Riding to the End!!

Sunday 16th October I had a nice leisurely day, wandering around Denmark, eating, drinking... and booking my bus back to Perth... this chair outside one of the shops made me chuckle:

 





















So next day Monday 17th October, my beloveds Birthday (Happy Birthday Susan), I was up and about at 630 am ready to finish the last 75 kms on this auspicious day... alas, rain stopped play, for a while, and I sat out the early morning showers, until 815am and set off on my last day's ride.
 
Firstly along the Wilson inlet, with a short section of trees between my trail and the open water, with lots of bird life all along the shoreline... after an hour or so, I left the track and followed the trail along some minor roads, through Youngs siding,

an old halt on the now non-existent railway, and continuing along the roads, and old railway line I arrived in Torbay... not the 'English Riviera', but a quiet backwater in Australia:

a lady even showed me around the village hall, and told some of the history of the area... 
I continued through a couple of rain showers, and finally at 2 pm I arrived at the end of the Munda Biddi trail in Albany!!! 

I was pretty pleased with myself I can tell you, in the early stages of the cold, hard journey I didn't expect to get here, and was wondering a few times whether I should just 'give up' - so glad I didn't though!! 
I've ridden 1075 kms through wild and desolate Bush, forest, hard landscape and sand to get here - it's achievable for anyone, although if I'd seen many snakes....?? 

I had a look round Albany before going to Wendy (Peters sister) and Steves home, who gave me a warm bed, good food and a hot shower, before I disappeared to bed early!! 

Tuesday 18th October Steve had taken the morning off work to take me around Albany's coastline and national parks:

a great whistlestop journey of exploration on differing bays with bright white sand, and secluded beaches and trails. We also went up to the latest Attraction 'The Gap'

built over ocean cliffs, and a viewpoint into the natural stone bridge at the cliffs edge (where many have perished over the years!) 
We returned to Albany, Steve went off to work, and I climbed the hill at the back of their house - mount Lawley - to Padre Whites lookout - a famous commemorative point from the World Wars, and ever since:

I then walked across from there, passing several memorials

to the relatively new Anzac museum

again filling in history from the wars, and also around the old Princess Royal Barracks (still flying the Union Jack), and the gun emplacements overlooking Prince George's Sound... 

I wandered back down through Albany port,

and back to Wendy & Steves via a famous old pub, the Earl of Spencer (named because it's at the junction of Earl st and Spencer st!!) 
After another nice evening and dinner I headed off to bed, ready for my next day's journey! 

Wednesday 19th I was up and out by 8 am - thanks Wendy & Steve - and rode down to the centre of Albany, and put my bike on the bus for the journey back to Perth - although it was a 5 hour journey, it soon passed, and I was back at Jacqui's emptying my gear by 330 pm... then down to About bike hire to return my bike - not a puncture all the way, although, like me the chain was a bit creaky by the time I returned it!! 
I walked back to Jacqui's for dinner out with Peter. 

Thursday 20th was spent washing and drying my clothes, meeting Stella the latest addition to the household,

and reorganising my schedule... for my next adventure!!, and I've not even started my original tour yet..!!