Day 18 of Munda Biddi - The track was angry that day, my friends.

Distance: 58 km
Elevation gain: 301 metres
From the town of Denmark to the town of Elleker

About 3.5hrs travel time, from 8am to 11:30am. 

At Elleker, my distance from Mundaring on the bike is 991 km.

Today was liberating.  The bike was stripped down and all excess baggage and gear was left in Denmark.  The bike felt raw, nimble and untamed.  For the first time in weeks I could ride the bike hard without fear of breaking anything.

Which was just as well.  The weather today was wild and the dirt roads were punishing.  The day started out calm and cloudy, riding on paved paths but good things don't last.  Along the coast the wind picked up and rain squalls washed over me. On the open plains there was no escaping the cold southern wind and the corrugations on the gravel back-roads rattled my whole body like nothing else.  I was glad to be riding the stripped down bike today so that I could spare my gear (and panniers) from this harsh treatment.  

Finally there were mountain bike trails in the bush that provided relief from the wind and were smooth riding.  I had a good average speed on these trails and finished in the town of Elleker with a smile on my face.

 In Denmark, ready to start today's ride, my Karate Monkey bike stripped of gear.

I started this morning wearing my rain jacket - to keep warm more than anything.  According to the BOM weather observations, the Denmark feels-like temperature was a cool 13 degrees at 8am.  With the wind and rain later in the morning the feels-like temperature fell to 10 degrees.

On the open plains, riding the gravel back-roads, there was no place to hide from the wind and rain.

Finally some single-track riding - smooth and sheltered.