July 5: Mama Mia, Monkey Mia
Last night’s lodging at the popular tourist spot, Mama Mia, was definitely a different experience than many of the places I’ve stayed at so far on this trip. Because my bike was delayed and I had to book a room at the last minute, the only type of reservation left was a more expensive beach front studio. I decided to make the most of it.
Arriving at the resort last night and finding the temperature a little over 70 degrees, I kicked off my motorcycle boots and pants, put on some flip flops, shorts, and a tank top and walked down to the beach, watching sailboats drift back and forth in Shark Bay in the setting sun.
Relaxing on my room’s private patio, I admired all the beautiful layers of red, orange, and yellow resting on the horizon just above the light blue waters, creating a remarkable back drop for the palm trees on the lawn in front of me.
I woke up before sunrise to get the bike ready for the day’s journey in time to swing by the pier to watch the dolphin experience on my way out. Local rangers led an educational talk about the history and habits of the nearby bottlenose dolphins. Visitors were encouraged to put their feet in the water and watch the shiny grey creatures bobbing and diving nearby.
Heading south on route 353 past Denham and Nanga, I took in views of the sparkling blue waters of the bay and several little lagoons, passing the 26th parallel and keeping an eye open for kangaroos, emus, and spiny ant eaters before turning north on highway 1 and passing the 26th parallel yet again.
The ride today required a fair amount of concentration as there were often strong crosswinds. Because most of the almost 400-mile trip was on narrow roads with no shoulders, I tried to stay far enough to the side of my lane that the wind would not blow me off the road into the soft desert sand but not so far to the side that I inadvertently hit incoming traffic.
The weather became hotter, bugs proliferated, and after removing my helmet at a gas station, I noticed that either bugs or dirt or both had somehow gotten into my mouth. Grinning while swallowing the grit, I thought to myself, “this is all part of the adventure.” I’m so excited to see what else is coming down the road.
