Willunga to Adelaide (Brighton Beach)

FF Day 3: Willunga to Adelaide 44 kms

We stayed over night at the bottom of Willunga Hill. It features in the Tour Down Under. 

Richie Porte holds the record for climbing the 3km 7% gradient hill in just over 6 minutes. I offered Ray the opportunity to test his skills by riding up it, while I would enjoy a coffee at the bottom. For some reason, he declined.

It was the last day of the journey on a rail trail and with the wind behind us - easy peasy. We passed through McLaren Vale, where there were some cafes adjacent to the trail. So we decided to stop at the next cafe on the trail. Only trouble was, there weren't any.

And the wind decided to change direction, just to remind us that riding wasn't meant to be easy. There were also a few short but steep hills, where the train obviously didn't go. Nevertheless, we made it back to Brighton in time for a delicious lunch at Didy and Mick's. 

So we have completed 1,120 kms or the equivalent of riding from the Sunshine Coast to Sydney. Nothing went wrong with the bikes, not even a puncture, which is a minor miracle considering all the rough gravel roads we have traversed. We didn't get lost, which is a major miracle and a first for us. 

Now that all those hills, gravel roads and trails are behind us, I just hope Ray doesn't get the idea to actually ride from the Sunshine Coast to Sydney. Catch you all on our next adventure after summer.

Pics

Railway cuttings have quite a bit of charm. There were a number of these types of cuttings on the initial part of the Coast to Vines Rail Trail

If you need funding for stuff, get it built with a road. Artworks, perfect surfaces, solid as a rock. IN this case: The fish are that way------>

Yes, that way <------------

The inspiration for blankets: The Onkaparinga River

Ride Notes

• This was pretty much a rail trail
• There were a number of diversions so perhaps a little hillier than a normal trail, but easy all the same.
• If you were interested, there are quite a few side trails to other attractions, eg wineries
• If you want a coffee, grab it at the Willunga end as they are sparse as you enter the suburbs.
• The first part is pretty scenic, but the second half is more or less through beachside suburbs, but if the beach is your thing....