eucla and the local monuments to people who were significant in the establishment of the road from the east, especially the role played by explorer John Eyre, and those who built the road and also the telegraph station closer to the coast in 1877. The telegraph station was in operation until 1927. Sadly the the shifting dunes have encroached on the old sandstone building and much of it has been eroded or covered.
Day8: And we are back across the border into South Australia. Gail took advantage of the plethora of trucks at Border Village to pose for a photo of one of her little known passions (she hasn’t exactly spelt it out to me, but I think she has a long harboured wish to be a truck driver….mmmm!).
But today had been a particularly hard ride of 93km to the 81km Peg Rest Area where are camping tonight. Gail has battled strong SE headwinds off the ocean all day but it has been a bit cooler today (around 17C). So far we have had only two days really with favourable winds.
Day9: Woke early this morning to light rain with some heavier squalls. By 5am it wasn’t looking good and Gail was nearly prepared to set aside the day’s riding. However as the sky lightened and the rain eased off, and Gail yet again undaunted, it was a quick wet tents and camper packup and on the road. For the first hour or so there was little wind so Gail was able to make the first 25km break in quick time. But then upcame the south-easterly…yet again as it did yesterday, slowing the pace driving into a headwind. Called it a day at 27km west of Nullarbor at the 157km Peg Rest Area. Have not had internet for a couple of days, so tomorrow we’ll stop at Nullarbor to stock up on a few essentials and send this report and catch up on emails. Gail has now done a total of 724km…AND GETTING NEARER TO THE END – hurrah!!