Ride To Hawker

We had to pick up a car that Heather's aunty had given her yesterday.

When it came time to leave the weather seemed more like a cold wintry mid winter morning rather than a warm summer day that's normal for summer. Though rain was threatened, nothing more than a few misty droplets was evident on the screen but that cleared with a minute or two. The further we rode north, the less cloud cover and by the time we reached Hawker 90 minutes later we had mostly blue skies.

The 145 km route http://goo.gl/maps/RkTbF takes us up the eastern side of the northern Flinders Ranges so there's a couple of not to steep hill climbs, some not to long straights and lots of high speed sweeping bends for most of the 90kms north of Orroroo. For most of that distance the road gradually rises up a couple hundred feet and then the next 5 kms or so the road descends down to meet the Quorn to Hawker road. There's also quite a few creeks crossings and no bridges as the water doesn't flow that often even if it does happen to rain.

Apart from Orroroo there's only three other towns to go through. Once thriving railway towns in the days of stream not much exists anymore. The hotels are still in business and supported by the local farming community and tourists these days.

It was about 10:30 when we arrived in Hawker and spent the day with Heather's aunty and cousin.

During the afternoon we went for a walk to the old railway dam which is now used by the locals to water their gardens. Lindy, the cousin took the dogs for a swim.

This is one of the many ranges of hills that are around the area. Taken with zoom on max at the dam site.

The Hawker hotel is next door and I took a couple pics of that. The last time we were up in town we bought pizza from there and Lindy mentioned that they might be expanding their take-away menu as well.

We were going to leave at 4:00pm but it was nearer 5:30 before we did so. I intended to stop and take more pics on the way back home but due to our late departure I wanted to get back home before 'roo o'clock. Heather drove the Magna which was loaded up with potted plants and I had the bike to myself.
The return trip was 288 kms all up and the fuel gauge hadn't reach halfway (usually 250kms). Most of the way up we had a tail wind which was the same headwind I had going back home. With Heather not yet used to the car the ride home was closer to 80/90 kph as I followed her. All up we had a good day and the only expense was the $27 cost for the bike fuel as lunch was provided and there wasmore than enough fuel in the car to get back home.

Steamtown Heritage Rail Centre Peterborough, South Australia

This morning (1st December 2013) we went on what was one of our shortest rides ever. The local rail museum had their open day for cost of $2.00 so both Heather and I decided that after living in Peterborough for the last three years that it was about time we visited the place.

Peterborough is one of two places in the Southern Hemisphere where three different rail gauges can still be seen.

History of  The Peterborough Railway Division

http://www.johnnyspages.com/rail_dittys_files/sar_history.htm.

In the car park

500 Class Diesel

 Driving Controls

 

 Several shots showing the engine system.

Three cylinder air compressor up front.

 Front of the motor showing drive shaft to the compressor

 500 horsepower turbocharged 4 cylinder diesel engine

 Rearward of the engine is the generator which supplies power to the traction motors.

 

South Australian T class steam engine

Various rail vehicles used by the ganger crews for track maintenance. Most were able to be lifted off the rails by the workers so the line could be kept clear to allow trains to continue to run.

 

1938 Morris inspection car.

Used for track inspection and also used to deliver pays for workers at various rail stations when needed.

This carriage is used for a light show and sits on a triple gauge turn table

The control position for the turn table and you can see the different rail gauges eith side of the steps

A sample of the different track gauges used in South Australia

Inside one of the Club Cars

A cabin in one of the sleeper cars

Inside a Mothers and Babies Health Service car.

Accommodation for the nurse

Overland Corner Hotel RTE/ Lake Bonney Overnighter

What was originally going to be a day ride over to the Overland Corner Hotel turned out to be a little different than it was planned to be. My dad was going to meet us at the hotel but he was unable to make it so our day trip turned into an over night stop.

Our route map http://goo.gl/maps/zpE14

On Wednesday (13^th November) it was decided that we would load up the trailer and camp beside Lake Bonney at Barmera after our clubs RTE at the hotel. I spent a couple days organising what to put in the trailer and that the tyre air pressures were ok. The bike’s tyres were also checked as they hadn’t been done for a couple weeks.

Saturday morning came and at 8:50 am we left home and headed off towards Burra for a drink and stopped in a rest stop just out of town. The first hour and 90 kms down the road was done. 

Heather standing beside the trailer.

Another 81 kms to go to Morgan and plenty of time to do it in and back on the road by 10:10am and 50 minutes later we stopped on Fourth Street Morgan to wait for the group coming up from the city (Adelaide).

Whilst waiting for the riders from Adelaide we noticed a few bikes come into town from the way we had come in. There were seven or eight bikes, a couple Harleys, a couple BMWs, one red ST1300 and a couple other bikes that I didn’t take much notice of. One of the members of this group was already an OzStoc member but he’d bought his car with the bike’s camper trailer in tow. It turns out this group of riders were from the Mallee Branch (Riverland area) of the Ulysses Club and they were on their way to Jamestown.

Some of the group that travelled up from Adelaide

 At midday we all left for the RTE destination at Overland Corner 68kms away.

I never managed to catch up with every one that turned up but we had a total of 11 bikes and 15 people turn up. Seven ST1300s, 2 ST1100As, I Harley and 1 BMW. Of the people, 12 were from SA, 2 from Victoria and 1 from NSW.

The hungry mob at that the table

 After the meal I took some pictures of the bikes in the hotel car park before they headed off on their various routes home and Heather and I headed for our camp site beside the lake.

I almost forgot to get the flag shot

This ones better.

Two Honda ST1300's that arrived earlier than the rest of us. The owner of one on the right had completed an IBA ride the night before after having ridden from NSW

 Just a few pictures of our camp site beside Lake Bonney where we had a SE wind for all the time we were there. Dad did manage to visit us for a little while.

On Sunday morning we packed everything back in the trailer and headed for our fuel stop at Waikerie. Coles Express is there and we had an 8 cent per litre discount voucher so might as well use it. For the 298.9 kms we’d ridden from home the bike took 19.56 litres or 15.28K/L which for a loaded trailer and two riders is quite good.

After Waikerie we went on the road south of the River Murray to Morgan where after crossing the ferry we stopped at the bakery and bought a pie for Heather and a pasty for me.

 An hour later we were in Burra and as we entered the town the group of bikes we’d seen the day before in Morgan were just leaving. We parked at the rest stop in town and while there I took a couple pics of what I could see.

Bridge across the creek. Normally has some water but emptied to take out the rubbish.

Burra Art Gallery

Burra Town Hall

Burra Rest Stop

Looking towards the main street shopping area

 A couple on a BMW went passed and a few minutes later came back and stopped beside us. They wanted to know about the trailer but thought it was a camper trailer. No, we’re not that rich, we put a tent up instead. Of all the Beemers we saw over the weekend all but one were tourers with boxer motors and one was a GS.

We were in Burra for about 45 minutes before leaving for the uneventful final 88 kms home were we arrived at just after 1:00pm. It is 207.5 kms from Waikerie to home the way we went so all up we did 506.4 kms for the trip.

This was also the first trip we’ve had with the trailer after replacing the rear shock. The initial setting of 3 on the rebound for the Progressive shock seemed ideal for the load we had and two riders.