Today‘s cycle is a loop that we missed last year due to taking a short-cut. It didn’t end up been a short-cut! Took half a day to extract ourselves from the said short-cut! Short-cuts are all well and good if you don’t alter plans, which have already changed, as you’ve taken a short-cut! Sticking to the trail this time! 😀

The upcoming, supposed, camping opportunity would be Lake Brockman 🚤 As this is a large commercial camping site ... that‘s not happening! And anyway, tiss a bit too far for one day! 👸

Around mid-afternoon the search started for a respectable wild-camping-spot. Only for a narrow bridge to appear, with an excellent creek flowing beneath 🏞️ It was an extremely warm day, so in no time at all, kit off and in. Clearly, the first task is to make sure there’s no serpents sunning themselves by the waters edge. Generally, you won’t encounter snakes 🐍 in the water, as it’s extremely cold for the warm-blooded-reptiles. Now, with an ample supply of fresh water on the bikes, it makes looking for a wild camping spot so much easier. With water and food onboard; that’s two of the three wild camping requisites sorted. Only a few more kilometers to find a good spot and still in reach of the creek, just 🏕️

The following days cycle would take us past Lake Brockman. This site has a cafe. So the thought of a big-fat-burger 🍔 (bacon’n’egg) is always on ones mind. Well, mine anyway! This is a fairly big day at 59 kms (35 miles) and Lake Brockman is about the halfway mark. So, a big-fat-burger and lots of Coca-Cola! 🥤 And take out of both too! 

The second half of the ride was a stinker 🥵 With the temperature in the mid-thirties. On a loaded bicycle, with rough and undulating trail in places, it can be a stinker if one is not great with the extreme heat! I was fine! Some not so! 🌞

Today is the 24th of December, there’s a supposedly big day tomorrow? That day was spent as a rest day at Bidjar Ngoulin Hut. The chance of anyone else turning up on this special day, was, well, about, nill! Some needed the rest day more than others! May be the heat and excess carry-on luggage 🧳had something to do with it! 🤣

After the big-special-day celebrations and my stock of candy risen 🍭 we head back onto a cooler trail. Not long after departing, we encounter a family of Emu’s. Holding back by a respectable distance we slowly follow them on foot. Intention; not to stress them out.

Emu’s and ostriches can get very stressed, by just about anything. It also doesn’t take too much stress for them to die from it! The Emu’s had plenty of opportunity to disappear into the bush, but seemed content with staying on the track for a few kilometers. A magical encounter and not to be forgotten!

28 kms to Dwellingup. This is knocked off around midday. Only due to respectable trail conditions. Last year (North to South) we stayed in a friends house 🏡 in town. This option was not available this time. The other option was to either push on after a lunch or embed somewhere in town. Town won. With the Dwellingup Hotel/Bar having nice motel rooms near by. This decision is easy after a chilled beer or two 🍻 It’s not rocket science!