Birdwood 21st September 2013

For once the weather forecast was near enough spot on for our ride down to Birdwood. Nice blue cloud free skies and the sun shining brightly warming up the coolish morning air.

The plan was to leave Peterborough no later than 9:00 am but it turned out to be five minutes later. Still, I allowed three hours for the 240 km ride to Birdwood via the most direct route. http://goo.gl/maps/jHWa1

Road works between Hallett and Mount Bryan slowed us down to 40kph and 60kph for most of the distance between the two towns. At Burra we took the Heavy Vehicle bypass which we usually do as it’s quicker than riding through the town. About 30 kms later is Manoora which is about the half way point between home and Adelaide so it’s a rest stop for us.

After Saddleworth the limit drops to 100 kph but being a little behind time 110 was good enough. It used to be the limit until a stroke of the pen one day made it less safe to do that any more. Just before Gawler it was back to a 100 and we went passed a police car that had stopped a car driver.

Ten minutes later saw us the other side of Gawler and on one of the hills roads for the last 40 kms to Birdwood via Kersbrook. Just south of there it’s Checker Hill road which is an 80 kph road with a couple 25 and 35 kph bends to do and a steep 2^nd gear climb to the top of the hill and 3^rd gear engine braking down the other side. We arrived at Birdwood just on midday and spotted a bluish coloured 1100 parked in front of the café. The owner turned out to be Peter from down Victor Harbor way.

We chatted by the bikes for about 15-20 minutes waiting to see if any others had decided to venture out for a ride but it wasn’t to be. Plenty of other bikes around but sadly no STs. Off to the café for lunch where I took three pictures when it came time to leave.

The fountain in the outside dining area

Heather

Peter 

But the day wasn’t a total loss as just before we got up from the table we spotted a 1300 so it a quick exit to see where it went. Turns out it pulled up just up the road from ours, expecting an SA one but it had a Vic plate and I thought “beggars can’t be choosers” as we walked up to meet the owners who now live in SA.

I gave the Richard one of our cards and it looks like we may have a new member.

It was a blue day, 95 and 99 ABS 1100s

 The café from out front

The horse at the toy shop at Gumeracha http://goo.gl/maps/On0YS

Then it was time for us to go as we wanted to get home before it got dark. I stopped off at Gumeracha for a couple pictures of our little horse at the toy shop. The rest of the trip home was back the same way except for detour in Gawler to Woolworths Plus so I could use the twenty dollar gift voucher I had and a stop off at the supermarket.

Heading north after Saddleworth I sat on 120 kph most of the way back home except for the road works and arrived home about 6:05pm.

We collected a quite a few bugs and by the time we got home the screen/headlight area was all bug hits so I cleaned it off before I did anything else.