The Weekly Wrap-Up 25

4,280 - 4,485km, Days 228-235 Boyup Brook to Margaret River

We made it to the coastline! Yay!!

This last week was definitely not the idyllic amble I had kind of been hoping for, although the countryside was really very pretty around Boyup Brook through to Cundingup. But alas the weather decided to heat up and it was hard to not try and rush to the end. I always tell guests on trips to try and not mentally check out early on the last day, to not start living life outside of the trail until the trip is actually over. But to be honest, I was really looking forward to a cold beer and a sleep in 🤣

With a series of early starts, Tickles and I covered ground steadily, and he really got into the swing of being on his own. I think he came to enjoy it after a few days. He relaxed and just strolled along steadily. With the wheatbelt now behind us and the roadside grass dried up by a fierce early summer, feed was a bit scarce, but with only 5 days left, we pushed through.

The final two days heading up through the forest and then over the watershed and down to course of the Margaret River would have been delightful.... if it hadn't been 40 degrees! We got as many kms done as we could, getting up at 2.30AM, then rested up until the sun started to drop then smashed out another few hours.

.... And then we arrived at Fair Harvest!

We were welcomed by Jodie and Do to their beautiful piece of paradise here, and finally were reunited with Mr Richard 😁 🐴💗🐴 He was VERY happy to see Micky again; not so interested in me, but I guess that's what you get for horse love!

I resuscitated Brian who had gotten a flat battery and then set up camp under a shady tree with a cold beer - yay, civilisation!

We rode down to the coast with Jodie early in the morning, taking both horses to finish all together, a really special experience to share with such a generous soul. Looking out over the Indian Ocean, it felt like the trip was truly finished... even if Mr Richard was very unimpressed and rather stressed by all that ominously wet water so close to his dainty little hooves! 🤣

So out came the champagne 🎉🍾🎉

And then this morning my beautiful friend Hannah somehow arranged a celebrity cheesecake to be delivered to my van - the best gift to finish on 💗🎂💗

So tomorrow the boys get picked up at midday, and then I follow them back East. I'll let y'all know how we go getting home and give you an update when we arrive safe and sound.

My piebald hero

Crossing over the watershed towards Margaret River

I promised Micky a whole fruitcake when we got there…

That grin when you make it across a continent