Edenhope MK1, May 22-24 2015

Friday I managed to get away from work a bit earlier than expected, by 12:15 I was heading through Adelaide’s suburbs for the South Eastern Freeway, the Adelaide Hills were covered in heavy cloud but the weather gods were kind and there was no sign of rain.


From the SE Freeway  it was onto the Dukes Hwy, after the first 170 km and a uneventful couple of hours I stopped for a coffee and stretch in one of my old home towns, Coonalpyn. While my coffee was being made I “checked myself in” on Facebook at the Coonalpyn Bakery. Luckily the coffee was too hot to drink and I had to wait a bit, an old school friend I hadn’t seen since we moved towns in 1981 saw my FB post and dropped over for a unexpected catch up.





Back on the bike for the last 110 km and headed for the 1^st nights’ accommodation in Bordertown. It was another very uneventful ride however the temperature dropped considerably as I passed through another of my childhood homes, Keith. The last 45 km were bloody cold, about 3:45 I arrived at the Bordertown Hotel, for the night, after checking in I was told to go and see the bloke in the bottle shop to arrange the bikes accommodation for the night. The bike was left around there while I got settled in and they shuffled a couple of pallets around to make room.


I wasn’t sure what to expect from the rooms (not a hell of a lot for the price) for $40 you get a basic upstairs pub room with continental breakfast included. The room was small but plenty big enough for 1 night, the bed was very comfortable, a flat screen TV on the wall. The showers down the passage turned out to be one of the best I’ve ever had once the hot water finally got through after about 5 minutes. The only downside, the AC was cooling only, there was no heating, luckily there were plenty of blankets and a electric blanket if you needed it (I didn’t).


Not long after I arrived and settled in  I got a message from SuzySuzuki, she had arrived after her ride down from Swan Hill, she had found my bike and was waiting there.  Lyn checked in and found her room for the night and I went to see if we could put the bikes away yet, they were tucked away nicely in a alarmed shed full of grog with the publican’s Buell





Lyn met me in the bar after settling in for a drink before tea, the kitchen staff brought out bowls full of fresh homemade sausage rolls for complimentary bar snacks, that was entrée covered


We went to the dining room for tea, the meals were great value and included help yourself  salad and/or veg bar. Mine was Roast Pork, 4 very large slices of tender meat and crackling for $14-50.
After tea we both donated a dollar or 2 each to be shared between the publican and tax man, after Lyn decided a couple of dollars was plenty, a young local chucked a dollar in her machine and it paid straight away, Lyn headed off to bed, I went back to the bar for another quiet beer. I headed upstairs for a early night, to watch TV, my room was straight above the juke box and by just after 9:00 I was hoping they’d turn the volume down, about 10 minutes later they did and I dozed off for a great 9 hours sleep listening to quiet background music.


Saturday morning I woke to very cool air, even inside the room, after a shower and helping myself to breakfast, I packed up and headed outside for a stroll, no wonder it was feeling cold, the grass across the road was covered in ice, the cleaner was waiting out front to be let in, she told me it was minus 0.4 Deg C when she left home.









By about 9:30 we were heading back out onto the Dukes Hwy for fuel, then back through town and heading for Naracoorte to meet up with paul and Cal travelling from Adelaide/Strathalbyn, and madmax and Maybe Mike both also on their 2^nd day heading over from Melbourne.


We took a slight detour to travel there via Frances to check out the local pub as a possible venue to meet at later, this was the only reason I wanted to get away on the Friday and stay at Bordertown, I’d seen it on a travel show and it looked like a great little spot to stay.


A bit after 50 km of some of SA’s prettiest country side we turned off the “main” road into a very quiet, neat and tidy town and found the Fances Hotel.





I wandered inside and caught up with the publican who explained the night before was his 1^st night as the owner, he’d just moved back to his child hood home town after years working in Adelaide. The pub has a very well appointed bar area, a large dining room with menu that changes every few weeks and a resident chef that allegedly is very good.


The accommodation is a bit over 10 years old and 30-40 meters away from the main pub building and for those that don’t like traditional pub rooms, there are a couple of options.





