An early start for us today, it was going to be a bit warmer, and we are prepared for the uphill ride to Burra. Basically the first 40kms today would be uphill. Gulnare is at 283mtrs, and our highest point today is 549mtrs. So after a delicious (Not) breakfast of muesli, no cuppa's, and a quick pack up, we hit the first uphill of 3kms. It wasn't very steep, and we just took it easy to the false top (it just flattened out a bit). Spalding is only about 18 kays away, and after ten, we found two options to get off the road. One was a part of the Mawson Trail (SA's version of the Mundabiddi), and the other a dirt farm road following the pipeline. We chose the second one, as the Mawson Trail was a real track, and a bit longer. Our choice was not bad, but very hilly and a hard push. By the time we got to Spalding, we were sweating buckets, and ready to stop for a coffee.
Not sure what is happening here, but don't think it is sheering....
Just behind me is the Mawson Trail, and a the pipeline we're going to follow.
Finally got to the top of this dirt road, it was a bit hard.
Green crops, and Spalding. We're definitely below The Goyder Line.
Our main reason for stopping at Spalding was to visit The Barbed Wire Pub, which boasts the largest collection of barbed wire and fencing memorabilia. Gotta check that out! But, bugger, the pub didn't open until 12pm, so we'll have to come back another time. It does look like a very nice little town though.
Bloody closed! What now? Coffee and a toastie at the general store/cafe.
$1 bag of mixed lollies, so cool, just like when we were kids. Got some!
So many of these lovely old buildings in this region.
From Spalding, at 309mtrs, we are getting up another 240mtrs over the next 25kms, with no down hills in the middle. As we were plodding our way up the long hill, winding through some luscious farms, with full wheat, barley and hay crops, sweating our butts off, I was thinking about the "Goyder Hwy" that we were on, and where it got that name. I knew I'd heard of it, but kept thinking it was something rude and funny. I discovered, that I was thinking of Goiter, which is neither rude nor funny (It's swelling in the neck, caused by inflammation of the thyroid), oh! Goyder, comes from The Goyder Line, a line corresponding to a rainfall boundary believed to indicate the edge of the area suitable for agriculture. North of Goyder's Line, the rainfall is not reliable enough, and the land is only suitable for grazing and not cropping. George Goyder put this forward in 1865, with only 30yrs of farming experience, and it has proven to be accurate to this day. And it really shows in this area.
Below the pink line is cropping, above is better for grazing.
Ever so slightly uphill, slow, but great for checking out the sights.
Doesn't look it, but still going up.....
Almost there, only another ten metres up to go.....
I think that is the top......surely it is...
They are barely moving, just a breath of wind so far today, it is getting pretty warm.
This is it, 549mtrs! Thank god! Look at that slope down, can't wait.
With a few small breaks, we made our way to our highest point, of 549mtrs, and stopped to admire our downhill joy. We'd seen kangaroos in the fields, a "Ride & Drive " sprayer demo, and now we could roll, pedal lightly and cool off for the next 17kms into Burra. Yeeehaaa! We also had a light tailwind for most of it, until we turned onto the Barrier highway for the final 8 kays. It was a very nice reward.
Happy days, speed is up around the 30 mark, with light pedalling.....super!
We came into, what we thought was Burra, " Gees, I thought it was supposed to be a nice old town, this looks like little Alabama!". But we had only got to Burra North, which is the old copper mining section, and is still very industrial area looking. Another 2kms, and we found the lovely town of Burra, and it's pub. Of course. So we had a couple of cold drinks, cooled off and watched it rain very lightly, before finding the council caravan park, and getting sorted for a couple of nights stay. Just for a change, we met some other campers, and took over the camp kitchen, and spent a nice night chatting. This life is very tough, and not for everybody!
It says Burra, but it is actually Burra North....phew, not that pretty.
Remnants of the days of Copper Mining.
The Cornish have left their mark here, with this beautiful old church.
One of the pubs in town. We'll visit the other one tomorrow.
Kids out of the light rain, at the pub.....they're not drinking.
Will can always find a "hammer", everywhere we go......he's like McGiver!
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