March 24, 2024
Back To The Vineyards
Moana to McLaren Vale
Moana has a reputation as a hooner's paradise, so I would have been disappointed had I not been woken at some stage in the night by the squeal of tyres and the revving of engines. Rolling over and going back to sleep was made somewhat more difficult by the caravan park's injudicious placement of extremely bright lights such that I could, had I wanted to, have read the newspaper at 2am merely by the light that blazed through the walls of the tent. I was quite cold around the edges too, despite my multiple layers of clothing and the (clean) undies which I used as a blindfold to quell the blazing night-light. Thankfully the hooners all slept in, so in the early morning I was able to enjoy a walk on a hoon-free beach with no danger of being squashed by an errant 4WD. I watched the sun rise as people much older (and tougher) than me leapt enthusiastically into the chilly waters for their sunrise swim.
With two days until Roger picked me up at McLaren Vale and barely 10km to cycle to get there, the day proceeded at a leisurely pace. I backtracked to Port Noarlunga to wander through the Onkaparinga reserve on my roundabout way to McLaren Vale.
Unfortunately my sweet little path ended with stiles that demanded I fully unload my bike to pass through, and that was just too much effort for my low-effort day. I went back to the Coast to Vines rail trail instead, and followed it happily through the vineyards all the way to McLaren Vale.
Unlike their Gawler cousins, McLaren Vale Lakeside caravan park was more than happy for me to pitch my tent on a patch of grass. They even gave me some vouchers for discount coffees downtown which, given I'm spending the next six weeks in McLaren Vale, will be handy. Although I'll have to share them with Roger, I suppose.
I set up camp, explored the main street, took a quick nap in my tent, and before I knew it the day was over and I was trying to look like I cared who won the football, given that football aficionados had occupied the camp kitchen and it wasn't possible to avoid seeing the game. Port Adelaide won, the football aficionados left to carouse and celebrate (or weep) with glasses of wine back at their caravans, and I watched the sun set while flocks of corellas and cockatoos wheeled in to roost. I've been smart today: my sweaty bandana is already washed and dried and ready to act as a blindfold against the full moon. No undies on my head tonight!
Today's ride: 23 km (14 miles)
Total: 158 km (98 miles)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 7 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 2 |