My main concern was the increased strength of the wind, and I was not quite sure from which direction it was to come. I started out in sunshine, and it felt like it would be a good day. The scrunching sound of the tyres over the gravel road out of Singing Winds was pleasant, and there was a gentle breeze. I had turned on to the main road and ridden about three kilometres when the wind increased in substantially in strength. Fortunately, it was behind me, but the dark clouds it brought were ominous, and sure enough, the rain came. Lots of it.

I scrambled to put on my wet-weather gear and put my clothes into plastic bags to protect them inside the non-waterproof panniers. I forgot the sleeping bag, the cover of which has an opening where the drawstring is, and it soaked in some water. I eventually put the bag in another plastic garbage bag, but the damage was done. Now, in the evening as I write this, I am trying to dry it.

Despite the rain, the ride was good. The wind remained behind me, and was a real benefit. I averaged about 18km/h for the day, even though I had steep hills to climb. Just when I thought I had put all the hills behind me, my first mechanical problem of the journey occurred. The front derailleur cable broke at the clamp on the cage. I tried to do a temporary repair, but the stainless steel wire was almost impossible to manipulate, even with pliers. The derailleur, of course, moved back to the small chainring, but by using all the gears on the back, I made good time and maintained a speed of 20km/h. In the end, the breakage was really only a minor irritation, and it led to a wonderful encounter later in the day.

The terrain was great for quick touring. Apart from five steep hills, including those out of the valleys of the Young and Lort Rivers, much of the run was flat or gently undulating plains. I still seemed to be climbing higher and higher, judging from my looks back from my regular sustenance stops. The properties became more specialised in cattle or sheep, with only a small number seemingly dedicated to cropping. I found out by deduction that the roadtrains are travelling between the silo depots and farms to the port of Esperance. Three bulk carrier ships are in port, two berthed at the wharf, the other anchored in the bay. The town exports iron and nickel, along with grain transported from the farms by roadtrains that then return with fertiliser.

The roadtrains are dangerous for cyclists, especially in conditions like those today. When they overtook me, they were more likely to "suck" me along and towards them. When passing in the opposite direction, they threw up huge, dense walls of spray and turbulence. With a total of 40 encounters for the day, it became quite a chore concentrating on staying upright and alive. I think some of the drivers became a bit more understanding today after seeing me on the road for the past four days or so, and while overtaking me, actually moved to the middle of the road when possible. Fortunately, shoulders marked with white lines reappeared about 60km from Esperance, and escape to the gravel verge was not always necessary. The rain made the gravel in some sections soft and mushy.

The rain came in squalls for about three-quarters of the day, and I estimated one squall at over 40km/h. The water sheeted across the road almost horizontally, and the wind turned to my right front quarter. It was the most uncomfortable I had felt for the trip.

However, I felt good when I arrived in Esperance. I had a good look at the information map at the entrance of town to try to find some decent but cheap accommodation. There are a few caravan parks, but with the wind and rain, I did not feel inclined to set up camp for the night. Anyway, the tariffs seemed ridiculous with $10 charged at one park, $11.50 at another, and $13 at a third.

The MacKenzies had suggested trying the Esperance Backpackers, and that is where I staked my claim. I called first and left a message on the answering machine to say that I wanted a bed and when I would arrive. I also called my father and let him know that I was in Esperance, and that the next stage of the journey was to Norseman and onwards along the Eyre Highway. I then set off to find a place where I could buy a new shifter cable, and possibly an inflatable mattress.

I had noticed Dempster Sporting Goods on the way into town, and thought perhaps its diverse range of sporting equipment meant it didn't stock many spares for bikes. Not only did the shop have a big range of spares and a small workshop, I met co-proprietor Graham Donovan, who started competition cycling at the age of 35 after giving up work as a shearer in Australia and New Zealand. He has scored many victories since, and at the age of 48, is still in outstanding form.

He fixed the cable in a matter of minutes, gave me a lot of advice, and suggested we fix the seat. He said the seat should be much lower than it was, and should be further back on the rails. It also should be horizontal instead of drooping at the front. I felt a bit stupid, and said I had followed seat adjustment cues from bike couriers in Perth. Graham told me how he had torn a muscle from the back of his knee because his seat had been too high.

