16/17/18th December, Barossa & Clare Valleys, Flinders Ranges and around the Eyre Peninsula with madmax

After a rest day in Adelaide Bryan, Dancing Pillion and myself will be doing a early start heading for Port Augusta via a bit of the Adelaide Hills, Barossa & Clare Valleys and the Flinders Ranges, if anyone wants to join us for the whole day we're booked into the Majestic Oasis that night in Port Augusta, or a part day and turn back towards home in the arvo you are more than welcome, we're going to have to do either Horrocks Pass or Pichie Richie Pass in both directions so the day will be one of theses 2 routes

https://goo.gl/maps/de5BnZJKRdo
or
https://goo.gl/maps/yGJxq5oQURm

The following day we'll catch up with Davo1063, either on the way somewhere or in his home town Whyalla.
We're all booked into the Boston Hotel Port Lincoln that night, the ride will be something like this. 

https://goo.gl/maps/Zt1BhXi1wX72
or
https://goo.gl/maps/Y4XWoiFAyGo

F, any idea if you'll be in Port Pirie or Cummins that weekend and are you still up for a ride for part of it?


Monday the 18th we'll be riding the West Coast of Eyre Peninsula, not the greatest bike roads but there is some of the most spectacular coastal scenery Australia has to offer

https://goo.gl/maps/RtW7JqEHD9x

After that Bryan will head West for the rest of his epic trip, Davo1063, Dancing Pillion and I will head back home, I'll be staying a night in Pt Augusta with a mate
on the Tuesday night and get home sometime Wednesday

https://goo.gl/maps/QXBSTSpPKtm

G'day Chook and travellers.
  Just interested in how you're going on your ride,be interested in any news. Very disappointed that I couldn't spend some time on the road with you lot. 
Hope it's all gone to plan or better.
Thanks for calling in and do so again when you get a chance.
Pick the other one up on he 28 of the month.
Cheers.
F

This will be my 1st big ride since Parkes, I'm looking forward to it 

Dancing Pillion wrote:This will be my 1st big ride since Parkes, I'm looking forward to it 

After leaving Clare I was planning on taking a slight detour on the old "Main North Rd" through Bungaree, they did a straighter bypass a couple of years ago cutting out a picturesque curvy (more than windy) road across the hills.

I left Clare at about 7:00 this morning and decided to take that Rd in the work car (200 series Landcruiser), early on there were a number of patches of loose gravel over the road, there was also a lot off leaf/twig debris but that was most likely from the storm that went through last night.

I reckon we'll still go that way but will have to be a bit cautious

Chook wrote:After leaving Clare I was planning on taking a slight detour on the old "Main North Rd" through Bungaree, they did a straighter bypass a couple of years ago cutting out a picturesque curvy (more than windy) road across the hills.

I left Clare at about 7:00 this morning and decided to take that Rd in the work car (200 series Landcruiser), early on there were a number of patches of loose gravel over the road, there was also a lot off leaf/twig debris but that was most likely from the storm that went through last night.

I reckon we'll still go that way but will have to be a bit cautious

All up to you mate, it's your neck of the woods

The other thing we are going to have to be cautious about, Roos, I've never seen them as thick as this in the Flinders Ranges or Eyre Peninsula, not too bad once the un is well and truly up but still plentiful none the less. The worst I've seen has been between Kimba and Iron Knob, and North of Quorn, we're not travelling at either of those spots on the way over but both of them were either still dark or around sunrise.
I hit one in a work car between Whyalla and Cowell. only a small one the one I just missed yesterday where we will be travelling was nearly as tall as the 200 series Landcruiser, that was in misty rain but well after what would have been sunrise if the clouds weren't there.

