Perth-Albany early November 2012

[emily_withers]

Hi everyone

Just returned from cycling solo around eastern europe to home here in Perth and setting off as soon as I can for Albany again. I literally have just started my research into the route and also options for camping along the way. Anyone got any advice for either? I will be bringing a tent and intend to camp on the cheap if possible - if that is cheap camp grounds or in the wilderness for free. Regarding the route, I will be doing between 30-60km per day. Totally depends on what I feel like and I like to go slower to really enjoy it. I have all the time in the world so hence I'll just go with my own pace and enjoy, also staying at places and at the beach wherever I like along the way.

Anyway, if anyone has any info that would be great about the route. Also if there is anywhere in Perth (city and surrounds) I can get hard copy maps from. I suppose I should take one? I didn't travel through eastern europe with one, but for some reason I feel like I should be more organised here then when I was in a foreign country - ha!

Thanks heaps
Emily

[Aushiker]

Do you want to ride roads only or would you like taking on the Munda Biddi for some of the way, i.e., through to Manjimup. Also are you looking a coastal route and hence longer one or a more direct route or something in between? Really need to have an idea of what you want to do because the most direct route is Albany Highway (not that it would be fun).

Maps can be brought at any service station pretty much (road maps) or at places like the Chart and Map Shop here in Fremantle.

Another option is to have a look at Perth-Albany-Perth Audax Australia ride route for ideas.

Andrew

[John Lewis]

I think there is a Perth Albany route in the Lonely Planet Cycling Australia Guide if you can find a copy. Might be a bit dated because of the changes between Perth and Bunbury with the new highway.

It basically follows the coast to Augusta and then across the bottom through Pemberton to Albany if I recall.

We are in Albany so give us a shout when you are heading this way.

John

[il padrone]

Take that coastal route - Bunbury, Busselton, Quindalup, Margaret River (Caves Rd), Augusta, Nannup, Pemberton, Walpole, Denmark, and Albany. A side trip out to the Stirling Ranges and Porongorups would be worthwhile. Inland it gets to be a very long haul between small places and less interesting riding. Damned hot inland if you do it in summer as well.

If you're only riding 30-60kms per day and stopping to 'smell the roses' it could take you more than just early November

[polishbiker]

If you want some ideas i did perth-albany-perth last year, check the below link:

http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=34018

[polishbiker]

and btw. you dont really need maps to travel Australia, its all very well signed, people everywhere so you can ask even if you somehow get lost. if you staying on the road you would be more than fine!

[Aushiker]

Damned hot inland if you do it in summer as well.

I wouldn't describe November as summer and I would suggest it hardly gets "damn hot" in the south-west, well most of the time anyway. Also the coastal route (and probably most of the south-west for that matter) will likely have headwinds most days if heading south. Those winds can be pretty damn strong on the coast from now until into Autumn and so need to be taken into consideration. Personally I would be more concerned about winds than heat at this time of the year.

If you're only riding 30-60kms per day and stopping to 'smell the roses' it could take you more than just early November

Albany is only about 600 km (less if going direct) or thereabouts depending on the route ... 60 km per day is around 10 days. Not exactly a long time.

Andrew

[Aushiker]

and btw. you dont really need maps to travel Australia, its all very well signed, people everywhere so you can ask even if you somehow get lost. if you staying on the road you would be more than fine!

Not what you said in your early thread I would suggest a road map would be handy for the south-west to provide an idea on options. Probably less of a concern in the north-west where there are few options if one is highway bashing

Andrew

[polishbiker]

i know, it was lack of experience and confidence back then, as long as you know the places where you going you would be ok, guess having a map doesnt hurt, its quite light after all!

where did you go in europe??

[Aushiker]

i know, it was lack of experience and confidence back then, as long as you know the places where you going you would be ok, guess having a map doesnt hurt, its quite light after all!

I used mine quite a bit once I got into the Gascoyne and heading home, but that was more about re-thinking route options on the road and I still really wish I had the relevant pages from Hema's dessert maps as I would have made different choices; ones which may have made the ride even better.

Andrew

[il padrone]

I wouldn't describe November as summer and I would suggest it hardly gets "damn hot" in the south-west, well most of the time anyway.

Damned hot inland if you do it in summer as well.

I thought I was pretty specific there

Yes, the OP may be quite OK. I was only going by my one experience nearly 30 years ago, but in that case in late November we had several days of 36-38 degrees once we went inland. Nice and cool on the coastal route back, and, yes the winds can be 'orrible!

If you're only riding 30-60kms per day and stopping to 'smell the roses' it could take you more than just early November

Albany is only about 600 km (less if going direct) or thereabouts depending on the route ... 60 km per day is around 10 days. Not exactly a long time.

Thinking more of someone doing an average of closer to 40kms per day plus a few rest days to explore (sounded more like the OP's intentions) in which case the time could well drag out to nearly month or so quite easily.

[Aushiker]

Damned hot inland if you do it in summer as well.

I thought I was pretty specific there

There you go you learn something every day ... the south-west of WA is now inland ... I reckon the guys living/working further east of the coast in WA might disagree with you ... heck even when I lived in Kulin we didn't consider ourselves "inland", it was the wheat belt. Inland was further east, well north-east really.

Anyway as I said previously I would be more concerned about the wind. To the OP I would suggest giving some thought to riding Albany to Perth rather than Perth to Albany that way you are likely to get the south-westerly in the afternoon and maybe a south-easterly in the morning.

Andrew

[il padrone]

There you go you learn something every day ... the south-west of WA is now inland ... I reckon the guys living/working further east of the coast in WA might disagree with you ...

Hey, I'm not going to get lost in the semantics of local regional terminology. Riding out along the Albany Hwy is inland (from the coast) within the south west

[Bullwinkle]

I think there is a Perth Albany route in the Lonely Planet Cycling Australia Guide if you can find a copy. Might be a bit dated because of the changes between Perth and Bunbury with the new highway.

It basically follows the coast to Augusta and then across the bottom through Pemberton to Albany if I recall.

Yes there is, I rode it last December, using this guide and most of the info was still accurate. You can check out my blog here.

[John Lewis]

I think there is a Perth Albany route in the Lonely Planet Cycling Australia Guide if you can find a copy. Might be a bit dated because of the changes between Perth and Bunbury with the new highway.

It basically follows the coast to Augusta and then across the bottom through Pemberton to Albany if I recall.

Yes there is, I rode it last December, using this guide and most of the info was still accurate. You can check out my blog here.

Just returned from reading that section of your ride. Most interesting.
When you were at Cape Leeuwin did you find the old waterwheel that has been turned to limestone?
My wife's ancestor James Augustus Woodward Turner built it. He was one of the original settlers in Augusta along with the Molloys.

Had I known you were in Albany we could have met up. We get quite a lot of cyclists through here.

John

[Bullwinkle]

Just returned from reading that section of your ride. Most interesting.
When you were at Cape Leeuwin did you find the old waterwheel that has been turned to limestone?
My wife's ancestor James Augustus Woodward Turner built it. He was one of the original settlers in Augusta along with the Molloys.

Had I known you were in Albany we could have met up. We get quite a lot of cyclists through here.

Thanks, unfortunately I missed the waterwheel otherwise I'm sure I'd have taken a photo of it. When I arrived in Albany it had turned wet and rather cold so I left the following day - however it looked to be an interesting place.