Around Australia: Day 32, Blanchetown to Cape Jervis

Summary: On day 32 of my trip Around Australia on my motorbike, a Burgman 650 Executive, the weather gods had mercy. It was mostly dry disregarding the odd drizzle. The ideal motorcycle roads around Adelaide were a tremendous pleasure to ride!

Diary Entry for May 25, 2010

My initial, short entry in my "Around Australia" diary for the day read as follows:

Day 32: Blanchetown to Cape Jervis
Huh, what a day! First of all: I had a good night sleep! I think I have never done so many twisties in a day!  I picked every good road in the Adelaide Hills and beyond. The day started with light drizzle in Blanchetown heading to Walker Flat along the Murray River Valley. Very nice! I took the ferry in Walker Flat — which to my utmost surprise was free! Haven't seen much for free lately.
The drizzle changed to rain around noon-ish. Made it into Adelaide and quickly out again. Had 22 °C there. Back into the Adelaide Hills… fabulous landscape, the vineries, trees, leaves, colours, houses, I liked it.
I reached my destination for the day: Cape Jervis.

Photo of the Day

"The Corkscrew" near Castambul in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia

Blanchetown to Cape Jervis

Post Office, Blanchetown, South Australia

I had a very good night's sleep!  I was up at 06:51 and gone 07:20. I left Blanchetown — after taking a photo of the local Post Office — crossing the River Murray, then heading south to Swan Reach, then Walkers Flat; onto the ferry — which was free of charge — crossing the River Murray. After a 30 km of almost straight road, I reached Sanderston, after which the fun started… up to Mount Pleasant. This route is equivalent to Bear Ride #181.

Sunrise at the Murray River, Blanchetown, South Australia

Foggy Murray River Valley, South Australia

The route was interesting to say the least; my Garmin zumo has always a hard time determining the route when I have loops, eights, and back and forth on the same roads in my route. 

Road from Sanderston to Mount Pleasant, South Australia

From Mount Pleasant to Birdwood, then Gumeracha, the Big Rocking Horse, back to Birdwood, Mount Pleasant, towards Nuriootpa, looping back to Williamstown, via Mengler's Hill, through the Barossa Valley, the Whispering Wall, and then Chain of Ponds.

Mengler's Hill, near Tanunda, South Australia

The top of Mengler's Hill makes for a magnificent views of the Barossa Valley: usually a panorama of vineyards, rolling hills and farming land that stretch as far as the eye can see — unfortunately, not today, because it was raining.
The park on Mengler's Hill features huge sculptures created on site from local marble and black granite during the 1988 Barossa International Sculpture Symposium. The road from Angaston to Tanunda crosses Mengler's Hill.

Barossa Reservoir (Whispering Wall Dam), near Williamstown, South Australia

The Whispering Wall is in fact the retaining wall of the Barossa Reservoir. Built between 1899 and 1903, the dam was a revolutionary engineering feat for its day and attracted attention from all over the world, even making its way into the pages of the journal Scientific American.
What draws visitors to the Whispering Wall is its unique acoustic effects: words whispered at one side can be clearly heard at the other, more than 100 metres away. Children in particular love visiting the wall and testing its abilities.
Since I was there by myself, I could not test the acoustics. I asked a couple that just came back form the dam, whether they tested it, and whether it works? They confirmed the acoustics are great and it did in fact work.

The next stop was Williamstown. I was hungry and looking for breakfast. I had also burned DVDs with photos on it, which needed to be sent home. I got a hot pie from the shop across the road, bought some water, and a bar of chocolate.

Post Office, Williamstown, South Australia

The route continued From Williamstown to Adelaide via Chain of Ponds, to Tee Tree Gully, Campbelltown, and a quick detour to Parliament House — for a quick photo for the  Bikes in front of Parliament House challenge / thread…

Parliament House, Adelaide, South Australia

It was 13:00 … and then back to Campbelltown. Then up the Gorge Road for the Corkscrew, from Castambul to Montacute, reflecting Bear Ride #78. This piece of road is a hoot. I had a ball riding this one (see first image on this page).

