Donnelly River to Quinninup
Up at 6.30 today having to set my alarm being in the bunkhouse on a comfy bed.
The day started well while having an easy breakfast in the school kitchen and taking the linen and key to the village store (it was closed).
Off down a track at the top of the town then some forest roads and dirt roads going out of the Donnelly Village region.
Then onto a single track with some ups and downs where my crank came off again. I had to ride with one crank for a short time until I found a rock that I could use to hammer it back on. At the time I lost a meusli bar so hopefully someone found it and its not still sitting in the forest somewhere. I saw a guy on trail who thought the Munda Biddi trail was going to be a little easier than the Bibbulman bit he said it turned out it wasnt.
Plan was to stay in Manjimup instead of the next hut but plans change on trail.
It started to rain as I got off trail somehow but followed a farm fenceline to get back on trail. Then it got heavier as I progressed where at the singl elog bridge I sought shelter. There I looked over maps to decided what to do. I decided to take the bituman to Manjimup to get the crank fixed. Plan to ride the main road , probably quickest it was busy and hilly where on each hill I legged it as not to put too much pressur eon the crank to come off again. But a back up plan was to take the dirt road to Deanmill and rejoin the trail into the major town. By the time I got to the turn off, the rain had eased so i took the dirt road option.
Into town I went straight to the bike shop which was at the back of a sport store and no luck on the crank arm but they had a screw slightly longer but it seemed to do the trick.
Off across the rainy road to the cafe but I dropped a glove and a lovely lady went back across the road and picked it up for me, thaks and we started chatitng about the trail that she was hoping to do sometime in the future.
Into the cafe I have a pot of tea and 2 toasties and try to sit out the rain. My showerproof rain jacket and pants are off in the shop but my top and shorts are still wet through so as I leave the shop and put on the wet gear I start to shake freezing. Its then I decided to ride on to Quinninup Eco Tourist park instead of staying at the Manjimup caravan park. This meant I was closer for the next day and riding will keep me warmer than wait at the caravan park to check in and set up the tent in the rain. I forgot to get food at Coles but do get some araldite to use if the crank falls off again as at Dwellingup a week or so beforehand, the mechanic said just glue it back on if it happens again.
Following the main bituman road with a little dirt road that went back to the main road.
I arrive at the Eco Park around 3pm but no one is at the office so I make myself a tent site in middle of nowhere and try to dry me gear out in the sun, but it starts to rain again so everything that was on the table back into the tent. I realise that I lost my cup in the mad rush, but there are cups in the kitchen I can and do use.
I use the kitchen there but the power is a bit tricky and finally get to the office and pay by bank transfer $15 as I forgot to get cash. It was the only place in 23 days that I needed cash to buy anything.
I asked about the gnomes outside and he says a farmer was trying to get rid of them as some gnomes were getting into his farmland and the tractor could work that section so he offered anyone to take them, so the manager did and they have grown since then.