Great ride with 14 riders venturing out on the ride. Great to see 14 riders making the effort to join Dene on his ride. This was important to show that as a club that we appreciate the effort Dene puts into finding and developing rides in interesting and different places. Great to have Sylvia join us now she does not have the pressure of her ironman training keeping her busy. Karin and her rode out to the ride and back completing over 100ks for the day. It was good to see Brenton and Richard again. We all met at the Koppio old school site at 9 am. After getting the bikes off of the vehicles Dene rounded us all up and off we went. We rode east from the school site past the rose nursery washaway and up a reasonable climb on a graded road uphill. This allowed us to glimpse in the distance the communications tower on Pillaworta Hill in the distance. This was to be the destination for the day. The sky was kind to us with a few clouds but no significant threat of rain. After regrouping on the top of the first hill we shot down pulling up at the bottom and turning left along the valley floor along the Farmers track heading North. Winding along the valley floor we made steady progress along a very picturesque valley with trees, scrub and open farmland presenting different vistas as we climbed gradually towards the hills. Numerous gates were encountered with Clem getting an opportunity to close several different varieties of cockies gates. During the last week it must have been windy in them thar hills as there was no shortage of sticks laying all over the track. At one stage a whole branch was laying across the track necessitating a dismount to negotiate.
Getting closer to the Tower we started a reasonable climb, rising in stages up the green hills past dams with sheep gazing at those strange things on wheels winding past. Rising to the crest of the ridge a stunning view over the farming country towards Tumby Bay opened up for us.
Numerous photos were taken here. Climbing along the ridge we continued to make our way up towards the communication tower and the trig point at the very top.
Numerous gates later, fourteen of us made it to the top. It was quite cool at the top with jackets being pulled on ready for the descent. Lots of photos were taken of the surrounding views. Leonie had completed her first climb.
A fast descent followed with everyone taking care on the Buckshot gravel sections that Dene had briefed us on at the top. Coming past the farmhouse at the bottom the farmers dog fell in love with us. Jeff picked him up and took him for a ride back to the farmer’s house. The little fellow would not stop at home and chased us for several kilometres down the road towards Koppio. He was very persistent and very fit. Back on the nicely graded road it did not take us long to ride back down the road to get back to the school grounds for one of Kingsley’s legendary lunches.
Here we had a nice feed and several cups of coffee in the nice sunshine out of the wind. It was great to have Faye and Georgia join us here as well to catch up.
A big thankyou to Dene for the time and effort he puts into our MTB rides. It was great to see lots of riders joining us to sample some of Dene’s planning and effort. Thanks to Kingsley for lunch.
Lets keep up the attendance of these rides in the future as it makes them great fun doing them together.
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