Large motel unit with spa, $135 p/n


As above, minus the spa, $125 p/n


The second area has back packer style accommodation with either 2 single beds, or 1 single bed and a bunk bed per room. Those rooms are $50 p/n for 1 or 2 and a extra $15 if there is a 3^rd staying in the room.


Behind the bunk rooms is a passage which has the bathroom facilities off the other side and leads down to a common room with lounge, TV and a fully equipped kitchen for guests to use, off of that room is a undercover outside area with a BBQ also for guests use.


After looking through what looks to be a great place for a future meet we headed off on the last 45 km to Naracoorte to meet the others. We arrived in Naracoorte  a bit after 11:00 and headed for the park in the main street where we’d arranged to meet paul and Cal (I though madmax knew that as well)


I gave madmax a call to find out how far away they were, he’d headed straight for the Naracoorte Cave where we all intended to visit. Bryan had bad news for us, the power was out in the whole district around the caves so there was no coffee, no food and no tours of the various caves. Not long after we spotted paul (yes he is real) and Cal heading into town, after a few minutes they found us and we waited for madmax and Maybe Mike to arrive.





We had lunch in the park and Bryan rang the caves visitors centre to see if the power was back on but nothing, bugga, that was the afternoons’ activity done and dusted before it started.


We headed off for the 50-60 km ride to Edenhope and the Lake Wallace Hotel, after a ride through more nice country side we arrived to a town much larger than I’d expected.


I had no high expectations of the Lake Wallace hotel, at $30 p/n including continental breakfast I was expecting less than what we got which was a clean, nice smelling reasonable sized room  (paul and I shared a very big room, the rest had their own) in a weather board extension out the back, a common room with lounge, bar fridge, coffee and breakfast making facilities, 1 bathroom, a shower room and a couple of loos. The bed looked like they were going to be soft and saggy but turned out to be nice and firm.


The bikes were put under cover in a carport for the night.....





The publicans and bar/kitchen staff were friendly, Amanda the Canadian backpacker was very friendly and VERY understanding (but that’s a whole different story for another time   ). The meals were good, the beer was cold and a great time was had by most.


Sunday morning was another very cold one, we were all up packed and heading off in 3 directions fairly early, after getting the bikes out of the carport and drying the dripping condensation from the lambs wool we said out good byes and paul, Cal and myself headed for SA, after a quick stop for fuel at Naracoorte it was back on the road headed for home.


As we turned onto the Dukes Hwy at Keith I’m sure I felt the temperature rise just as it fell going the other way, not long after that we stopped for the worst coffee I’ve ever had and a fuel top up to see us through to home.


Cal turned off just before Tailem Bend to head for home, paul and I continued onto the SE Freeway, coming into Adelaide at the bottom of the Freeway paul headed left for home, I continued on through the city and was home around 2:00


It was a great weekend away, it looks like that style of accommodation is not to everyone’s liking but for those that are willing to downgrade a bit, it made for a cheap weekend and a great catch up with some interstate members.
A few of us said we’d go back, I can’t wait for the next one and hopefully get a few different faces along as well.
 
Cheers

Chook

Fantastic report Chook.  Sounds like you had a good time despite the caves being closed. Would be great to meet some more of the characters that are on here.

I forgot to mention the Frances Hotel also has a large shed where the bikes can be locked up at night, paul also sent me this link to the TV program that did a segment on it

http://www.discover7.com.au/limestone-coast/accommodation/hotel/blakes-frances-hotel/

Hammy wrote:Fantastic report Chook.  Sounds like you had a good time despite the caves being closed. Would be great to meet some more of the characters that are on here.

Yep good report Chook , the only thing I will add is that it was great to get home & take my " old man " costume off 

paul wrote:

Hammy wrote:Fantastic report Chook.  Sounds like you had a good time despite the caves being closed. Would be great to meet some more of the characters that are on here.

Yep good report Chook , the only thing I will add is that it was great to get home & take my " old man " costume off 

 

I forgot to mention your pensioner bus arriving to take you away in Naracoorte

Nice comprehensive report there Chook - you could put some of those TV travel shows to shame. Ms teeth and tits could take a lesson. Cheers!

