NURIOOTPA TO MANNUM

NURIOOTPA TO MANNUM = 82km

CUMMULATIVE TOTAL = 2211km

MANNUM FERRY LANDING REST AREA - FREE!

 

Crikey it was one hell of a tough day today!  But first let me share with you Koutas' "senior" moment of the morning ...

at Nuriootpa campground we had to keep him tied up and sometimes he gets himself a bit tangled and most times he just sits there and accepts it ... he sat like this for quite a few minutes thinking nothing is wrong!

We did get up early to get some km's in before the wind but unfortunately the wind was well up before us!  We left at 7.45am and knew we had some climbing to do before going off the range.  We did take a back road to Angastown hoping it would come out on the other side of town so we don't have to go through it (it has terrible roads) but alas it was also the main truck road and it also had a munter of a sooty grunter of a hill which we also had to come down from so it was a waste going up only to come down and not maintain the height.  The road didn't end up where we wanted and we still had to go through town and climb out of it.  We did take the Keyneton turnoff and this road was very rough and narrow and more cars going into Angastown and only a few knuckleheads going our way and every one of them overtook us when another car was coming in the opposite direction.  At approx. 15km the council border was crossed and you noticed immediately the state of the road improved and had a shoulder so it was easier to ride.

We took a break at Keyneton which was at the 18km mark and only another 2 hill climbs until we go down at 25km (we had already had 3 to get to Keyneton!). 

We approached the down hill with great enthusiasm - at this point the wind is blowing across our shoulder and in front of us a bit.





this sign is a bit out as it is really only 3km of semi steep and then it is gradual.  At the top of the hill there wasn't a great lookout and it isn't until you start going down that the view gets better!

You can see the road going down so it is not that steep - maybe for the first 3km and then it is gradual for the following 7km into Sedan.  I say gradual because we had such a head wind that at 3km down we had to start pedalling! (we never have any luck with the wind!)

We stopped for a cuppa at Sedan from here we turn straight south for Mannum which is another 44km away.  Now I knew this part of the day was going to be tough - I knew we would be going straight into a solid headwind  (south, south westerly blowing between 20-30km per hour) and in wide open land and with exposed rolling hills.  If we had gone yesterday when the northerlies were blowing this part would be in a tailwind - but Neil was reluctant to go with the temperature being over 30 ... me I don't mind the hot temperatures it is the wind that drives me nuts ... so I back down and we stayed at Nuriootpa yesterday ... I did remind Neil that he owes me a day!

Riding along you follow the Lofty Ranges ...

you follow them for around 21km and then turn in a big semi circle.  By now the undulations or rolling hills are getting tough and the wind is not letting up.  The legs feel okay (now they are stronger) it is the mind that starts to go!

We did have a little respite from thinking how tough the day is ... a Kestrel flew over us (and I tell you when it flew over us and it casted a shadow over you you sort of get a bit spooked - it did this twice!) but it was flying around hunting and to cast a shadow over us it must have been quite low ... we think it may have been looking at Kouta!  It did this for about 1km but it found nothing to dive for ... we however got sidetracked by our very own crowd support ...

only to catch up with the Kestrel about 1km later to find it feeding on a dead kangaroo on the side of the road.

By 75km we are just going up our last hill and I only just made it!  I was so over the damn things ... the road into Mannum is down, we stopped at Foodland to get some dinner and we stocked up on water.  The town water supply is quite good - not sure if it comes from the Murray as it is drinkable and doesn't have signs everywhere like most Murray towns (including Murray Bridge), so we stocked up on water and crossed over the river on the ferry to our camp spot which is free - most ferry crossings have a landing area that is free to camp.

as you can see the river is still quite full.

Our camp spot is great and we are right on the edge of the river - not expecting rain so hopefully it won't lap at our front door!

Neil decided that he would wash in the river as there is a small area just near the tent where it is easy to get to the water and is sandy ...

I am umming and ahhhing as to where to wash  - at the tent door or in the river ... I didn't bring any bathers so I borrow Neils bather bottoms and go in with my bra (which needs a wash anyway!) now here I am splashing about and these swans come around to have a look at what all the noise is! so I like to call this photo "bathing with the river swans" (maybe they can make a ballet out of it? get it? Swan Lake?)

it was good to get all the salt of me!  The rest area has about 4 other caravans here and they are all spaced out.  Both of the landings have toilets which are cleaned daily so that is a bonus for us!

Tomorrow we go to Wellington.