Geraldton - Perth - July 2009

[Aushiker]

G'day

I am planning a week long road tourer in July 2009 and I am considering a Geraldton - Perth ride (or a Albany - Perth ride) but this thread is about the Geraldton connection. If you have any experience with this route or other useful thoughts on same please share. My questions are:

(a) My thoughts are to ride Geraldton to Perth given the likely winds in July however any thoughts on riding from Perth to Geraldton?

(b) I am not keen on riding the Brand Highway if I can avoid it. Any alternate routes down the "coast" in addition to the Indian Ocean Drive?

(c) Thoughts on taking a more inland route, e.g., Geraldton to Ellendale to Nangetty to Three Springs to Coorow to Moora to GinGin (or taking a more direct route via secondary roads further north to Lancelin) and then Lancelin south down the coast to Perth.

(d) July is fixed so can't move that around.

Other thoughts?

Thanks
Andrew

[kiwirobbie]

Hi Aushiker I rode this trip back in august last year from Perth enjoyed it very much. From central Perth bike paths to Joondalup then hwy 60 and camped in a pine forest near Two Rocks next day to Lancelin. Backed tracked a few ks then turned inland and other than a few ks of seal was a good but hilly [parts] gravel road out to Cataby on the Brand hwy to the turn off to Cervantes. Big day 156kms and 8 hrs of cycling. There is a coastal route from Lancelin to Cervantes but had been warned off it by the locals and looking at the first 100m i can see why deep soft sand that i couldn't ride an empty bike let alone pulling a bob. Cervantes to Greenhead [lovely beach]. I went back out to the Brand to stay at great little campground near Eneabba run by a wildflower guru will never look at a flower the same way again. Pedaled on to the S bend camp south of Greenough good cheap place then to Geraldton. Was plenty of places to freecamp as well as camping grounds. i carried on to Kalbarri then back to Perth inland via Mullawa, Morawa, Wongan Hills,New Norcia, Northam and York. Hope this maybe of some help Cheers Rob ps Nel and me back over to WA in a week to house sit and work [If there any jobs still going] bikes are coming again can't wait to spend a sunny winter in Perth.