JUPITER'S TRAVELSClub Ride: February 22nd and 23rd

Peter Hubach (not Ted Simon)

The Altone Park shopping centre car park was a lonely place that Saturday morning at 11 :00. The corner chosen as

the meeting point was deserted when Nancy and I arrived on the Californian. There were no other bikes, not even

Russell 's, the ride leader. Had the weather forecast changed to rain? So we waited. And waited. Then we waited

some more, it was five minutes to the scheduled departure time and it looked like Nancy and I would be riding to

Geraldton alone.

Then Russell rode up on his

Kawasaki 650 Ninja, closely

fol lowed by his father and

younger brother Trevor, in a white

tray-back. They were going to

carry most of Russell 's gear to

Geraldton for him and set up the

camp before he arrived. This

included the Tail End Charl ie bag,

the logic for this was not apparent

at the time and thankful ly, did not

need to be tested.

The next and last to arrive was E-J, with BMW but without petrol. Off she went to join the long queues at the service

station. Meanwhile, we got to know Mr Russell senior. They had been delayed getting to chez Russell and were the

reason for Russell 's late arrival. What was E-J's excuse? Something to do with Nick deciding to accompany us in a

car with a son and then deciding not to and then arranging for the son to go somewhere which meant that Nick

could go away with us too but he didn't.

I t was nearly noon o'clock by the time the group was ready to leave. Mr Russell senior drove off and we didn't see

them again unitl we reached the caravan park late in the afternoon. They probably took a more direct route than us,

almost any route would have been more direct. Russell decided that it would be cooler riding next to the coast, so

we headed west on the Reid Highway along with many, many cars and trucks. So many that they clogged the

highway bringing progress down to a less than first gear crawl and stop endurance test. I t would have been better if

the Cali lfornian didn't have a thermometer. I didn't need to know exactly how hot the air was.

At last we reached the Indian Ocean and West Coast Highway. The ocean was calm and blue, the beaches were

white and crowded, almost as crowded as the highway. Why do cyclists swarm all over this road? Why do cyclists

do anything? In fact, why cyclists? Having survived the motoring misery of Reid we were affl icted with these lycra

loonies that wobbled out in front of us for no apparent reason. A pox on them! May their lycra exacerbate their

eczema.

Don't get me started on the roundabouts. I remember when there was just one roundabout in Perth, maybe just one

in al l of Western Austral ia. That was the big one by the Narrows Bridge. I t's uniqueness probably explained the fact

that most drivers didn't know how to use it. Now there are roundabouts everywhere and drivers sti l l don't know how

to use them. Somewhere south of Mindarie Keys, surrounded by truly horrific domestic architecture, I lost the wil l to

l ive.

As we approached Yanchep, we rode through areas of

once tranquil coastal scrub that had been scoured

back to the underlying sand in readiness for the ever

increasing prol iferation of Mc Mansions. A man-made

desert soon to be draped with somnanbulist suburbs.

Russell decided that a refreshment stop would revive

the group or he could just have been hungry. Anyway

we stopped at a café in Two Rocks for rehydration and

a protein/fat/salt hit. Al l of these could have been

satisfied in one go if we had partaken of the advertised

local special ity, Crab and Mango Smoothie.

Page 2

Eventual ly we got back on to Wanneroo Road and rode north as fast as we thought

prudent. This may have been a little over the posted speed limit and the

approaching Police car driver may have been a tad lenient in not switching on the

flashing l ights or he may just have been late for lunch, I know we were. The bikes

needed fuel and so did we. The bikes got the attention first, mainly because the

service station is one of the first buildings to be seen when entering Cervantes.

Stomachs rumbling, we decided not to eat at the garage, unl ike the sea eagle on

the gantry that was tucking in to one of the local fish.

We stopped at the beach-side café which offered shade and ocean

views but we were too late for lunch, the kitchen had closed. But

toasted sandwiches were do-able and very good they tasted too.

There is only one coastal road that goes to Geraldton, we have

only one coast. However, Russell needed to spend some

considerable time interfacing with his GPS unit. This told him,

when we departed Cervantes, to turn north to Geraldton, not south

to Perth. We would have been lost without it. As it turned out, we

were lost with it too.

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Greenough is famous for its wind. There is even a photo opportunity lay-by where tourists can snap a shot of a tree

distorted into a prone pose by the wind, supposedly looking l ike a woman washing her hair. Although it was now

late in the afternoon and a howling sea breeze would normally be blowing, it wasn't windy at al l . I t was getting late

though.

