Perth 2008

Posted on 15 Nov 2008 | 0 comments

We have heard to Waterous Loop does now really exist and we decide to give it a go. It does exist, it’s a fun ride, but there was quite a lot of tarmac for an off-road ride…

Troye pulling off a wheelie on the Waterous Loop

Pete

Jude and a mini wheelie

Jon and Tanya

Troye and Jude

Jude goes kayaking around Penguin and Seal Island near Rockingham with Karen, Kym and Marty.

Karen near Penguin Island

seal around Penguin Island

little penguin on Penguin Island

Jude with the seals off Seal Island

happy seal

Marty near Penguin Island

Jude snorkelling near Penguin Island

We’ve only just left Perth, so Jude flies back for Tara’s wedding. An awesome setting at Matilda Bay in a big marquee. Jon can’t make it as he has to start work… Regine picks me up from the airport and the time not spent at the wedding is spent with Regine on the beach and going for walks. Great to see Jenni, Jason and Stella as well!

Tara walking down the aisle

Jude, Stella, Jason and Jenni at the wedding

Tara waiting for a taxi…

Jude and Tara

Jude flies to Perth for work and spends the weekends there too, so she can catch up with lots of people: Rob, Kathryn, Mac & Trish, Jackie, Helmuth & Eugenie, Regine, Helen & Geoff, Oscar and Georgia and Jeske & Jason.

Kat on a night paddle

Jude on the night paddle

There has been (just) enough rain so the river levels are high enough to go for a valley run. Twelve of us (Karen, Marty, Tanya & Sean, Bron, Paul & Erin, Brendan, Mark Rawlings and Tom & Anna) arrange a car shuffle and set out for some serious wet fun on Saturday. We are very lucky with the sunshine that day. We have 5 canadian canoes and Karen on her ski. It’s great fun, but unfortunately we run out of time and need to leave the bath tubs behind as it gets dark. We hike out, do the car shuffle and return the next morning to Walyunga to hike back to the tubs. This takes 1,5hrs up and over some hills (Bron is not happy 😉 and then we paddle the last section back to Walyunga. We have a few involuntary swims along the way and one swim at the bottom of Walyunga – people having a picnic look at us with that amused, but slightly worried look in their eyes… I wonder why…?

Tanya, Bron and Jude at the start of the hike in

carrying the bath tubs to the river

about to get started

Tanya and Sean

Paul and Erin

Tom and Anna

going down the little rapids

play time

Tom and Mark in the rapids

getting back in the bath tub

we fill the holes with some lollies (winegums)

oops!

the next morning we hike in from Walyunga

Marty on the walk in

we need to get across the river at some point

some more carnage

little rapids are great fun

great fun going down Syd’s

Anna in the pool at the bottom of Syd’s

nearly there

Mark and Tanya testing their balance

Jude flies to Perth for work on a Tuesday. Karen picks her up from the airport and drops her off at the hotel on the Esplanade. Wednesday I go to work – riding in with Mac and in the evening I catch up with Regine. The next day I cycle home with Eugenie and have dinner at their place and Friday Brendan and Marty pick me up from work so we can drive straight down to the beach shack in Capel – after a rather long stop for dinner in Mandurah where they take for ever to serve us food. The next morning we get up early to drive to Collie. Karen, Troye, Jo-girl, Simon, Joel and Jude all go solo in the Collie marathon. Brendan and Marty team up with another guy, Mark and Lee also team up and Sophie is there with Hunter to offer support. We all have a great time and I manage to finish again this year which is great, thanks to Simon and Joel on the swim! That night we celebrate Karen’s 40th birthday in the shack. A great pyjama party!

The next day we go to the Mt Lennard Mountain Bike trails near Dardanup. Awesome single trail and I do my first log ride – a rather high one – with Troye and Karen spotting in case I fall off… I manage to ride it and on the way down I even did it all on my own! Scary but fun! Afer the great ride we have some food in the new Wild Bull brewery which is conveniently located across the road and we bump into Jason and Rachel. That night we have a quick dinner at Annalakshmi and Tanya and Sean drop in briefly.

checking the map of the Mt Lennard mtb trails

a little break for playing

Troye riding a log

Jude riding the log for the very first time

Karen on the trails

Troye

packing up after the ride

Karen and Jude

Monday night I go for a long run by moon light in Kings Park, soooo beautiful! I can almost see the colours of the kangaroo paws which are all out! And the massive baobab really is massive! Wow. Quick drink with Tara in the Lucky Shag as I have to get up early the next day for a kayak with Simon on the ‘new’ ski’s from the outdoor club. On the Canning bridge I see some dolphins, bump into Mac and Greg and watch the A380 fly over. Bron gives me a great massage that night and then I catch up with Lieve for some Japanese food in the city. The next day it is ride-to-work day and check out. Later that night I arrive in Adelaide where Jon picks me up with the coolest car ever: a Defender 110 – and we are now the proud owners of her!!!