Well I left Perth with a severe weather warning. Gales of up to 125km/hr expected. So another change of plan was needed. Instead of going up the coast, I started inland a bit. Still it was windy. When windy, trees are not your friends. The best place is sheltered behind a dense bunch of shrubs. My first night I thought I'd found the best spot. But someone else beat me to it
Couldn't move them, so hunted about and found another spot, not as good. It wasn't as bad a night as I was expecting. Toodyay was the first town I stopped in. It looks the place that gets lots of visitors on the weekend. Monday morning, it was very quiet.
The next few days were uneventful. Pedallying, and hiding from the wind at night. Though, it wasn't that windy. Then I let my guard down. That night it was windy. I'd stopped not quite on a hill top, but sheltered behind some bushes. I checked later. Winds were over 60km/hr that night. And the thunderstorm. I was bounced about in my tent like a pea in a drum. Lightning was striking within a few km of my spot. I was trying to decide how much insulation my sleeping mat would provide if there was a strike nearby. I decided not enough! That was a sleepless night. Working on that it couldn't happen again, I stayed in the same spot the next night. All batterned down ready and it was dead still. The farmer nearby was out. All night had the drone of machinery as he worked the fields. Big empty fields out here. Wheat, barley, oats...
Passed through the town of Bindi Bindi. There isn't much there. Not a shop, petrol station, or park. A few houses and a war memorial. Was some art work on the way though.
Miling was a nicer place. Chatted with the owner of the shop, while having a large serve of hot chips. Favourite would have to be Watheroo. Woke up to clouds and fog, but then the day turned into sun and blue sky for the first time in ages. Rolling into town and they had a park with benches and tables. Water tapes even. Sat down, dried off the tent, cooked breakfast, read for a while and soaked up the sun.
