We had terrific weather for this ride with about a dozen starters. Mark D had to duck off to find some chain lube but managed to return before we headed off. This ride took in some of my favourite northern hills roads and some new ones discovered with my new job.
After coffee at the Wild Bean Café Prospect start point we wandered through side streets over to Main North East Road & then across to Lower North East Road to Gorge Road. After enjoying the nice curves there hard left & up Torrens Hill Road we went. Onto Paracombe Road & then right on Lower North East Road again and then right through sleepy Houghton up & over Blackhill Road into Inglewood. Down North East Road then taking Range Road North and Seaview Road to an old favourite One Tree Hill Road, and then along the Gawler–One Tree Hill Road with it's beautiful views into Gawler for our first stop at Café Nova...breakfast for some.
Leaving Gawler up Calton Road we all managed to get safely past the radar gun, then right on Balmoral Road, a quick dogleg through Cockatoo Valley taking Pimpala Road and the Barossa Valley Highway through Rowland Flat, Bethany Road through...yes Bethany! Then Menglers Hill Road to our second stop at the Menglers Hill Sculptures.
Tanunda Creek, Flaxmans Valley and Mt Pleasant-Keyneton Roads took us through Eden Valley and Taunton to Springton. Right turn up another old favourite the Williamstown-Springton Road, left turn in Williamstown onto Victoria Terrace which became South Para Road and then Little Para Road to our lunch stop at the Kersbrook Tavern. Good food, table near the fireplace and a live band was enjoyed by us all. We could easily have called it a day there. Jason B lost the tip of his new bling bling foot brake somewhere...awkward rear braking for him.
We continued on Little Para Road to Chain of Ponds taking the Adelaide-Mannum Road to Inglewood again. A short squirt on Main North East Road before a hard left on Range Road South back across to Lower North East Road again. Through Vista, hard left at the roundabout, left again on Glynburn Road for end of ride at Café Primo.
A terrific day, great riding, fabulous views & good company.
Good day, Fred