Monday 22 September 2014

I loaded up Ruby and left Adelaide yesterday. Although I have considerably less luggage than my last trip to Oz, it still takes my two panniers, a top box and another small bag to carry it all, so looking at a picture it doesn't look like I have much less than I had before.

Australia 2014 - (4) Adelaide to Port Augusta

Nevertheless, although needing a bit more power to get started, Ruby stepped up to the task admirably. Having said that, I struggled to get her over 90 km/h but after a top speed of 80 km/h on the Postie Bike, 90 feels like I'm racing along.

It wasn't just the bike that was slow though, I wasn't really ready to leave Adelaide. After all the rushing around, I could have done with a day to recover, but I didn't want to be trying to find my way out of the city first thing on a Monday morning so I reckoned a Sunday departure would be better. And it was, but I found I was reluctant to do any long distances and kept stopping for fuel or sight-seeing breaks.

I took the same route out of Adelaide as I did last time as I wanted to see the pink lake again (which wasn't as pink) but it was a busy road and it would have been better to have gone through the Flinders Ranges.

I've been missing my Postie Biker friends. It's strange waking up on my own again and not having a tired, smiling face staring back at me. Not to worry, should see one of them when I arrive in Alice Springs in a few days.