Hello
I am Pierre a french Cyclist and I am presently touring in Australia.
On 25 of december, the only cheap fly ticket I found, I fly to Perth.
I would like to do from Perth to Albany, mostly by the Munda Biddi trail, and then following till Esperance by back roads.
what about the wind, better start in Perth or in Esperance ?
what about the Munda Biddi trail with a loaded bicycle, I have a mountain bike, 18 kg, and 16 kg stuff, and then add water and food ?
does I need to buy the maps, well they arent expensive anyway ?
what about the return, Esperance - Perth, by bus or plane ? by internet i didnt understand if Skywest company, it seems that is the only one company, makes a fixing fee for bicycles or not ?
and any other good tips... like a place to camp in Perth on 25 th of December..
thanks Pierre
Dear Pierre
Welcome to Australia! I hope that you have enjoyed your time here and have found people to be friendly and helpful (although I must admit there are plenty of terrible drivers about!).
I am from Adelaide, not Perth. However, I have recently returned from cycling the Munda Biddi Trail from Nannup to Mundaring.
In summer, you will generally have an Easterly wind in Southern Western Australia, mostly SE. So, you will likely encounter more favorable winds if you cycle from Esperance to Perth.
The weather will be very hot in summer, so ensure that you stay hydrated (and use electrolyte tablets) and take a break in the middle of the day if necessary. You will also need to be very aware of bushfire danger when traveling through the bush.
The Munda Biddi trail will be mostly fine on your touring bike, but much slower than cycling on a sealed road. Having said that, difficult sections of the Trail have an alternative "touring route", and much of the trail runs close to sealed roads, so you can always give up and continue your trip along the road if the Trail is not to your liking. I recently cycled along the trail solo with a mountain bike loaded with camping gear/clothes/food etc. I needed the maps because I have a terrible sense of direction (stereotypical female!!), but you might be okay with a general road map and following the markers. I would advise you to buy the maps, but I understand that they are expensive!
You will not need to carry too much food and water on the Trail. Every hut has clean drinking water and you will pass through a small town every second or third day - all have small supermarkets which stock a good range of inexpensive food.
You can book an additional flight or take a bus down to Esperance. However, if you wish to fly please be sure to check that you the airline will accept your bicycle - REX and QANTASlink probably offer flights from Perth to Esperance but they will use small plans with reduced luggage allowances. TransWA runs a bus service from Perth to Esperance for $85. TransWA will take bicycles if you book in advance - I think that there is a flat fee of $10 but you will need to check. I took a TransWA bus from Perth the Bunbury and they transported my bicycle and panniers without any difficulty:
https://www.transwa.wa.gov.au/Default.aspx?tabid=67&started=true
I don't know about camping in Perth, but there are plenty of inexpensive hostels in Northbridge, which are close to the train and bus stations.
If you have some extra time in Perth, be sure to check out Fremantle and Rotnest Island :)
Best wishes to you.
Kindly
Vanessa
hello
thank s for all these datas pierre
Hey pierre
When you leave Albany for your trip to Esperance go north on Chester pass road and through the Stirling ranges. The road "along" the coast never goes near the water, and both are the same distance.
North of the ranges also is a huge scenic windmill. I like it.
East of Jerramungup takes you to West river road which takes you south to Fitzgerald national park. Once at the water this takes you to Hopetoun and all the facilities but will be busy at XMas.
There are plenty of good free camping options for 32km east. With luck some camper will invite you for a cold beer.
Springdale road is he main road that goes east.
The next decent place for supplies would be Mungilup but take care as the opening times may be limited.
Forget trying to fly with skywest unless you want to pay too much. Transwa is best but again may be busy. You can book online.
As for winds, usually when its hot the winds come from the north or the east. If its cold and wet the winds come from the south. In the last few years Xmas has been on the cooler side as opposed to hot.
Campgrounds are pretty expensive and would be busy. Count on about $25. In Albany is a free hot shower at the bottom of York street if you just want to pass through and have a wash.
We live just north of Albany near Mt BArker and your welcome to stay if it suits.
If you like I can email you a few good maps.
They come from the RAC and haven't changed in years.
hello
thanks for the datas. i would start by esperance. and thanks for the lodging. i would contact you
regards pierre