As we approached the ever-encroaching southern suburbs of our near-north neighbour, Russells head continual ly

dipped as he consulted the GPS on the handlebars. His head was down as we rode past a sign for our caravan

park indicating that we should turn right on to the by-pass, we rode straight on into the city centre. Now Geraldton

city centre could not be described as congested late on a Saturday afternoon, especial ly compared to Reid Highway

on a Saturday morning. So we did a bit of sight seeing, except for Russell . Al l he saw was his GPS.

The sun was setting as we approached the Sun Set Caravan Park. Having bisected the city and passed an

impressive number of bottle shops, we were in the northern suburbs where there are signs warning that water is

scarce between here and the rugged north-west. We were on the very edge of civi l isation! Water may be scarce

north of here but beer would seem to be good supply.

Mr Russell senior and

Trevor had already

errected their family tent

and staked out their site

with collapsable

furniture. We all stood

around and watched E-

J assemble her tent in

the warm glow of the

setting sun and the

promise of a pub meal.

The nearest pub was

the Winter Sun and it revealed cavernous dining rooms after walking through quite a modest front bar. I t was

Saturday night and we were the only occupied table in the huge room. Not a good sign. The meal was good pub

food though and reasonably priced. We were circumspect in our alcohol consumption because after dinner, we

were going to ride east into the dark hil ls to find Russell 's astronomy friends. They had set up telescopes on a

lookout down a dirt road. None of us had been there before but Russell was in constant communication with them

via mobile phone and he consulted and prodded his GPS throughout the meal. What could possibly go wrong?

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Well nothing actual ly. The road to the lookout was the one our caravan park was on, so that was easy. Mr Russell

senior took the lead in the tray-back to clear the road of 'roos and ensure we didn't ride past the turn off. We didn't

and the dirt road wasn't very long and in good condition. I t lead up to a flat-topped hil l on which the astronmomers

had set up their gear. Our headlights un-avoidably bl inding them as we approached. You can't turn off the headlight

of most modern motorbikes. (You can on the Clifornian though, but I didn't. )

Introductions were made in the dark. Nobody could remember the other's names or

what they looked like. I t didn't matter. We were not there to look at them but at

Jupiter. I t was making a close pass to Geraldton and it would have been churl ish not

to wave. Once identified in the sky it was easy to spot. A very bright point of l ight,

(we know it's a planet, not a star). The images through the telescopes were

impressive. The point of l ight was revealed in al l it's gas giant gorgeousness. I t

wasn't orange but off-white with grey bands.

Off to the left were three moons and a single moon on the right. They all looked like perfect spheres hanging in the

black vastness. These were the “Gali lean Moons”, first described by the man himself in 1 61 0. Jupiter has another

63 lesser moons but we didn't bother with them!

The astronomers were keen to demonstrate their knowledge and equipment. We had only to mention a nebula or

gas cloud and they swung their telescopes into new orientations so we could view them. Perth was rubbished for its

l ight pol lution and derrided for the resulting poor view of the cosmos it affords. Standing there on that hi l l , with the

soupy whiteness of the Milky Way arching across the sky, countless stars in riots of constel lations and Mars

brooding red and low on the horizon, we could but agree.

I t was a cool ride down the hil l and back to the coast. A warm bed and the sound of the ocean crashing into the

beach just a few metres away. To have crammed so much into one day made for a very good night's sleep. Except

for that incessant wave noise! I had to put my ear plugs in.

Striking camp the next morning was a leisurely affair. Well , it was for Russell who watched his father and brother

pack up and then we all watched E-J dismantle and dry her tent. Then it was off to find breakfast. Russell

consulted the GPS, which told him Geraldton was the collection of buildings to the south that we could see from the

beach. He had asked for the nearest Dome franchise and the GPS dutiful ly lead us on a tour of the city that would

eventual ly end there. We spied the Dome from many vantage points but the arrangement of the one way system

prevented us from riding directly to it.

Page 5

The port was Geraldton's reason for being. Firstly to export lead and then the produce of the farms around

Greenough. There were no other connections with the rest of the state except by sea. A railway was built from the

lead mine to the north, to the port, taking the most direct route along the foreshore. For a hundred years it

separated the town from the beach and as the town grew, it turned its back on the ocean.

Now the railway has gone and the back of the town is exposed. There's a lot of beach-side land ripe for

development. What wil l they do with it? Wil l they make of it something unique, something distinctly characteristic

of Geraldton? Or wil l they make it look l ike every where else. Considering that the first development here is a

franchise that del iberately looks the same wherever it's located, so much so that you can not discern where you are

once inside, it's apparent that the good burghers of Geraldton wil l opt for development with a universal blandness,

the Claremontification of a missed opportunity. They've already started on the roundabouts.

