GS OZ Day 17 Kalbarri 480km 4:50hr

Cross wind all day today but judging by the trees (see photo) this is par for this course.

Arrived about 5 and just enough daylight to top up the Beemers oil. A sawn of water bottle makes a great makeshift funnel BTW.

Pizza and beer for dinner in the David Niall exotic cuisine tradition. The Beemer would make an idea pizza delivery device (see pics)

GS OZ Day 16 Cervantes 40k 0;20hr

Spent today in and around Cervantes. Its named after a ship that was wrecked nearby who in turn was named after the author of Don Quixote the morning consisted of exploring the beach, visiting our oldest living relatives, the Stromatolites, in Lake Thetis.

Then a coffee and a bite before installing my tank bag.

Around sunset I rode out to see the Pinnicle desert. It's wonderful spent a couple of hours riding and walking around. Almost lost it a couple times in the very good sandy track.

GS OZ Day 15 Cervantes 520k 8hrs

Big day late start. Rode the coast road to Dunsbourogh then up the coast to Perth.

Here I picked up a piece that I need to attach my tank bag (map etc) to my tank. It wasn't ready before leaving so just told them to hold it and I would pick up when I rode through Perth. This will give me some extra room as the tank bag has been in a pannier since Melbourne.

Next stop to pick up a helmet cam so I can shoot video and stills from the bike and helmet.

Leaving Perth as quick as possible was my goal but Perth was a sea of traffic jams. This is contrary to the experience I had 18 years ago when the locals boasted no traffic jams. Guess they have grown too big for their boots with all that mining boom stuff.

Finally out of Perth at 3:30 I rode the Indian Ocean drive up the coast for a couple of hours to Cervantes. This place is near to the Pinnicles Desert that I will visit tomorrow. The ride was spectacular with storm clouds brewing on my right and my first sunset over water on my right.

The light over saturated the greens and bleached the weird sand hills that just pop out amongst gras tree plains on the inland side of the road.

This was also a scary ride as I broke the rule of not riding after 4 as this is when the animals come out. Sure enough there were roos everywhere preparing for their suicide missions.

Arrived at6:30 knackerd and pulled into the first motel I saw as couldn't be bothered looking around.

GS OZ Day14 Margaret River Rest Day

Such a beautiful B&B I chose to stay another night. Poked around the town and beaches, checked the bike over, read, slept, played with the dog, and sat in the bush garden. Bliss

GS OZ Day 13 Margaret River 450k 6:00hr

What a ride. The roads have become twisty and take you through km's of tall Forest. Apparently some of the largest trees on the planet.

First stop Denmark chocolate factory for the best hot chocolate I've  had. Then it was off through the forests again stopping only for lunch.

Hit Augusta by 3pm and visited Cape Leewin light house where the two oceans meet, the southern and the Indian. Like most light houses the wind was wild.

From there it was a short ride to Margaret river where I got a top last minute deal on a B&B tucked away in the bush. So time for a spa and relax..

GS OZ Day12 Albany 480k 5:20hr

I started today with an exploration of Esperance coast road including the sensational beaches of twilight bay and pink lake (which wasn't).

Then it was on to Albany. I did stop to check a property that a friends partner is looking at buying. Beyond that the road swept through very lush rural areas with the odd eucalypt plantation thrown in.

The last 100ks was cold and rainy so I was pleased to hit Albany. Unfortunately it took about 40 mins to find the motel as the GPS had it wrong and ios6 has crippled my iPhones maps.

Indulged in a great curry at the curry leaf restaurant.

GS OZ Day 11 Esperance 721k 7:30hr

Last day of the Nullabor. The treeless plains of yesterday have been replaced with sparse trees and the further west the more trees and more road kill. The beginning of the day saw the longest straight bit of road in OZ ie 90miles (146km). You don't really notice it as all the other roads whilst not exactly straight are straight enough that you do notice any bends. 

It rained a little this morning which was brilliant as all the smells of the bush came to life.

