Did you catch any mice last night?

Date: 12-04-2010 - 14-04-2010
Day 65-67: Ceduna, SA
Distance cycled: 118km

From Streaky Bay, we backtracked for almost 9km before turning northwest to Ceduna. It was a very smooth ride and we caught glimpses of the ocean at times.

We took a break at Smoky Bay where the cultivation of oysters has developed significantly due to preservation of the coast and marine environment in that area. Sitting at a picnic table and enjoying our self-made sandwiches, we immersed ourselves in the serenity of the small town and the magnificence of the glimmering ocean. We chatted briefly with Brian who is travelling with his wife in their camper. Brian told us about the mice infestation in Streaky Bay. That explained the noise we heard between the walls last night in our room in Streaky Bay. ;=)

After the lunch break, we continued on to Ceduna and made excellent progress in spite of many-but-mini-hills. In the last 5km of pedalling west into Ceduna, we felt the strong wind from the south and were fighting our way to our destination. Only then we realised that we must have had some tailwind going northwest from Streaky Bay, which would otherwise have been a challenge coming directly west from Poochera. Another good call for the detour!

In Ceduna, the ‘mice’ problem was evident. When we walked to the town centre from our caravan park, we saw dead mice everywhere! We visited the library the next day and saw a mouse running around a coffee vending machine that was unintentionally left open after being cleaned. The friendly librarian also told us that when she first moved to Ceduna several months ago, she would hear stories of mice running over the legs of some people when they were asleep! At the caravan park, one of the first questions asked was “Did you catch any mice last night?” Living in our little tent, we became extra-cautious.

As we were informed by the visitors centre that Ceduna is the last town until Norseman, which is about 1,222km away, we decided to stay for a couple more days to run some errands and settle our bills with the internet provided by the tax-funded community library. We also looked into the weather forecast and found that if we leave on Thursday, wind conditions will be favourable for us the following few days to cross the longest part of the Nullarbor with no service points (a.k.a. roadhouses) in between.

On our first day off in Ceduna, we explored the town and its neighbouring area of Thevenard. It showed what a small world it can be as we met again with Brian (whom we chatted with at Smoky Bay) and his wife, Christine on the bike/ walking Encounter Coastal Trail to Thevenard. Ceduna is the last stop for this retired couple before making their way back with their camper towards Melbourne.

Destinations: [NSW] North Sydney - Heathcote - Coledale - Wollongong - Robertson - Moss Vale - Goulburn - Queanbeyan - Yass - Gundagai - Wagga Wagga - Narrandera - Darlington Point - Hay - Maude - Balranald - Euston - [VIC] Mildura - [SA] Renmark - Barmera - Morgan - Burra - Orroroo - Port Augusta - Kimba - Wudinna - Streaky Bay - Ceduna