Reverse, well almost, reverse Mawsons Meet.

Start of the day couldn’t really be arsed with a ride and decided to make it a short one.

Legs not feeling it, we set off down Dry Creek to the usual piss stop then on through to Bridge Road.

Down Dry Creek, still not feeling it, on towards the Torrens, down the road with the intension of turning around at the café and riding the single track back up. However, best laid plans and all that……

Down the Torrens under the pigeon shit bridge and on as much dirt/grass as possible before crossing the river just before Walkerville to take the single track. Always a nice bit of single track away from the bitumen.

Food, coffee, service and banter (nothing to be taken seriously, all said in jest) made it a good stop at Va Bene.

Plan to ride back the way we came went out the window and off up the river we went.

Came across a nice lady who enquired about the bikes we were riding. Totally different to the women/people we come cross at Walkerville.

Up to the Aqueduct trail until we hit the fencing which was due to an outbreak of Giant Scale. All the pine trees have been chopped down just as they were further up the trail. Shame really, it’s going to look like a baron wasteland for a number of years.

Off the Aqueduct Trail and navigating the roads through to Hope Valley reservoir where more pine trees have been removed due to the Giant Scale.

Back up Dry Creek, or is it down to Mawson Lakes to complete the ride which ended up at 58 km.

Was it the good food fueling up or the good company that picked me up? I guess a bit of both. Really enjoyed it in the end.

Cobblers New Shorts.

Cobber loop today starting with a ride up Cobblers Creek. A quick ride down the berms before climbing to the top of the ruins loop and encountering wide women walking their dogs unleashed. The fire road at the top of the climb is really wide but they managed to fill it.

Onward to Golden Grove and down dry Creeks usual trails. Coffee/refreshments at the Fabulous Bakery Boys bakery at Pooraka. Coffee and food great as usual, although some complaints about the coffee resulted in a voucher for one rider. Can’t please everyone.

Back up the bike path to the Paddocks, across Main North Road, up the side of the golf course to Mawson Lakes.

Since the train line was electrified the normally accessible dirt track was closed of at one end so it was pointless to ride down it. However about halfway up the bike path there is a bit of a weir that can be traversed with a little hike over the wall. So today I decided to take the ride over to the dirt and have made a Strava segment to the train station. Segment is called Wrong side of the water.

Usual, uneventful ride up to Salisbury and back to the Golf Club.

Great ride, great weather and great company on this 50km ride.

Shorts passed the test too hehe.

Torrens Trekking

Back at the Brickworks and a lovely day for a ride.

Joined today by Jim n Julie, Jim on his crash test bike hehe.

Down the usual single tracks and up some normally down trail. Grass growing over the edges of the, getting even deeper, single-track rut making any lack of attention a chance to be chucked off the bike.

After weaving through one section riders appeared out of the trees, one by one, laughing. Apparently, a pair of legs was spotted coming out of the long grass. Jim clipped a tree which sent him off track and into the long grass and sliding towards the river.

When he appeared from the trees he too was laughing. Unfortunately, he broke a few of the accessories bolted around the frame. They failed the crash test and showed the weak points that need strengthening for touring.

Everyone thought we were heading to the coast for coffee but I had other ideas. Not far from the beach we crossed the river and rode the trails. Back across to the other side and back tracked to the Brickworks, then onward through the Golf Course, while we still can. Up the Torrens to Walkerville for coffee and refreshments.

While we were up this end a quick ride up and back of the single track on the edge of the river.

Still haven’t got to grips with the dirt tracks at St Peters Billabong but found one short section. Not a great deal of trails here I know but I try to eek out as much dirt as poss before councils, everywhere, either pave or close them off.

Back to the Brickworks.

Great ride, great fun and perfect weather. Unfortunately, I didn’t start the Hammerhead so the ride was about 35 km ish.

Random Roaming.

Appropriate title for this one, very random.

No particular route planned so just followed the front wheel down the Little Para trying to tie in all the bits of dirt without back tracking too much.

Path under Port Wakefield Road had a piece of metal fencing in the way for some, I didn’t see it, run into it, at all. Strange for me not to see it, too busy looking where I wanted to be or eyes were painted on.

We had a bit of a look around the trails where sheep used to graze before the North South motorway was built. Some of the fencing has been removed but for the most part all gates were locked. What a waste of grazing land.

With a threat of Krispy Cremes coffee stop we had a roam around the trails before heading back the way we came.

I wanted to have a look for a trail linking Dry and Broad Creeks, where the ship wrecks are, without riding down the crappy Tappawareva cycle path and doubling back.

