July 9: Karratha Area Surprises, Wind Rises
With the wind howling in my ears and pink dust filling the sky, I leaned far to the right on my bike, bracing myself against the onslaught of the unrelenting gusts, trying to stay in my lane and reminding myself to breathe. My ride from Karratha to Port Hedland was a far cry from the delightful little jaunt the night before but thrilling in its own right.
When I made plans to stay in Karratha last night, I didn’t think much about the town other than it being a convenient stopping point on my way to Broome. I was pleasantly surprised to find the area full of character and opportunity for adventure.
After arriving in town with a little time to spare before check-in, I headed north on the Dampier Highway to explore the archipelago of 42 islands just a stone’s throw away. On both sides of the road, I could spot beautiful pink and white ponds with colorful figurines of animals engaging in all kinds of antics.
I found out later these are salt farming facilities that use solar evaporation to collect salt from ocean water that is used for chemical manufacturing and food. I stopped to get a picture of what looked like a wooden duck riding a four wheeled vehicle. The purpose behind these colorful characters is apparently to monitor the water levels in the ponds and serve as a deterrent to wildlife.
Continuing north to Burrap, I turned off on Hearson’s Cove Road, riding through a large ore mining operation, making sure to steer clear of the large trucks and equipment sharing the dusty path.
Arriving at the end of the road, I was greeted by a rather incongruous site in such an industrial area – a white and tan colored shell-based beach in a sheltered bay of blue and green water shimmering in the late afternoon heat. Motorists parked right up at the shoreline and dogs roamed free on the beach.
On my way back to town, I stopped to visit the red dog statue, a popular tourist attraction that stands as a tribute to a famous dog that became a local legend because of his loyalty and adventurous spirit. Apparently, the little guy was so well regarded they made books and movies about his adventures.
When I woke up this morning, I could already hear the wind outside my room and knew I was in for a bit of a challenge today. Heading east on highway 1, I positioned myself in the far-right portion of my lane, hoping I would avoid being blown off the road while the crosswinds from the south buffeted my bike.
A few times my body was lifted off the seat by the wind, but I kept my vice-like grip on the handlebars and shifted my body back to the center. I drew on what I learned in Iceland, focusing on the challenge that moment instead of thinking about what lay ahead. I sent up a prayer for my safety and thought how lucky I was that there was no rain to further reduce the friction of my tires on the road.
In several areas, the beautiful pink and orange sandy dirt was blown into the air, creating a pink hue to the sky that looked like a sunset. Off in the distance I saw an orange dust devil swirling up into the blue sky above.
Both times today when I stopped for gas, kind gentlemen who were apparently following me in their cars earlier came up to me to compliment me on my handling of the bike in the conditions, specifically mentioning how far over to the right I had to lean. I was grateful for their words of encouragement. What an exciting day on the bike!
