We will assemble pre-dawn on the South Perth foreshore, the “City of Lights” reflecting across the picturesque Swan River.  Heading off at dawn, we will follow the river south and escape the city via a 70km long bike path.  We peel off to the west just before the path terminates, and head into the coastal satellite city of Mandurah for our first checkpoint and morning tea on the Mandurah Estuary foreshore (73km).  

After crossing the estuary we follow the coast along roads and paths, passing around Halls Head and along Falcon Beach to reach the impressive, man made ‘Dawesville Cut’, which connects Peel Inlet, a massive estuary, directly to the Indian Ocean.  We cross over the Cut and head down to the tranquil inlet, continuing south on its western shore along Estuary Rd.  At the bottom of the Inlet we meet the Old Coast Rd which takes us over the coastal sand ridge and down the eastern border of the Yalgorup National Park.  A short stretch on the wide shoulder of the Forrest Highway brings us to the top of Leschenault Inlet, which we will follow down through the sleepy town of Australind to our second checkpoint on the beach in Bunbury (180km).  

We leave Bunbury along the Ocean Beach Rd, the waves of the Indian Ocean breaking on our right.  Another short path takes us through forrest and on to the Bussell Highway.  After a short stretch on the highway we again turn off into coastal farmland, passing Peppermint Grove to reach the Tuart Forest National Park.  We pass through this tranquil forest and again come to the sea as we head into Busselton (240km) for our next control, on the foreshore beside the famous 2km long wooden pier.  At Busselton we turn inland, meandering south and west through farmland, before finally encountering our first low hills at 270km and the first of the South-West Jarrah forests before reaching the township of Margaret River (300km).

After a hearty meal at Margaret River, it is only a short ride down to the farming community of Alexander Bridge (332km).  Here you can then choose between continuing straight on or staying for a nap or longer sleep. There are no towns & no accommodation between here & the next control at Pemberton, 92km to the east.  For those sleeping in Alexander Bridge, an early start will be needed to reach Pemberton by the deadline of 10:15am.  A secret control on the side of the road between these towns may provide the coffee hit required for all travellers, either very late at night or very early in the morning.  At the timber town of Pemberton (424km), surrounded by hills and eucalyptus forests, you will be greeted by showers, dinner, bed and breakfast (not neccessarily in that order Dave).

On day 2 we continue south though the rolling hills and beautiful Karri forests of the Shannon and Mt Frankland National Parks. The terrain then flattens off and the tall trees make way for the coastal scrub of the D’Entrecasteaux National Park.  One final climb brings us to the Tingle forests of the Walpole-Nornalup National Forrest and a long descent down into Walpole (550km), with glimpses of the Nornalup inlet through the trees as we go.  Continuing east over low coastal hills, with views of the Southern Ocean between farms and woods, we reach the town of Denmark (620km).  We continue to travel east beyond the Denmark Inlet where we branch off the South Coast Highway onto the flat Lower Denmark Rd which then takes us to our destination, Albany (680km) on the majestic King George Sound.  

On the third day, we may rise before dawn, but not so early that we miss sunrise over the Stirling Range, the peaks of which jut nearly 1000m above the surrounding plain.  This range lies 85km northeast of Albany, and whilst most of this is a gentle uphill, the incline is so mild that it is hard to notice the climb.  Passing though the Stirling Range National Park, between the main peaks of Bluff Knoll and Mt Trio, we continue north to the farming town of Gnowangerup (825km).

We then weave our way west and north through, Katanning (885km) and Wagin (940km), where we stop for a photo with the giant ram, to reach the third nights accommodation in Williams (1005km).  

Our final day starts with 40km of undulating farmland, gradually following the Williams River downstream.  Coming to the Hotham River Valley, we turn upstream for 60km of rolling hills through Jarrah forest, to reach the historic timber township of Dwellingup. We then loosely follow the historic Hotham Valley Railway, which connects Dwellingup with Pinjarra. There is one final climb out of Dwellingup, before a decent down to the flat coastal plain.  10km of flat farm country brings us to our final control in Pinjarra (1130km).
 
A short stretch on the road towards Mandurah brings us to South Yunderup and the southern end of the newly extended freeway bike path.  We then follow this path all the way home to Perth (1215km), where the pain will fade & the stories begin at the welcome home party.