Day 20 | Muir Highway: with a rainbow over the Frankland River
68 km | zzOz total: 1,000 km
Yes, the Severe Weather Event dropped on by.
The wind cranked up about 1 30am and howled away, trees swishing around, for a few long hours. Then the rain made a grand entrance and performed until sunrise.
The only real moments of panic were when a couple of tremendous gusts came through. With the first the bike was pushed over, landing with a crash at the time not exactly discernible from a huge tree limb dropping from a great height rather too nearby.
The second, my riding gloves, usually stationed in the tent attic overnight, in a vain attempt to dry, decided to use the assistance of gravity to travel closer to the tent floor, but were unable to to attain that position due to me, my torso, being in the way. Surprise!
My newish tent, a Northface Roadrunner 23, is quite the indulgence for such, wet, occasions. It didn’t really get such a workout in my summer Munda Biddi rumble.
If it needed a test it’s certainly getting one now, particularly in the keep-out-the-wetness facet of required attributes. It’s generous sized, even for this slightly longer than average bloke, can get everything, except the bike and trailer, under cover.
The 2 short lateral poles give plenty of headroom and width so it’s certainly unlike the Northface Tadpole I retreated to on my westward leg nights. As well as the attic there’s 4 side pockets, doors either side, the inner is all mesh, big vestibules, to date everything a committed camper requires.
The only issue, since rectified, was that the footprint seriously directed water under the tent instead allowing it to dribble onto the ground. Use a rope either end and problem resolved. Also got around the fly rubbing against the mesh.
PS The gale force winds recorded at Cape Leeuwin during this SWE reached 130km/hour. I knew I should have stuck around to make use of that tail wind.
I’d have been here already.