MELROSE SA
DAY 50
GLADSTONE - MELROSE
64.7 km
Total Time: 09.00 – 15.00 (6h)
Time on Bike: 3h 47m 53s
Max. Speed: 37.7 km/h
Av. Speed: 17 km/h
Surprises continue to flow, but first a weather report.
In a word: shithouse.
That’s 2 words really, joined together, but the point is made.
I actually rode today because conditions in Gladstone were quite acceptable when I decided to leave.
Plenty of rain about but the wind had backed off, which counted for a whole lot more.
I made some pretty good time with a few downpours along the way and finally 20 km short of Melrose, a howling tailwind out of nowhere came along for the ride with copious approval from this cold, wet traveller.
Worse luck, the final 5 into Melrose were upwards and wet but not to complain.
Melrose is a small village at the foot of Mount Remarkable, an impressive lump of rock that rises out of the Southern Flinders Ranges, around 300 km north of Adelaide.
Impressive enough to be visible from more than 50 kilometres in every direction and also impressive enough to be scaled in the right conditions.
Slush and mud are best left for someone else, so I’m indoors drying out.
I’m staying in a backpackers for only the second time around, which also happens to be part of the local caravan park set up.
For $15 there’s a bed and some interesting folk about.
There’s a gathering here of the South Australian Vincent Owners Club – 20 or so fanatics that have sadly had their fun ruined by crap weather this weekend.
The Vincent is a classic British motorbike from the 40’s and 50’s that are now worth a small squillion for the dedicated fanciers who own them.
There was a whole lot of biking talk going on but also a deal of curiosity about my little solo venture.
I resisted a few well-meaning offers to hook up a Vincent 500-single to the back of my little beast but not on an offer to join them all for dinner at the town’s nicest pub – especially since they were paying.
The pub was the warmest building in town by some distance and by home time, the consensus was that the weather had gone from worse to much worse.
No more riding this weekend.
And in these conditions, I will probably stay put myself.
Forecasts for Monday are somewhat more conducive for human activity so this will have to be it.
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1 comment:
It was good meeting you as well Vaughan, and those of us from the Vincent Club that had opportunity to check out your "low Rider" admire your dedication to your "hobby", particularly in bad weather. Our dedication not so as we kept the Vincents in the covered trailers & decided to stay indoors socialising with a few drinks for the weekend. Will follow your travels with interest, safe riding. Judy (Vincent Club of SA)
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