I arrived at Norsenam at about 2pm which is the end of the so called Nullabor crossing (ie Ceduna to Norseman) and continued on a couple of hours to Esperance in a shocking head/side wind. 

My knees were in quite a bit of pain but then I have seen nthe inside of my patella and its shag pile looking cartilage so it's no wonder.

GS OZ Day 10 Madura 521k 5:17hr

What a brilliant day. 10mims after seeing the sign warning of animals I had to stop as a family of camels wandered across the road.

Next up the Nullabor proper started.

After a short detour to the start of the Bight I saw whales. There where heaps of them, mothers and baby's just playing around, not 100m from shore.

Onward to the bight where I took several side dirt roads to get right up close to the edge.

Saw several bits of road marked as emergency runways for the RFDS.

I had to pull off the road four times as a semis heading east carting huge mining truck pieces took up the entire road (both sides).

I had to swerve to miss a snake. Not sure what it was but its was brown and angry with its head up.

Passed over the boarder into WA after a brief stop and cavity search at the quarantine station.

At Eucla I took another dirt road to see the ruins of an old telegraph station which is partially buried by shifting sands.

Phew exhausted and thrilled. All that and 520km so now I'm hold up at Madura for the night.

GS OZ Day 9 - Nundroo 262km 2:49hr

Slept in then set off for Ceduna. No decent coffee shops so pressed on to Penong after snapping the big oyster (a bitter disappointment).

The hit northerly had turned to a cold southerly and the wind was uncomfortable so stopped on Numdaro road house for the evening. The road house is very basic and run down but is clean with a comfy enough bed.

I could have pushed on to the border but storms are forecast and apparently there are whales migrating at the moment so I want to spend some time tomorrow at Head of Bight and see if I can spot them. How exciting apparently there were at least 40 spotted today.

GS OZ Day 8 - Streaky Bay 391k 4:28hr

Least turned back for home this morning so I'm off with myself to Streaky Bay. First stop Kimba to snap the Big Galah and have a stretch. Then along the Eyre hwy until the streaky bay turn off.

36deg a strong Nthly cross wind made for trick riding. Experienced my fist road trains and am now adept at the swerving due to their suction as the pass in the opposite direction. They're only baby ones (ie 2 trailers) but big enough to practice on.

Arrived at streaky bay around 3:30. What a top place. Sleepy beautiful town with a long jetty poking into the bay. May stay another day.

GS OZ Day 7 - Port Augusta 245k 4hrs

Awoke this morning to an Emu infestation. Great sleep and all my camping kit worked a treat. Special mention goes to the the chair and the deluxe Exped Syn mat which provided bed quality uninterrupted sleep.

Leasky had an off in the dirt this morning injuring his arm and Leg. Well he stubbed his toe and fell over running that is.

Did a great ride up through Brachina George and back down to Hawker. It was mostly dirt and scared myself a couple of times in some sand. Aapart from that the George was sensational and I'm slowly mastering riding standing up which allows the bike to do its thing and stay upright.

After the dirt we headed to port Augusta and settled in to a motel with air con where we resupplied and sucked down a few rumbos before a well earned pub meal.

GS OZ Day 6 - Wilpena - Flinders Ranges 340k 2:20hr

Rode from Clare via the RM Williams way to Wilpena pound in the flinders Ranges. Took a bit long tan expected so got in after 4pm. Sounds OK but from 4 onwards the Roos and EMUs are hovering around the roadside ready to pounce.

First Campsite of the trip yay. Nice fire bottle of Sav Blanc perfect.

GS OZ Day 5 - Clare 190k 2:45hr

Spent the day riding the Adelaide hills, as I read somewhere you can point the front wheel in any direction here and you can't go wrong. The Gorge road was spectacular and was capped off with breakfast at Cuddlee creek. Then on to a few more roads including dirt in and around the Barossa.

Popped in to see the whispering wall. Pretty cool, it's a dam wall that you can stand at one side and clearly hear someone talking at the other side 150m away.