Riding the Flinders Ranges in South Australia?

[pete roper]

Well that was the plan!

We had a great ride over meeting up with a couple of 'North Couasters' in Gilgandra before blasting over to Broken Hill for the second night. The plan from there was to head to Blinman in the heart of the Flinders but alas by Peterborough the weather had closed in. We were told there was a big tropical low moving through and if we pushed on to Blinman we might get stuck between the two creeks on the Hawker-Blinman road. Not wanting to spend the night stuck between two flooded creeks without food or drink we stopped short at Cradock where we enjoyed a boozy night bemoaning our luck!

This morning visibility was down to a few hundred metres, no chance of even seeing the ranges never mind riding them! So, alas, we refuelled in Hawker and headed south to Quorn where we intend to spend the next couple of nights. Hopefully the weather will clear and tomorrow we'll get a chance to see some of the most spectacular ranges in Oz.

The bikes have all behaved fine, it's quite a thing to be thundering along the Barrier Highway in a group of four Griso's cruising at an indicated 165! There are some long straight stretches with nowhere for the wallopers to hide so it's *fairly* safe. Biggest problem is wildlife, big Reds and Emus and worst of all the feral goats! The bastards are everywhere! Can't post pics from my iPad. They'll have to wait until I'm home again.

Pete

[oldbike54]

 165 KPH ???? Isn't that go to jail speed in OZ ? 

 Dusty

[Sasquatch Jim]

  I think in Oz, that is go to the penal colony and triangles speed.

[beetle]

165 KPH ???? Isn't that go to jail speed in OZ ? 

 Dusty

You mean 'gaol'.

[atavar]

Griso's ain't even breathing hard yet at 165KPH..  that ain't even the US ton..

[oldbike54]

You mean 'gaol'.

 Well of course 

 Dusty

[Sasquatch Jim]

  Yes it is.  It is just over 102 MPH.

[pete roper]

Good news is the skies have cleared. Bad news is the Western Australian push who stayed at Blinman arrived in Quorn this morning and the road to Blinman was apparently so thick with 'Roos they were limited to 80kph, (That's 50 mph for you numerically challenged. ) so if we go up there tomorrow it'll be a slow trip. Still worth it as we could go to Wilpena Pound which will be spectacular after the rain but chances are we'll just ride to Parachilna or the like. We have no desire to centre punch wildlife.

Pete

[Dean Rose]

Amazing geography.





Dean

[balvenie]

Thanks Dean. Those are great pics.

[Chuck in Indiana]

So, what *is* that?

[pete roper]

That's Wilpena Pound. A chunk of ancient seabed that has been uplifted, bent and twisted and then eroded for millions and millions of years. It's one of the central features of the Flinders Ranges and is absolutely astonishing to look over. Jude and I climbed to the rim a couple of years ago. Bloody hard work but worth every panting breath.

Pete

[Clancy]

Better keep a look out for politicians darting across the road to spruck their wares and kiss babies - the election campaign is well and truly on now!

At those speeds I'm glad I wasn't trying to keep up on the V7, but at least you would have already ordered my beer at the next stop (although if you hadn't already drunk it, it would've been warm by the time I got there)

Bummer about the weather, still it's pretty shit back at your home village as well.

[RANDM]

We're copping the left overs now Pete.
Your much better off in the Pub.
Hope it's cleared for you and your rolling towards
Wilpena - enjoy.

Maurie.