A couple weeks ago, Sundowner posted up a ride that would take in the best of South Australia's mid north. The ride was going to take in all 3 days of the Labour Day long weekend in SA. Due to family commitments, I could only ride with Sundowner and the other guys for the Saturday only..... But I didn't let this stop me riding each day... A relatively late start to the day, meeting the others at 9.30 for a 10am start. Role call, Sundowner (Super Teneré), arborsmarty (F800GS), keasy (Transalp), and yours truly 1WD (990 ADV). We'd had a reasonable amount of rain over the last few days, so this shortened the morning stage was shortened, and had plenty of time to make Eudunda to meet rabrd001 (KLR650). Just after Greenock we head east on the dirt, with the obligatory stop for a pic at the aeroplanes... Just south of Kapunda there's a nice little boundary track that take you past some farming ruins. So the sun was shining, and the roads were looking pretty good. Even a little bit of dust was being kicked up... Maybe the roads have dried a little more than we had anticipated..... We were wrong.... Once we left the boundary track, the road we came out on was sticky snotty clay... Instantly the front wheel of the Transalp clogged it's front guard. The rest of us managed to sneak out relatively unscathed. No pics here, but there is video, I'll try and edit some of it over the next couple days and add it here... That wasn't the last we saw of the mud for the day... Keasy was the first to try out the mud pack treatment... Sundowner seemed to think that the best thing he could do to help was to ride back.... This bit him in the arse, didn't it... (I too have this on video, I'll definitely get this one up here later...) So with all this fun and frivolity we were about an hour later rolling into Eudunda to meet rarbrd001 on his KLR... We were expecting him to be waiting patiently there for us, but he was nowhere to be found... Had a quick yarn to the ladies in the shop, and he'd shot through just 10 min before we got there... Que Sundowner on the blower rapid fire to see where he'd got to... No answer. So since we were running late, we had lunch in Eudunda instead of Burra as planned. As chips and gravy were being scoffed (sorry Masterbrewer, no bakeries here today), a brief shower unloaded on the bikes... Sundowner left his helmet face up, copping the full offering of rain in it. Sucked in soggy head! By now we'd heard from rarbrd001 and we'd meet him in Burra in a hour or so... On our way we'd stopped for a pic up above Roberstown. We roll into Burra with out incident, meet rarbrd001 and fuel up. Headed out to Redbanks for a quick look and then on towards Caroona Conservation Park. Did I mention that there was mud.... Keasy went tits up again, on the other side to even things up, and needed a helping hand to get it up the hill before the front wheel clogged up with mud again... We were keenly waiting for Arbosmarty to suffer the same fate, but with no joy. He made it through with the outriggers at full extension. Matching mud! After a short run up the western entrance to the Conservation Park and back we all headed for the Mount Bryan East old school campsite. I bid farewell to the lads, and blasted the 130km across to my parents in Snowtown for the night. (Kicking myself I didn't pack camping gear and stay the night out there).. That's the end of Day 1, Saturday. From here on I'm doin' my own thing... Still no less adventurous... Stay tuned, to be continued....
top pics.... Looking forward to reading about the rest of the trek, & the video footage. cheers Dobbo
On the Sunday I my parents, and my tribe went over to a property just north of Spalding that my uncle manages. They went in cars... And I rode. I decided to take the most direct route, but the tracks on my gps were mostly fenced off by local farmers, so a lot of backtracking was done and my most direct route was no quicker than 'the way' that the others took. But I had more fun! I didn't take any pics of the trip over. The property has 18 electricity generating wind turbines on it and we went up for a look. (I rode, of course!) These things are massive! With permission, (anyone can't just go on the ridge), I got to ride along the ridge under each of the turbines. Was very cool, except for all the damn gates!!! I'll be back to head down this road track... The terrain out here is pretty cool. Stopped at yet another gate. Posers! Also, there's a video of this ride, I'll edit it soon and put it up.
Monday, the ride home. Leaving early, I wanted to check out some roads I've seen on previous trips, but never got a chance to get a look at... A fire track on top of the hill line was marked on the GPS, so I followed it. I got to about 10km in and the track just stopped. No gate, no track, just stopped dead. The gps said it went on to the road a few km's to the next road. I had to turn around and do it all again.. After refuelling in Clare, I headed out Spring Gully Road, then down spring gully out to Hoyelton. Following tracks along the Wakefield River and seeing where they went I found an old cemetery. Nearing Tarlee a track had a couple trees across it... It looked far too disorganised for just a tree falling over, looked more like lightening had hit them. I cleared a trail just enough to get through. So that's my long weekend. I had fun, and there's some really cool tracks I want to go back and spend more time exploring... Until then....
Excellent RR. Really looking forward to the video from both days. That fire trail looks great. Great photo of yourself and the young fella on the bike together. A pleasure riding with you mate. You had me laughing a few times watching the big KTM throwing dirt. A great start to the weekend ride.
I saw you guys Saturday morning heading up the freeway near nuriootpa. Thought to myself you lucky bastards
Terrific pics, good RR. Thanks for sharing [and inspiring me to make the effort to do a trip or two].
I recently learnt all about your red SA mud, it spits you off................ especially when you go "oh mud, I'll probably fall off in that" and concentrate on it really hard. Ooooops, it's mighty slippery stuff. Stunning country out there, so lush and green this spring.
Great RR 1WD... was cool riding with you.. especially when i was behind you and you seemed to enjoy going sideways around every durt corner possible and i collect a face full of mud haha .. good times.. see you round.. Rob,,
