Nullarbor to Bright

Eyre Peninsular

Up and away well before sunrise on the 1st January and we were in Ceduna by mid morning - the extreme heat behind us and the Eyre Peninsular (EP) waiting for us to enjoy. We did a one-nighter at Streaky Bay, in a motel, because the birds were pooping all over the tents in the caravan park. Unfortunately my speedo cable had come loose just after leaving Ceduna. With my ear plugs ensuring that I could "hear no evil", I didn't realise the cable was dragging on the ground. By the time we reached Streaky Bay the road had done a great job grinding down the cable until there was nothing left. The Yamaha spares department were closed until 7th January - ouch! That's what you get for travelling during the Christmas New Year break. Still there are worse places you can be holed up that EP. The scenery is splendid and if you enjoy good and cheap seafood and can cope with the occasional south easterly gale then you will be smiling all the while you are waiting for your spare parts to arrive!

Salty ferry crossing!

After much to-do, the new cable arrived and was fitted on Friday 11th January. On the 12th, we rode to Cowell but were not in time for the last ferry to Wallaroo and had to endure yet more seafood at the local pub - a 500g chunk of snapper covered in prawns this time. Such is life! 

The gravel road to Lucky Bay was just tolerable on our bikes, the surface well churned up on the bends and if you've got milk in the eski, expect sour cream by the time you've covered the 12kms to Lucky Bay. Just one word of advice, go straight to the ferry terminal, don't be tempted to check out the beach shacks, because you could find yourself bogged and some large dogs coming to see what all the fuss is about!

Unfortunately they had overbooked the ferry and to create a little more room, they stuck our bikes in the stern, Steve's on the port side and mine on the starboard. They were safely tied down, but copped a little salt spray on the crossing. When we returned to the bikes to disembark I said to the guy "look at all this salt on my bike" to which he replied "that's the thing about salt water, it does tend to be salty!" Would we catch the ferry again? No.

 

As soon as we were off the ferry we just started riding - the Barossa still some two hours away. We picked Tanunda as our home base and how sweet it is to ride those roads, eat great food and drink great wine. 

Timing is everything and we couldn't resist the temptation to take in a couple of stages of the Tour Down Under which was due to start on Sunday 20th January. But alas, if harbours rot good boats, then caravan parks rot good bikes and it sure felt time to do some serious miles. So we packed up camp and just started riding. Taking all the back roads, we headed south through the Coorong, then east. Just one great road after another, through the Grampians and on and on and on, stopping along the way for a cup of tea or a snack and resting our heads in a Budget Motel each night. On Saturday 25th, we stopped in some shade at the little town of Boonie Doon (no kidding), we made tea and were soon sharing our tree with a lone rider on a naked Ducatti. We chatted about roads near and far and Steve even popped the question "what size is yours?" I nearly said "now that's a leading question in front of a lady," instead I wandered off, with a smile on my face, looking for somewhere to deposit the spent tea bags!

High country riding

Around lunch time, we stopped for fuel at a very ordinary looking garage in the small town of Whitfield. However inside was a delightful bakery and coffee shop, serving the most delicious baguettes and pies and cakes imaginable. We were asked to do the honour of being the first customer to road test the new beef and red wine pie. Of course we accepted and gave it the thumbs up. Real chunks of organic beef with a gravy like my mum makes. We couldn't resist a mug of great coffee and a cream brulee tart with fresh blackberries. We nearly set up camp right then and there, but less is more and we were soon back on the road with all the energy and power that pies and cakes can provide. Steve says he is going to get a T Shirt which reads "Powered by Pies." Next time you are passing through Whitfield, stop for a while at the Fuel Micro Bakery - you won't be disappointed.

After riding for three days, we have set up camp here in Bright, where we hope to stay out of trouble and do some of the roads in the Alpine region. So that's about it from us. Soon it will be happy hour and we will be allowed a few beers and hot cashews, heated naturally while the afternoon sun beats down on our little tent. It all tastes pretty good and right now there is no place we would rather be.