On Your Bike Extension Tour 2010

It is proposed to augment this year's Cycle Touring Association "Coast the Rainbow" tour into a round trip by doing a leisurely full pannier ride from Manjimup into Bremer Bay to join the main tour and afterwards returning from Walpole to Manjimup with full equipment.

For anyone with the time and inclination to accompany the ride leader David Taylor he can offer secure car parking at his place in Manjimup for the duration and providing that he is not swamped by an overwhelming demand, overnight camping facilities before and after the ride. Be also aware that the daily TransWA bus service between Perth and Manjimup will carry two prebooked bikes upright in the Luggage compartment beneath the bus.

Saturday 23rd October

From Taylor's in Manjimup via Perup road, narrow quiet bitumen to Perup Reserve. There are a couple of climbs out of river valleys that are marginally get-off-and-push steep and the final 17km is well maintained gravel through the reserve with frequent kangaroos and emus to be seen.

The road through Perup Reserve

Accommodation will be in the reserve bunkhouse and we will have the use of the Lodge kitchen. It may be possible to have David's wife Camilla carry the baggage over this section and assist with the evening meal. A provisional booking has been made. Numbers will be required in due course. 65km. map

Sunday 24th October

Perup Reserve to Frankland River. This is all super new smooth bitumen. There are a few long gentle hills. The road has very little traffic. The route is partly through forest and partly through agricultural country with trees lining each side of the road. There is no human habitation other than a few farmsteads between Perup Reserve and Frankland River. We stay at the caravan park in Frankland River and as we arrive on a Sunday evening we cannot expect to buy any food that night but should be able to obtain necessities the next morning. 58 km. map

Monday 25th October

Frankland River to Cranbrook. A continuation of the same road as yesterday. Agricultural country, tree-lined roads, gentle hills and nothing until Cranbrook where we stay in the council caravan park which has good facilities including a roomy camp kitchen with tables and stools. We should be able to top up with essential provisions in this tiny town. 50 km. map

Tuesday 26th October

Cranbrook to Mount Trio Bush Camping and Caravan park. We ride Salt River road which follows level ground along the base of the Stirling Range with a few very gentle rises. The final 20km is well maintained gravel road. During the reconnaisance on 29th March we noticed some windrows of loose gravel that could easily have been avoided by an alert cyclist but in October at the end of the wet weather it is expected that the surface will be much more compact. There is a little holiday traffic on this road, camper vans and caravans. The distance today is only 51 km with no serious hills. The Mt. Trio Bush Camping and Caravan Park is much smaller and quieter that the alternative Stirling Range Retreat which most people will know. It saves us distance for the long ride on Wednesday and we should arrive there early enough for those with energy remaining to cycle the 8 km. to the start of the ascent for Mount Trio, walk up to admire the view and return before dark. There is nowhere to buy food which will have to be carried in. map

Wednesday 27th October

Mount Trio Bush Camping and Caravan Park to Boxwood hill. We stop for morning coffee and cakes at the Dutch Windmill. The route via Amelup and the Borden to Bremer Bay road follows the Pallimup river valley and is now all new smooth bitumen. Traffic is almost non-existent after turning onto the Borden-Bremer Bay road. There are magnificent views of the Stirling Ranges from the route all day long. There are several long but gradually sloping hills. There is a very small roadhouse at Amelup but otherwise there is nothing until the Roadhouse at Boxwood hill where we will be camping overnight. There is no official campground at Boxwood Hill but the proprietress of the roadhouse will allow us to camp on the rough grass behind the buildings for free and have the use of the toilets with coldwater hand basins but no showers. She has a very few minor essentials on sale in her shop but she does meals and I am arranging that she does us an evening meal in her tiny restaurant/ cafe. 91 km. map

Thursday 28th October

Boxwood Hill to Bremer bay following the tourist route that we will be retracing on Saturday. 70km. Camping at the Bremer Bay caravan park. Only 1km. from this park there is a really excellent general store with an amazing range of groceries, camping foods, camping equipment spares and fishing tackle. We will then have a day or so to recover on the beach swimming or fishing while we wait for the start of the main tour.

Sunday 7th November

Walpole to Shannon Camping ground. We follow the main Southwest Highway. The traffic on this section is moderate. It is a very hilly, windy scenic route through the forest. Camping at Shannon, site of an old timber town that is now a DEC. reserve. 67km.

Monday 8th November

continue along the S.W. Highway to Taylor's in Manjimup. 55 km.