Ewok1958 wrote:Nice comprehensive report there Chook - you could put some of those TV travel shows to shame.  Ms teeth and tits could take a lesson. Cheers!

Not as comprehensive as it could of been Ewok, but some things are better left on the trip

Chook wrote:Amanda the Canadian backpacker was very friendly and VERY understanding (but that’s a whole different story for another time )

No Pix. No proof. Didnt happen.

Great report Chook. Good recon for next time too.

A few more pics to add to the story. I had other things happening in the evening so this is all I took  





A bit of fog around on the Murray River





Coming off the ferry riding into the light/fog was not much fun!

Great report - I must have just missed you guys.
I rode from Whyalla to Mt Gambier on Saturday and back Sunday as a shake down ride for myself and my gear before a trip across the Nullabor in August.
had lunch in Kieth at the servo on the turnoff about 2.00 Saturday and breakfast there about 9.00 Sunday.

Are you going to the border rally Davo?

No, I'm going to Pt Denison (just south of Geraldton for a week or so. What is this "Border Rally" you speak of?

Cal, start a whole new topic for it in the SA ride forum, maybe one in the WA one as well, it'll stand out  better by itself

Davo1063 wrote:Great report - I must have just missed you guys.
I rode from Whyalla to Mt Gambier on Saturday and back Sunday as a shake down ride for myself and my gear before a trip across the Nullabor in August.
had lunch in Kieth at the servo on the turnoff about 2.00 Saturday and breakfast there about 9.00 Sunday.

we got back to Adelaide about 2:00

Davo1063 wrote:Great report - I must have just missed you guys.
I rode from Whyalla to Mt Gambier on Saturday and back Sunday as a shake down ride for myself and my gear before a trip across the Nullabor in August.
had lunch in Kieth at the servo on the turnoff about 2.00 Saturday and breakfast there about 9.00 Sunday.

Not far off , Cal & I were in Keith a bit after 10.30 am Sat. & we were all closer to Naracoorte around 9.am Sunday , & didn't stop at Keith ( topped up at Tintinara ). Pity we didn't know & arranged something earlier.

I need to see a picture of Paul ,  "Or else it didn't happen" . 

Hammy wrote:I need to see a picture of Paul ,  "Or else it didn't happen" . 

I introduced him to everyone as "this is Paul, see, he is real" 

Chook wrote:

Hammy wrote:I need to see a picture of Paul ,  "Or else it didn't happen" . 

I introduced him to everyone as "this is Paul, see, he is real" 

But are you 100% certain that it was him Chook.  He's sorta like our own version of the Stig.

Hammy wrote:

Chook wrote:

Hammy wrote:I need to see a picture of Paul ,  "Or else it didn't happen" . 

I introduced him to everyone as "this is Paul, see, he is real" 

But are you 100% certain that it was him Chook.  He's sorta like our own version of the Stig.

Hey Hammy , if you look at Cal's first photo on the previous page , & look  in the foreground on the table next to Cal's cup, there are some crumbs .................they were mine 

paul wrote:

Davo1063 wrote:Great report - I must have just missed you guys.
I rode from Whyalla to Mt Gambier on Saturday and back Sunday as a shake down ride for myself and my gear before a trip across the Nullabor in August.
had lunch in Kieth at the servo on the turnoff about 2.00 Saturday and breakfast there about 9.00 Sunday.

Not far off , Cal & I were in Keith a bit after 10.30 am Sat. & we were all closer to Naracoorte around 9.am Sunday , & didn't stop at Keith ( topped up at Tintinara ). Pity we didn't know & arranged something earlier.

Still not enough proof.   Sorry.


Don't know what happened there.

Finally.  A picture of "Paul " .

Actually Paul was recently here in Tassie and we got a couple of snaps of him:


This is why you don't notice him in a crowd easily


Getting ready to stoke the fire


Walking the dog


Not sure whether this was one of him or not

It may have been a cold day when that one was taken