Crossing the Parachilna Gorge, we head to Alpana station for the night, and seen to have left the rain behind at last. The run from Blinman to Alpana is a bitumen treat after the gorge, a very pleasing undulating run with the prospect of a cold beer and a hot shower on arrival. Then on the next morning to Wilpena Pound and a rest day.
The vegetation in the flinders varies greatly, and the wildflowers are a sight to see as we traverse the country. There is an absence of road kill this time which makes for more pleasant riding. I presume this is because there is so much feed around and the animals don’t have to travel to get to it. We haven’t seem much wildlife at all, living or dead. That is we haven’t seen many animals, as we see plenty of birds and the birdsong is a joyous sound that accompanies us everywhere.
Rest day - another massage to start the day,
then a short walk to the old homestead and the lookout above it. Some of the riders head off to St Mary’s Peak, the higher lookout and a 20+K strenuous walk. I wonder what they think the word “rest” means? They do enjoy themselves though and was lyrical about the views from the Peak. The Pound is an extraordinary place, with a pretty primal feel to it, it looks like it is pushing upwards so it is a surprise to learn that what we see are the remnants of a much higher range of yore.
Rested we head back across 
the Willochra Plain on this side of the range back to Hawker. Here my sister Emma joins us for the night. She and Cameron are driving the same area and our paths cross. As a former tour cyclist several are pleased to see her turn up. I certainly am though I have my tent up and have missed the opportunity to sleep in the rather spacious camper trailer. Ah well.
It is hard to believe that the tour is coming to an end, one just seems to get underway and be enjoying oneself when the end starts to loom on the horizon. So we ride to Quorn for the last night dress up dinner, a last hurrah to cement new friendships and promises to see each other on the next ride - if not sooner. There is the offroad ride next year in the Flinders to look forward to in autumn. There is still a ride in the morning so I decide to call it a night early(ish).
I don’t know why exactly but I am more tired by this tour than I have felt in the past. Perhaps it is just not riding this year as much as I would like to, perhaps something else. Who knows? I take the short option in the morning and miss the ride over Horrock’s Pass. I know it would have been wonderful but it was also wonderful riding down the Pichi Richi valley. This time the Gulf is sparkling blue and the sun is warm. A fitting end to yet another adventure on the road.
Rob has arrived from Melbourne, and believe it or not we head back to Hawker for the night.....
then a short walk to the old homestead and the lookout above it. Some of the riders head off to St Mary’s Peak, the higher lookout and a 20+K strenuous walk. I wonder what they think the word “rest” means? They do enjoy themselves though and was lyrical about the views from the Peak. The Pound is an extraordinary place, with a pretty primal feel to it, it looks like it is pushing upwards so it is a surprise to learn that what we see are the remnants of a much higher range of yore.
Rested we head back across 
the Willochra Plain on this side of the range back to Hawker. Here my sister Emma joins us for the night. She and Cameron are driving the same area and our paths cross. As a former tour cyclist several are pleased to see her turn up. I certainly am though I have my tent up and have missed the opportunity to sleep in the rather spacious camper trailer. Ah well.
It is hard to believe that the tour is coming to an end, one just seems to get underway and be enjoying oneself when the end starts to loom on the horizon. So we ride to Quorn for the last night dress up dinner, a last hurrah to cement new friendships and promises to see each other on the next ride - if not sooner. There is the offroad ride next year in the Flinders to look forward to in autumn. There is still a ride in the morning so I decide to call it a night early(ish).
I don’t know why exactly but I am more tired by this tour than I have felt in the past. Perhaps it is just not riding this year as much as I would like to, perhaps something else. Who knows? I take the short option in the morning and miss the ride over Horrock’s Pass. I know it would have been wonderful but it was also wonderful riding down the Pichi Richi valley. This time the Gulf is sparkling blue and the sun is warm. A fitting end to yet another adventure on the road.
Rob has arrived from Melbourne, and believe it or not we head back to Hawker for the night.....
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