Sunrise times for the trip West of Adelaide

16/12/17 Adelaide - 05:57

17/12/17 Port Augusta - 06:06

18/12/17 Port Lincoln - 06:09

19/12/17 Penong - 06:27

I'd be comfortable leaving home at Sunrise on the Saturday, by the time we hit the short ride across the hills and into the Barossa it's would have been daylight for a 1/2 hr or so

Leaving Port Augusta I wouldn't be so fussed either as the road down to about 40km South of Whyalla has plenty of vision on both sides most of the way but I don't think we'll have a need to leave too early, it'll be our shortest easiest day

I don't think I'd want to leave Port Lincoln before 6:45 - 7:00 and Penong not before 7:00, if the Roos are as bad over there as further East on the EP, perhaps even later

Not really a problem with Sunday and Monday those 2 rides are pretty short anyway. We'll have time to leave later.

I've added a couple of "must see" small detours along the Monday route, Davo, can you think of any I've missed?

There are a couple of parking areas with short dirt roads to get up to the cliff tops to have a look, very worthwhile, this coast line is spectacular, I'd go as far as saying equal to the Great Ocean Rd coast, only you have to drive off the road to see the sights in most places. There is a loop road just out of Elliston, definitely worth taking the extra 5 minutes of riding, would most likely add at least another 15 minutes of sight seeing there too

https://goo.gl/maps/wo2J2Y1EfdB2

This is the Elliston Loop, short but spectacular

So now I've got to edit another GPS route

madmax wrote:So now I've got to edit another GPS route

Not really, just set the main towns and I'll let you know when we are turning off for a bit

Pretty sure it had black stuff a couple of years back, now you've got me unsure?

There are a couple spots I'd like to pull off for a look with 2-300m of dirt to the car park so mm and DP can see the amazing cliffs

Can you either text, message or pm me your phone number between now and Saturday? Do you want us to meet you at your place or somewhere in town?

I'm about to head off to Naracoorte, doing a small detour to visit a rellie, allowing 6 hours to do a 4 hr trip so should be able to take plenty of breaks to cool down and re hydrate

Ill do a full ride report later but I've got to say, today was the day from hell

Started the day in low to mid 20s and fairly persistent rain, not cold, just damp, cafe breakfast on the esplanade in Port Lincoln was sensational
Quick stop off at Coffin Bay
Quick stop at Elliston, no worries, Davo was right, although the road out to the coast was sealed, the loop was dirt, skipped that in the wet
Stopped off at Venus Bay, starting to get warm
Back on the bikes, by the time we left Port Kenny it was getting quite warm, not far up the road stinking hot
Nice pub lunch in Streaky, mm and Davo had awesome fish burgers, Kaylah and I both went the simple toasted sandwich which took 15 Mon longer to arrive
Back on the road to Penong, 57 kmh side winds and 41 deg and lots of dust, a couple of 4-500 n stints with little visibility
After a fuel stop in Ceduna (Cedoona for  mm) and a hour or so break to cool down I decided I wasn't prepared to out my daughter at risk and carry on, after a quick walk outside to check the conditions, mm decided he'd pull stumps here too

We took refuge from the dust storms,  and got the last 3 rooms here at the pub, then came the thunder storm with stronger winds


Stories being told of car accidents, no visibility through the dust, road completely closed for over 20 minutes

Honestly, that was the worst 1 - 1 1/2 hours I've ever ridden never want to experience that again


Looking forward to a cooler and milder ride tomorrow with Davo as we head back towards home, mm should easily make up the missed 70km from today in much better conditions

That sucks Chook - glad you all made the right decision and that tomorrow goes as planned. 

Better safe than sorry mate.Good choice to stay .We're just copping some of that rain & thunder now.

I reckon if we'd waited an hour or so we could have kept going. The strong winds dropped right off and just a little rain to get rid of the dust. But all good, still made it to where I wanted to be.
Had a great time at the Cedoona (just to give Chook the shits) foreshore hotel.

Left there a bit after 7am this morning, made Penong and refuelled. Coffee break and refuelled again at Nullarbor roadhouse. Lunch and refuelled again at Border Village. Met up with a mate from work who is also travelling west. Then headed off to Madura.
Madura was my planned overnight rest stop, but with the time difference I am really here to early. Could really get pissed before dinner at this rate

Looks like you made good time , & a much more pleasant ride today . You probably deserve a few coldies in " Madoora " .............take care & have fun .( Is your mate also on a bike ? )