The Weekly Wrap-Up 17

Days 132 - 137, 2,400 - 2,605km Ceduna to Yalata

Nullarbor-bound! It's hard to believe we're at Yalata already, and that it's less than 100km to Nullarbor Roadhouse. This week as been an extended farewell to civilisation, stocking up on provisions for the long dash West across the "endless highway."

Having finally scored a lift back to Ceduna after dropping Brian (my van), full of feed, at Eucla, it was a delayed start on Monday, picking up packages from the post office and grabbing some last minute supplies, but eventually we were on the road, trotting out with the boys whilst Alex drove ahead to scout out a campsite somewhere along the railway, doing our best to avoid the highway and roadtrains. Two long days saw us riding in to Penong, where Alex had made contact with the incredibly kind Andrea, who gave us yards and a bed for the night at her appropriately named farm "Heaven."

Leaving Heaven on Wednesday morning, I detoured back to the Penong Korner Store, which has what is quite possibly one of the best signs out the front (see photos). So of course we had to have a photo-shoot! And then got chatting to various locals, and before I knew it, it was 10.30 and I really had to go, as I was riding Micky and he's such a slow-poke! We had a cruisey day following the Old Eyre Highway, which runs parallel to the (New?) Eyre Highway for this section, arriving at Nanbona Station just as the sun set. We were welcomed by Andrea's sister Georgie, and I had a great time taking photos of the splendid light.

The next three days were pleasant riding on tracks alongside the highway, stopping to camp by the road. We crossed the Goyder Line after leaving Nanbona, which means we are now in saltbush country, with no happy roadside grass for the boys. But this whole area of country around Yalata is beautiful open arid woodland. Today we left the Old Eyre Highway, which makes me a bit sad as it means we have to either bash through scrub beside the highway or brave the roadtrains on it... but we'll be fine! We crossed the Dog Fence this afternoon, which, for those of you who care for random fence facts, is the longest fence in the world, stretching for over 5,000km from SA all the way through Queensland.... Perhaps the next big adventure will be to ride along it?!

There's not much reception out here, but communication has been a breeze with our Garmin InReaches. Alex sets off in the morning, drops off a water and lunch cache for the boys, and sends me the location, which I can then navigate to. And the same when she finds a nice camp off to the side of the road. It really is so easy, and I'm not sure how we'd manage without them! We've had a week now to sort out our gear and get systems ready for the long haul West, and so far everything has been working great!

Next stop: Eucla. Only 280km to the WA border from here!

Creating a sense of urgency?! The corner store at Penong

Nanbona Station

Nanbona Station

Nanbona Station