Reedy Creek to Naracoorte
Lest we forget …
We backtrack from Robe to Reedy Creek, where an Australian flag on a fence gives us a starting point for the day (it was even embedded in our detailed driving directions to the starting point). The flag is a reminder that today is ANZAC day, and we honour those who have served and those who have fallen. Two of our hardy team attended the ANZAC day service in Robe before setting out today.
Pat’s at the wheel today; the rest of us set out on a fairly flat, straight, fast sealed road, making great time as we ride toward Lucindale, our first stopping point for the day.
I suspect the Ninnes party made slightly slower progress than us as they passed through the area. Our route today is the best approximation we can make of their journey.
Part of the dray we had a coupe of fowls. Fed and watered them in a trough outside the Bass of the coupe. We got to Bakers, Yorke Wites, Mackintosh …
(Mackintosh is pesumed to be MacIntosh’s, approximately 15km south of present day Lucindale.)
From Lucindale we take a lesser road out past the Lucindale Country Club (it looks busy today) and soon we hit dirt. Not just any dirt – this is The Bronx, named so by Tim because it is rough and ready.
This morning we averaged speeds of over 20km/h, which is not bad on mountain bikes on roads. This afternoon as we navigate The Bronx, our averages speeds drop down to the low teens. There’s lots of shaking and bumping, and this 10km stretch of very rough gravel requires total concentration to stay upgright and moving forward.
But it’s pretty. The road is, we believe, running along the path of the former Kingston SE to Naracoorte railway line, and, indeed, we do see a fair number of railway spikes on the ground. One may have been souvenired for a Friends member who is not on the trip but who has a collection of such spikes.
The road is lined with grass trees and banksias. We hear the call of black cockatoos, and glimpse the red tails of the red-tailed black cockatoos as they fly above us. Very special.
The Bronx eventually gives way to smoother gravel, then after some time that gives way to the sealed road that takes us all the way into Naracoorte.
Stats for today:
- Distance: 68.7km
- Climb: 226m
- Average speed: 17.9km/h
- Average temperature: 29C
- Moving time: 3:50:47
- See our ride on Strava
The beer picture
At the end of a day’s ride, our tradition is to enjoy a beer, and to photograph it for posterity. Today’s beer picture was taken at te Naracoorte caravan park. You may be noticing that the beer is the same each day and that’s because it is tagging along with us on the bus.
Along the way today:
Click on an image to scroll through the gallery at full size.
