Day 2 - Northam to Merredin
Trip Start
Aug 16, 2009
1
7
43
Trip End
Sep 18, 2009
Merredin, Western Australia, Australia
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Got up at 6am - we only have about an hour to get packed up, changed, breakfast, toilet etc and ready to go - so I'll have to get into the routine pretty quickly as I will hold everyone up. Not an easy task for me, as it normally takes about one and a half hours at home to get organised before I go to work.
The day was great weather wise - sunny mostly, but not too hot. We were lucky that the showers that did come through missed us. Also the wind was at our backs or from the side - so we flew along most of the time.
The ride was pretty flat and the road good, with nice wide shoulders. We all rode together as one group in single file, with a ute in front with a flashing light, and the bus behind, again with a flashing light, and a big sign at the back - "caution cyclists ahead
The bus and the long road
. Perth to Sydney". Richard in the bus blasts the horn as he sees a vehicle coming up behind - once for a car, twice for a caravan or small truck, three times for a big truck and four for a road train. This is good as you can tell whats coming through. Five blasts of the horn means "get off the road now - there's a road train coming each way"!!The team had about 6 flat tyres during the day - a bit unlucky, but I was ok. However, when we stopped in Tammin, my bike got blown over (leaning on a fence while was I was in the loo), and the hanger from the bike to the rear derailer got bent. This means my gears don't change as smoothly as they should. Very frustrating, as the 'beast' was in tip top shape. I won't be able to get it fixed until Port Augusta, SA - day 18! Not happy Jan.
We arrived in Merredin at about 3pm and bunked down in the Merredin High School gym. Nice hot showers! That evening, the Merredin Church of Christ put on a marvelous spread - much needed for the hungry bunch. Hit the sack at about 9pm.
