Perth to Kalbarri via Indian Ocean Drive

[beth_Streeter]

Hi everyone,

Has anyone done a ride from Perth to Kalbarri or Geralton and can share their experience with me?

I am a female cyclist with a passion for touring. I have a strong desire to ride from Perth to Kalbarri and back via Indian Ocean Drive this November (before school holidays!) and i was wondering if anyone out there has done this trip and how they found it? I've got bigger tyres and and a rear vision mirror fitted to my bike so if i see a road train or large vehicle coming up behind me i can hop off the road onto the gravel. Obviously i will wear high vis, flashing lights, take lots of food and water and stay in accommodation overnight in towns along the way. There will be a long stretch where i wont have phone signal which is a concern but it is something that i really want to do. Am i crazy or should i just go for it and hope for the best?

Any advise is appreciated! Cheers.

[Warin]

The rear vision mirror is usefull, but there should only be trouble/difficulty when there are opposing vehicles - one behind and one in front that would cause you concern. A single vehicle should be able to avoid you .. but keep an eye on them.
Plan your trip - how far between water sources (one source is roadhouses .. they might not give it away so you may have to buy it, any commercial campsite will have water).
No experience on a bicycle out that way so I won't comment on that. Have a good trip.

Have you looked elsewhere? https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/search/ ... n_type=all

[Aushiker]

I have ridden Geraldton to Perth but prior to the Indian Ocean Drive opening, so I turned east at Cervantes to Brand Highway then back west at Regans Ford.

I have also ridden to Kalbarri and further north to Carnarvon after the Indian Ocean Road opened but again I didn't ride the Indian Ocean Road [except for a small section out of Two Rocks to Military Road] as I have preference for enjoying my ride and staying alive and hence prefer quieter routes where possible.

That said, would I ride the Indian Ocean Road? No way. There is a very good reason why a heck of a lot of money is being spent on the road to upgrade safety ... it is a dangerous road.

Personally if I wanted a fairly straight ride back to Perth and wanted to stick to bitumen roads I would be considering Geraldton to Dongarra [or inland via Walkaway and Allanooka to Mingenew], then going inland via route 116 [Mingenew, Three Springs, Carnamah, Coorow] coming out at Regans Ford where you can wind your way south again on bitumen to Two Rocks and then down the coast to Perth itself.