He also told me of research that showed a high seat position, while good for power delivery from the legs, did little for long-distance cyclists who relied more on stamina than bursts of power. The downward slope on the seat also contributed to my chafe problems and saddle sores. He told me of a woman who suffered severe boils on her genitals after hair follicles were irritated then became infected. The very painful eruptions had to be lanced, all because her bicycle seat was badly adjusted.

In my case, the problem went further than just chafe on the backside. Because the seat meant I continually slipped forward, I put undue pressure on my hands to push me back into position. Graham readjusted the seat to enable me to sit more naturally, and said that I may need to adjust it further.

He said that at least I was tackling cycling in an appropriate way, with a reasonably cheap but sound bike, and that if I became more serious about cycle-touring, I could upgrade the frame and gearset. He said he had recently saved up enough money to buy an expensive set of Campagnolo gears.

All this advice, along with the replacement of the shifter cable and a new cannister of Primus gas cost me $5.00. I'd rate Dempster Sporting Goods in Esperance 10 out of 10 for assistance, advice and interest compared with all the bike shops in Western Australia that I have visited. Anyone travelling to Esperance must call in and have a chat.

I returned to the backpackers about 5.30pm, and still no-one was there to take my money. People already there said beds were available, and sure enough when Brian breezed in after checking the bus depot for any other potential customers, I was able to grab a place in a four-bed dorm for $14 a night (I'm not a YHA or VIP cardholder), plus a $10 key deposit. The hostel is new and was built by the McCleave couple, Anne and Peter. Anne came downstairs from their accommodation later in the evening, and introduced herself. She said she had seen me at Dalyup on her way back from visiting a friend at Ravensthorpe.

The McCleaves came from New Zealand six years ago, and when Peter had trouble getting enough work as a carpenter, they decided to act on long-time thoughts of establishing a hostel by building one. It is indeed modern, spacious, friendly, and well appointed, and certainly drew many, many positive comments in the visitors' book. The couple also run four-wheel-drive tours as part of their hostel operations, and these also were widely praised.

Certainly, everything feels more friendly than at any caravan park, and at even the YHA hostel further round in town on the esplanade. The kitchen sets the tone. The huge table is a polished slab of timber on a steel frame. There is a television on the lounge area, along with a combustion stove that I am using to dry out my sleeping bag. For those who are inclined, a pool table can help while away the hours at the other end of the hostel. The hostel has been a great introduction for me to the backpacker scene, although I am hoping that if I snore, I don't upset the others in the dormitory.

I have spent about an hour talking to one of the other occupants of the dorm, Peter van Ginkel, who comes from Holland. He has been cycling through the south-west taking in Bunbury, Busselton, Albany and the national parks along the southern coast. He had to be found by police in the Fitzgerald National Park after his mother died, and he went home to the Netherlands for the funeral. He arrived back in Western Australia last Monday and caught a bus back to Esperance where he has been recovering from jetlag.

Peter sets off tomorrow for Salmon Gums, on the way to Kalgoorlie, where he will catch the Indian-Pacific train over to the east. He intends to go to Melbourne to pick up some work, then travel on to New Zealand for three months. He trained as an aircraft mechanic with the Dutch Air Force. He has a Giant frame that he brought with him form Holland. It is a well-travelled bike, having been already through Indonesia. The only problem Peter has had is a broken pannier rack that he replaced by bringing another from Holland. He did not seem overly keen on Indonesia, mainly because there are a lot of street people who tend to interfere with a cyclist's progress through the countryside.

One of the neatest things I have seen is his helmet visor. He has adapted a fighter pilot's visor to fit on his bike helmet. Not only does it look fantastic because it has a very dark tint, but it is practical for people who wear spectacles like I do. It would be something worth exploring commercially for helmets in Australia. I know there are clear wrap-around visors available, but I don't think they would rate up against this. It includes a fabric cover to prevent the surfaces from becoming scratched when not on the helmet.

Peter uses 90psi in his rear tyre and a little less in the front to ease the roadshock on his hands. I have been using 65psi on the front and rear, and the capacity of the tyres is 75psi. I think there is still a lot of rolling resistance, so I might put the rear up to 75psi, and leave the front at 65psi when I get going on Friday.

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