Mon 22 Oct - Jamestown SA

Early morning wake up at 6am... to a very chilly morning.

Early start because we plan to cycle the Riesling Trail today, Auburn to Clare which is some 25 km one way, and possibly back again.

We arrived in Auburn at 8.15am to pick up our bicycles, way before the agreed time at 9am. That meant that we had time for a cup of coffee (nice, on the highway at Cygnet at Auburn).

One minute or so past 9am, the bicycle hire owner Judy arrived (business hours on the door said 8.30am open for business each day, but hey...).

After a bit of fiddling around with different bikes, we were on our way.

Di was a bit shaky on the wheels (not a well practiced rider) and still not feeling too well, she did about 4 km and then turned around to go back to Auburn (a bit weak).

Hans continued all the way to Clare and back to Auburn, with Runkeeper telling us that the distance covered ended up being around 53 km.

Absolutely fantastic landscape. Vines and Wheat are the key produce around here. Given that the Riesling Trail is an old disused and now converted train track, it is reasonably leveled and also on a "ridge" a lot of the time meaning that you have great views of the landscape around you.

We would recommend spending a day doing this to anybody. You would not regret it. If going one way maybe start at Clare because it is more downhill rolling.

A couple of magpies did a bit a swooping, but they didn't get close enough to do any harm. The bike was OK, but not brilliant, it needed oil and the chain got loose once. Di said her bike was excellent, a very different (girly) style.

After handing back the bike and helmet at the post office (as you do), we headed north to Jamestown, around 80 km away from Auburn.

No motels in Jamestown, so we did pub accommodation at the Commercial Hotel (there is always one in each town). Cheap rate, but shared bathroom (who cares? Just like camping grounds). A lovely little town, Jamestown, and it seems quite prosperous.

A note; a pint here is a schooner in Sydney and a schooner here is a middy in Sydney. Now, we foolishly believed that a pint an imperial measurement, but clearly not here.

We are now waiting for the kitchen to open up at 6pm as neither did have lunch today. A couple of beers along the way would help the wait. Di, of course, could not help herself and went up to the counter to ask questions of the publican that all the other punters would hear and so the conversations started. In particular, it was this redshirted guy in an interesting white beard (like one of the 7 dwarves) who could not help chatting with Di... over and over again. Hans is giggling on the inside.

Dinner..., but first a visit to the restroom for Hans.

Why do I mention that here? Well, 2 funny things happened on the way to Rome.

1. You follow the signs for toilets and men and you end up... Outside, at the public toilets accessible from the side street.

2. Di earlier wanted a slice of lemon with her Coke. They claimed that they didn't have any lemons left. Well. If you do walk outside to the Men's, next to it is a very mature and healthy looking.... Lemon tree, with... Lots of lemons on it.

Finally, a pic of our hotel, Commercial, and of Jamestown at dusk.

 

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