Getting itchy for a ride: and work is closing down for 2 weeks

19 December 2010

Time is ticking down for an enforced Chrissy work break.

Christmas in Australia varies from what you might experience in the Northern Hemisphere.

It’s summer and officially the start of the summer holidays, 2 weeks break, or 3 for many. Boxing Day is the year’s busiest day on the roads as everyone evacuates the city and heads off to the beach house or a close grouping of tents.

There’s a prediction for 36°C, (97°F), for Chrissy day in Perth. The seasonal food is more of the crayfish and prawn variety, with a leafy salad than something baked or glazed with the roast spuds. A chilled ale for refreshment.

With that amount of time there’s two plausible choices for the average itinerant bike tourer: There’s the possibility of long days at the beach with the liberal application of sunscreen. Lounging around a pool. (Umm, I’ve never been known to do that for long.)

Or.

Head back up into the Perth hills for a second look at the Munda Biddi, this time without the excess baggage.

Does it matter I’ve been that way as the finale of my crossing, well, actually criss-crossing, of Australia? My blog, err, journal of that 15 month little adventure is buried deep here.

Humm. I think it’s worth a second look.

(There’s few other options if you like the sound of pedals whirring, maybe heading around the south coast corner with 1.6 million of my closest friends, in their oversized 4WDs on the narrow roads. Maybe not.)

The body toll with the full caravan back in late autumn was fairly extreme and the idea of scuttling along on a more light-weight tour is enticing.

Just to set the scene, the Munda Biddi Trail is a mountain bike trail that starts 35km north east of Perth and heads south for 497km, currently, ie, 2010, as far as the small town Nannup. Yes, it’s a roller coaster and cuts through some surprisingly uninhabited territory, considering the proximity to the 1.6m population of Perth. Eventually it will stretch 1000km through to Albany down on the south coast but that’s a couple of years away.

No traffic. Big Jarrah tree forest. Free accommodation. Big watertanks. Not many, often make that no, others on the track.

Nice.

Another little adventure.