The queue to order was long and getting longer. E-J and I took a menu with us and decided what to order in the

l ine. Russell took his time to determine if he would have breakfast at al l . By the time he joined the throng, it almost

stretched out of the door. Being a total ly connected sort of chap, mobile phone, GPS etc. , Russell carries only

virtual money. A pity, because the credit card l ine to Geraldton was off that morning. The rest of the group were

unaware of this unti l Russell eventual ly returned to the table empty handed. He refused all offers of cash and to

share our food, making a personal statement that I 'm sure the management of Dome would feel deeply.

Nancy's “toast” turned out to be bread waved briefly in the sun. I t was dry and devoid of any signs of actual ly being

toasted. They did remember not to put honey on my fruit but I sti l l got charged for it and they didn't supplement the

honey with extra yoghurt, which was a bit mean. They also managed to supply E-J one scrambled egg, something

the café in Rockingham was unable to do on the previous ride.

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Having satiated our hunger, except for Russell , we needed to get fuel for the bikes. Russell consulted the GPS.

Following the gadget's instructions, Russell lead us through the city (again) and out to the wheat bins by the port.

On we rode, past the loading ships and out to the l ighthouse on the very tip of the promontory. Lighthouses don't

usually sel l petrol and nor did this one. On we rode, low fuel l ights flashing. Now we turned south to join the road to

Perth, the one with al l the fuel stations to our right. We turned left, back towards the city. Litral ly just one block

away from where we started was a Caltex. One block! In direct l ine of sight and on a normal road, no one way

system or roundabouts getting in the way. E-J took the lead from here.

South of Greenough we turned off the highway, east to Walkaway. Now there's a name for a TV mini-series. Lining

the ridge over-looking the settlement was the Alinta wind farm. What did Austral ia do before we had all these farms

producing wind? There were 53 turbines here and they were making very l ittle wind. The blades were turning very

slowly. Greenough without wind, I know but it's true, there were no fl ies either.

Page 7

Relying on her memory, not the GPS, E-J

lead us about another 25 kilometres east to

Ellendale Pool. There was a short dirt road

leading to this l ittle piece of the Pilbarra

down south. A towering rock wall behind a

big pool of water and white-barked gum

trees. I t looked gorgeous, there was

nobody there and it was a warm day. E-J

decided to cool off by taking an un-skinny

dip, removing only boots and socks to join

the numerous fish.

Russell also took to the water declaring that he would

go in only up to the top of his legs, which apparently

go right up to his armpits. I told him that he was too

young to have legs that go that far up. As he emerged

from the water I noticed a striking similarity between

Russell and an etching of Jupiter (the god). You be

the judge.

Page 8E-J and Russell may be interrested in this piece of news from March 201 3:

“The City ofGreater Geraldton has issued a warning to stay out of the riverwater at Ellendale Pool and the

mouth of the Greenough River due to possible contamination of the water from recent rains.

A water sample taken from the Ellendale Pool last week, indicates a potentially large amount offaecal

contamination, including Enterococci andAmoeba.”

I t was time to head home and get some lunch.

We took the inland road that is basical ly straight,

towards Mingenew. I t swoops over the hil ls

providing many vistas of the cleared farm land. I t

was warm and E-J and Russell appreciated the

cooling effect of their drying clothes, which were

becoming increasingly stiff, probably caused by

the solids from the water at Ellendale Pool. Al l

those fish were eating something.

The bakery at Mingenew was closed. So we had

to eat at the pub. (The things you have to put up

with on tour!) We were welcomed by the pub cat,

that attacked me.

The lunch menu was too heavy for us so they provided real cheese toasted sandwiches that contained real cheese

and was actual ly toasted. Dome management take note.

The road south from Mingenew to Moora provides gentle changes in landscape and vegetation. The trees get

bigger and more numerous the further south you go. From Moora we took the Mogumber Road and avoided the

trucks and traffic of the Great Northern Highway. Mindful of E-J's one remaining l icense point, the speed was

general ly kept modest, except when a Kluger driver thought that he could out accellerate the Californian before the

twisty bits.

At Bindoon service station we made the final fuel stop and signed the run sheet. I t had been a relaxed and

enjoyable trip with an interresting celestial interlude. Our thanks go to Russell and the astronomers of Geraldton.

The rest of you really missed out.