We made it to the Nullarbor!

Date: 17-04-2010
Day 70: Nullarbor, SA
Distance cycled: 73km

We had almost 12-hours sleep and were fully charged for the road again. We bid farewell to our new neighbours and had a picture taken (unfortunately not with our camera). Just before we took off, Ken (of Lazy Days) ran towards us and gave us a card with his and Marge’s contact. He said we can call them anytime if we are in need of help in Australia. We were touched by their kindness and we hope the strangers they meet will reciprocate their act of benevolence.

We continued on the ‘rollercoaster ride’ until our break at the sign “Nullarbor Plain, the eastern end of treeless plain” marked the beginning of a fairly flat (sometimes mildly ascending) road to the Nullarbor roadhouse. This is it! This is the Nullarbor! There is often a misunderstanding between Nullarbor and the Nullarbor Plains. The Nullarbor is often referred to the area near the Nullarbor roadhouse that comprises the Nullarbor National Park where the Bunda Cliffs are sighted. “Once part of the ocean floor, the Nullarbor is the world’s biggest, flattest (not if you are riding a bicycle!) piece of limestone, covering an area of approximately 200,000 square kilometres and up to 300 metres thick”. The Nullarbor Plain, however, spans from Ceduna in South Australia (SA) until Norseman in Western Australia (WA).

In spite of south winds, we made it to the Nullarbor roadhouse before 1pm. With similar distance, we indeed made better progress than yesterday. The roadhouse is quite different from Nundroo and we think it has improved immensely over the last few years. Prior to the start of our trip, Sue read that there were little supplies in terms of food and water at the Nullarbor. Now, they have drinking water from tap (Nundroo did not) although showers were still available at a charge. Given the costs to generate their own electricity as well as obtain and process water from the ground, it made sense. Unlike Nundroo, we also began to feel the hole in our wallet as the prices for food sky-rocketed. Cookies, biscuits and drinks were at least $5 and above. Oh well, that’s the price to pay for being “at the end of the world” (though not technically) as Lukas said. At sunset, we even felt like we were on the moon! It was mesmerizing!

At the roadhouse, we also saw the poster of the blind brothers with the campaign called Blind Courage. We must have missed them when we turned off to Streaky Bay. Such a shame! We were looking forward to meeting them on the road! Lorin and Dean’s reason to ride is “to create history by being the first blind persons to ride over 4,000km across Australia in the hope that we will motivate others, with or without a disability, to make a difference in their own lives by doing something that will benefit others”. Check out their website and donate to support. On Monday April 26, they will ride in to the Sydney Opera House by 8am and into the Australian record books. All the best, Lorin and Dean!

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 - Nundroo - Yalata - Nullarbor