And then the unthinkable happened, I stuffed up.  When I was planning the route, I did not notice a similar shaped road close by. As a result I ended up on a dirt road (Blockers Rd) — nothing wrong with that, it was quite enjoyable — instead of riding the Norton Summit Road. As such I missed out on most of Bear Ride #180. Oh well, things happen.

On Blockers Road, South Australia

Blockers Road was quite nice to ride; steep hills, twisty slopes. Mistakes involving going off the track would be costly, or more so a write-off for the bike, and could be even the rider  The road was twisty and allowed for speeds mostly around the 30–40 km/h mark.
The map below outlines the actual route taken. I was not lost like some followers on my satellite tracking page believed to be the case. I was well and truly on my mission to conquer the Adelaide Hills and surrounding paddocks.

Map: Adelaide Hills and beyond, South Australia

I passed Hahndorf, riding on Mount Barker Road. The alley looked so familiar, yet I had never been there. It was the German roots that tickled the brain cells; I won't say it looked like home, because Australia is my home! But it felt familiar.

Mount Barker Road, Hahndorf, South Australia

It was time to get some food while the shops are open. Well, I was not thinking that way, but I almost rode into the fruit shop, so prominent was it located on Mount Barker Road. The show was like a magnet; cars driving in and out of it like bees in a bee hive. I hit the brakes and turned right. The displays were nicely laid out. Pricing was very competitive. I got six bananas for 99 Cents, wow. I also bought three apples, and two oranges, plus 500 grams fruit and nuts.

The young lady at the counter checked me out that I wondered what she might be on about. She sniffed her nose and seemed to be freezing. Now I got it! She was looking at the poor bloke in motorcycle gear freezing his bum off. I smiled and said: "I am glad I am sitting on my bike…" when she replied "it is cold in here, how cold must it be on the motorbike?" I said: "I have heated clothing: jacket, pants, and socks, and pulled-up the plugs on the wires dangling of my clothing. The sorrow look turned an envious one, and she said: "I could make use these here." "You should check it out on the Internet; there are battery powered ones, lasting for 6 hours, which would certainly help you to avoid the cold."
We both sensed that the people in the queue behind me did not really like us chatting along, I paid and buggered off.

Fruits and Nuts Shopping, near Hahndorf, South Australia

I stashed my shopping not the trunk; one banana did not fit and was instantly eaten 

Fruits and Nuts Shopping stashed away into the Trunk, near Hahndorf, South Australia

This piece of road marked the completion of Bear Ride #81.
Next — get out of Adelaide.

Adelaide Hills, near Chandlers Hills, South Australia

I was now on Bear Ride #179; from Crafters to McLaren Vale. I decided to add some spice by turning onto Whitings Road, just before Yaroona. Very nice; Dirt, but good. I rejoined Kangarilla Road 13 km later. The sun was starting to set.

More Adelaide Hills, Whitings Rd near Blewitt Springs, South Australia

On Whitings Rd near Blewitt Springs, South Australia

The Hills are coming to an end. Slowly, but surely. Now off to Cape Jervis.

Long Shadows, Adelaide Hills, South Australia

The 75 kilometres to Cape Jervis took less than an hour. I arrived close to 18:00. Accommodation was on the cards, and it did not take long to settle for the Cape Jervis Tavern Motel. The good ting about it was the fact that it is also a petrol station. It was closed, but the publican happily flicked the On switch for me, when I said I was going to leave early. He let me fill-up the bike, so I did not have to wait for the station to open tomorrow morning, which was later than my planned departure. How nice is that?! 

Dusk, 3 km east of Cape Jervis, South Australia

A nice dinner — the Chef's "Hot Dog the Lot" with chips and a coke — at the tavern concluded a very nice riding day. Yes, the weather was drizzle to rain to dry, with all shades of wet to dry roads. The more advanced the day, the drier the roads. Another marvellous riding day!

Trip Data for the Day

529 km over the elapsed time of 10 hours 50 minutes.

Accommodation for the Night

My room at the Cape Jervis Tavern Motel, Cape Jervis, South Australia

I stayed at the  Cape Jervis Tavern Motel in Cape Jervis for the night. Cost: 80 AUD.

My comment: Nice room, all in good order, and clean. The pinkish colour of the floor carpet may not have been the right choice for a motel room, but hey it was warm and fluffy. Would stay there again!

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