Saturday, Aug 3.

Day 7:    Kalgoorlie to Norseman.

183 km in 8 hrs 8 min @ 22.4 km/ hr.

AHR:   117 bpm.

'Climbed':   1607 ft.

Tonight's Elevation:  900 ft ASL.

Punctures so far:  0.

 Left at 7.10 am.     In at 4.30.

Today's cycle is for our granddaughter, Eimear who thrilled us for the month of July with her endearing smiles. When we meet up again in Nov, you will be almost ready for the bike, in the trailer behind Grandad.

Great to be back on the saddle today after the Rest Day. Today is one of 3 days with 180 km or more. Accordingly, there was need for an early start so as to make Norseman before dark. Once the sun goes down, it gets dark very quickly being in a lower latitude than Ireland.

We left at 7.10 after breakfast and dropping our luggage and food box at the trailer and placing lthe keys into the drop- box at reception. Our stay in the A- frame cabin had been most enjoyable.

We turned right at the gate and headed up Burt St into Boulder. The sun was well up but was still chilly (6deg). There was need to have an extra layer on and switch on the red flasher at the back. I didn't bother wearing leggings as I knew that within an hour everything would have warmed up. By morning tea it was 12 deg and in the afternoon we had 20 deg.

As in all towns we have passed through, the streets in Boulder are very very wide in the built up residential areas. The highway isn't as wide but beautiful.

Our route today was from north to south all day. Tomorrow we swing left and resume our trek eastwards. A very light side wind did little to hamper our progress. In the morning the shadows were out to our right, at midday with the sun in the north, our shadows were straight ahead and as we finished our long shadows lay to our left. We were out for over 9 hours between cycling a short stops. No stop lasted for more than 10 mins.

Early on the landscape was very flat with extensive bush. As the day wore on things became more undulating. We had a few hills that registered 3% gradient ( most were just 1 or 2%). But the surface was good. Hills have been so absent since we started that even a small hillock caught our attention.

On one hill ( possibly as a result of mining) was a strategically placed loo. However, it lacked privacy. But it had fabulous view.

Near Karlgoorlie, we still had mining traffic. Road- trains with 4 or 5 units passed us by but gave us space or a warning well in time.

Some dumpers from the Super Pit that needed repairs, apparently, passed us on low- loaders. A warning vehicle went 1 km in front and the convoy was accompanied by Traffic Control. For us, this was a case of getting of the bike, and getting way off the hard shoulder even.

One notice warns of trains up to 53.5 metres long may be on the road.

Apart from the one in the Northam Caravan Park ( Day 2) I have't seen a live kangaroo in the wild. We had some recent road-kill  along the road as we passed.

At all stages of today' trip there were entrances to mines of one type or the other. The mine workings themselves couldn't be seen. 

As evening approached we came into Norseman, often referred to as a one- horse town. It is named after a horse, Hardy  Norseman, who stumbled ( literally) on a gold nugget in the 1890's. This locality was the second richest goldfield in Western Australia.

Norseman is also the gateway to the Nullarbor, the 'treeless plain'. The Nullarbor is the world's largest, flattest piece of limestone covering an area of approx 200,000 square kilometers. Tomorrow we start on that crossing. Signs as we entered Norseman advised people to stock up with water before starting the crossing.

Just before Norseman, we passed by the shores of extensive Lake Cowan, the largest expanse of water since we left Perth.

We arrived in Gateway Caravan Park at 4.30 and this is another personal best for Paul, and booked into a cabin. We deserved it after such a long day.

I enjoyed every turn of the pedals on this long stretch.

Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.