First look under the bridge wasn’t too promising to cross the water so we took the rocky track to the other side of Dry Creek, bugger, no way under the motorway. Haven’t given up yet further exploration will happen before writing it off.

So we ended up on the salty plains, there used to be a single track but it was either over grown or dropped off into the creek. Even so we kept as near as possible to the old trail where we cam across a rather angry Blue Tongue. Little bugger stood his ground and wasn’t moving so we edged around leaving him to bake in the sun.

Eventually we came out at the old salt pans bridge and onwards to coffee, crepe and cake.

With a threat of a long wait we said bugger it and stayed. Coffees came out way too early for the food, that’s why I like mine in a take away cup, but the wait wasn’t too long. Food was good as usual and the service rather pleasant for a change.

Have to mention two of my favourite riders I have known while running rides over the years, Rhonda and Brian. They turned up not long after us but decided the wait was too long. Good to see them both together again, usually see them one at a time.

Coffee done, up the train line we went. I paused to mention a small building you can see from the train with lightning bolts painted on it with the word Wolves in between (make of that what you will). A little further on and the graffiti on the small building was on all sides and can be seen from the trail.

Up the train line past the Salisbury station where the mating calls of the local inhabitants rang out, yeehnaa get facked mate. Who said Salisbury wasn’t cultured.

Usual to the golf club to end the 35km roaming for this week. Good but different as Aldi would say.  

Southern Outing.

Back down South for a revisit of old stomping grounds. Destination OHH and surrounding trails, been a while.

Following the train line to the Sturt river until we hit the bottom of Marion road. Mostly off road on bitumen paths until we got to the Pipeline climb, gravel. A bit of a grind up the gravel but steady does it to the bottom of O’Halloran Hill mtb trails.

Once on OHH it’s all dirt, lovely dirt, trails.

Another steep climb up and over the Out The Back trail ending up at the tunnel. Wiggles, Connector, Haarsmas, Dam Revamp to Upstart. Every mtb park should have an Upstart trail, a great set of switchbacks that allow for a less strenuous climb out of the valley floor to the top of the park.

It’s the first time we have been on the upgraded Majors Road. Bike path and multiple traffic light to negotiate to get to Glenthorne National Park. Down to the bottom then up the other side before exiting across the main road.

We usually go right but today I decided to run the loop in reverse and went left. Along the edge of Happy Valley res for about a km then heading down the Enchanted Forest and Minkara Park.

It’s time to seek out a coffee stop with Aberfoyle Park the intended destination.

After weaving through trails and streets we came across the Tennis Club which had a nice cool breeze wafting through the open doors. We decided to give it a go and sit inside out of the sun. The coffee was nice but not a good selection of snacks let it down, although, the toasties were good. Probably not a group stop, but, hey we tried.

Back inside the Happy Valley Reservoir we took a longish way along the edge of the water before riding along the dam wall to exit this section. The trail continues outside the fence to take us back to Glenthorne.

Same amount of up and downs but it felt a lot easier riding the opposite direction. Was it really, who knows.

Through Glenthorne and across OHH it was starting to feel rather warm. Still nice single tracks to get back to the Down the Pipe Line trail. It is always satisfying to ride down, especially after the slog up.

Back along the Sturt River, interestingly it felt way cooler with a slight breeze which made it a nicer ride back to the start.

Always enjoy this ride route, it has a bit of everything but not too hard.

A solid 50 km and 600 m elevation gain.

Ride Change to Cobblers,

Change of ride today to trail a new figure 8 ride on mixed surfaces and terrain. Well, that was the intension anyway but the best laid plans of mice n men…….

Started off well with a ride up the Ruins single track climb, over the top and down to Wynn Vale Dam. Along Dry Creek to Mcintyre Road and up the path on the left-hand side of the road, never ridden on this side so I decided to check it out.

Once at the top we crossed over to the Golden Way and after a short ride hooked a left onto the fire trails of the gullies.

About 500m from Wynn Vale Drive one of the guys had a tyre explosion, he was a short distance behind us so we stopped and waited. Unfortunately, the temperature started to rise and by the time we met up again we could feel the heat. Tyre still punctured and with two plugs inserted earlier only one plug remained. I inserted another plug but on inflation they both started to blow out. The split in the tyre was a little too wide to keep the plugs in place and only managed a partial seal.

We rode across Wynn Vale Drive and the punctured rider decided to call it a day heading down the road, back to his car.

