18/2/2010 Ferguson Valley to Bussleton

18/2/2010 Ferguson Valley to Bussleton 115km
Yes you read it right, 115km.  This wasnt the plan when we set off from the B&B we stayed at.  We wanted to get to Peppermint Grove Beach and stay the night in the caravan park which would have worked out to be about 80km.  The problem was that once we got to Peppermint Grove Beach the caravan park had closed down and there is nothing else but houses and a nice beach and Mary and Norm's place was only another 35(ish)km to go.

The weather forecast for the day was cooler than yesterday which was a great relief to us.  We woke up early and made breakfast and naturally because I (Gary) measured the oats we had enough for a complete prison breakfast.  A quick pack of the gear and off we went.  Not far down the road I'm hot and cant believe it.  I'm wearing a sun protection shirt, long sleeves, collar and a sort of heavy synthetic material.  I stopped and took it off and what a difference, almost chilly, so I rode along for a while without a shirt on.  Down the road a bit I put one of my light wool shirts on and was heaps better so I was feeling great.

Not far down the road was Gnomesville, a quaint spot where people donate and display their gnomes.

I arrived expecting a few gnomes around a picnic table but no, they were everywhere, had to be thousands of them some in elaborate displays.

The road we were on was single lane bitumen and winded it's way through the forest with hardly a car to be seen.  We could ride side by side chatting and admiring the views.  This was until we got to Lowden, which is no more than a shop, and turned onto a major road with not much of a shoulder.  Trucks roared by and we cowered each time.  10 km later we pulled into Donneybrook, a pretty little town famous for apple growing.  The first cafe/tea house we rode past had a sign for Devonshire Tea out the front so we pulled in and were treated to fantastic tea and fresh scones jam and cream.....yummy.

We stocked up on more lunch making stuff at the local supermarket and then headed off down a windy little road.  A couple of climbs but we must be getting our 'touring legs' because we felt pretty good even though in our lowest gear just spun up.  Fabulous ride, the forest we all around and little traffic.

Hit Capel after flying down a gently sloping straight and stopped to fill up water bottles.

 

We then headed to Peppermint Grove Beach were as I mentioned at the start didnt have any facilities.  What it does have is a lovely beach

 

and after some very hot days we locked up the bikes and went for a swim.  Very nice.  We than ate some more (seem to be doing alot of that on this trip) and decided to push onto to Bussleton.

Apart from a punishing headwind in places it was a pretty good ride although I think our legs had had enough by the time we got to Mary and Norm's.