Pepper Mint Gully, I think, has some steep/loose climbs and descents and one of the descents claimed a rider at the very bottom. No injury but a strange problem with the front brake, hard lever and brakes binding. So I cracked the bleed screw on the lever, with the help of a Sram Multi Tool (thanks mate) and let some oil out which fixed the problem.

Off we went again and hit a few steep climbs. With the temperatures rising and a few riders feeling the heat we decided to can the rest of the planned route and head for a coffee/refreshment stop.

Lucky for us the Milk + Honey café was close by so we stopped there. Refreshments were great and the shaded outdoor area was a perfect place to refresh. I decided we would head down the road back to Cobblers the same way the earlier rider left us, but we were a lot higher up and it would be good to coast down to the bottom, or so I thought.

Wynn Vale Drive is a steep road with a few roundabouts and some straight through roundabouts to slow drivers. We set off down the road through the roundabouts with turn offs at a pretty high speed, around 50kmph. As I approached one of the “straight through” roundabouts there was a large black 4X4 parked in the middle of the road. The driver was on his mobile, I slowed to pass and gesture to the driver WTF. He set off, pulled in front of me and started gesturing at me. So, I gave him the wanker gesture, rightly or wrongly, upon which he swerved in front of me and slammed his brakes on, bear in mind steep road, he purposely swerved in front of me and brake checked me several times. I locked my wheels on one occasion and skidded. Fuck this I thought and hit the pavement instead.

Entitled wanker, one of the guys got his rego but no point going to the cops, entitled wanker!!

Anyway, road rage over, we returned to Cobbler.

A good ride, 26 Km with 500m elevation gain, shortened by unfortunate events. We will do the full figure 8 in cooler weather.

Heat Beater, Beaten.

With a weather forecast of extreme temperatures, 40c plus, I consulted the BOM app and figured we could just about fit in a reasonable ride before it got too hot. One problem it would mean starting at 6.30, sunrise.

I updated the web page, emailed/txt messaged all the regular suspects the early start time and ended up with a trio of willing participants or nutcases depending how you look at it hehe.

Destination today was Café VaBene so off we went just as the Eye of Sauron was peeking over the horizon.

From the start I had decided to keep in the shadows as much as possible so most of the trails were low on the creeks and river sides. So we swerved some of the usual single tracks we usually follow.

We got down to Walkerville, passing a long train of roadies, or were they gravelists, same thing, before turning back up the Torrens to Bene. Still keeping out of the direct sunlight. The short section of single track along the river was dusty but near the end was thick mud. Hmm must be a leaking drain or spring, it’s only appeared over the last year so who knows.

We got to the café at 8.15, problem was it doesn’t open until 8.30 (piss weak planning on my behalf) so we waited for it to open. Being first in meant the service was quick and the food and coffee was as good as ever. I think we should have a list of topics not to discuss but that would go against my beliefs of freedom of speech so fuck it hehe.

As we left the café and got some direct sunlight the temp was definitely rising. So, we head up the Torrens single track to the start of the Highbury Aqueduct trail. The steepish climb from the river up to the road was hot, not a breath of wind but once over the top to the reservoir there was a reasonable breeze.

With the trail closed at the top of the reservoir, due to Giant Scale and tree felling, there was no point heading up so across the bottom it was.

Back up the Obahn and down Dry Creek taking the direct track and trails back to Mawson lakes.

So with a ride of 50 km and the temp not too high I think it was mission accomplished. As always the decision to start early or cancel is always a hard one for me. I kick myself if I cancel due to forecast temps and the predictions are wrong.

At the end of the day, it’s night. It was a good ride after all.

Creeking Cobblers.

First ride of 2026 and after a week of stinkin hot weather Saturday was heaps cooler.

Not much out of the ordinary to report, no crashes, no abuse (except between ourselves).

Suffering with a 3rd degree burn on the foot and legs one twitch away from being pretzels, too much hard graft at home the previous days, off we go.

Clockwise loop was the order of the day so up the Cobblers, via usual tracks/trails and down the other side to Wynn Vale.

Usual Dry Creek to Pooora-ka-k-ka-ka ride to the Fabulous Bakery Boys for refreshments.

After some noice coffee, food and banter/piss taking, we set off again. Instead of the usual route back we headed up to the Paddocks, across Main North Road to Mawson Lakes.

Up the train line and back to the start. It was pointed out we hadn’t stopped for the entire ride, apart from traffic lights and coffee.

As I said at the start a rather un eventful ride. Nevertheless a great ride, with a great bunch, luckily no cramps on the 50km loop and no one took offence at my “dry as a dead dingos donger” sarcastic sense of humour, afaik.