28 Mile Crossing to Lucindale

April 25, 2021

It cleared up enough to get this beautiful sunrise. A fitting beginning for ANZAC Day.

Then back into my tent for breakfast and pack up as it rained again. The forecast is improving as the week goes on.

The plan is to ride into Kingston, charge my battery at a park known to have power in the toilets then ride onto Lucindale, approx 100kms all up.

The shortcut track back onto the B1 is rough and muddy. At least I can walk my bike, my car wouldn't have made it.

Traveling along the B1 was much as yesterday. I've decided I don't want to play with trucks so I skip out onto the gravel when they pass. Luckily there was only 2 going my way all morning.

10kms out from Kingston the ebike battery was flat ☹️ and cue the headwind increasing. I was pushing to ride at 16kms/hr. Yes, you can ride an ebike without the power but it's harder than a standard bike because the clutch also adds resistance plus the additional weight. I was really happy to make it to Kingston.

It was going to take me almost 3 hrs to ride to Lucindale so I had to leave Kingston by 2pm so as to not be cycling to close to sunset at 5:30pm. As I'm sitting in the park eating lunch waiting for the battery to charge I wasn't at all certain that it would be charge enough to leave at 2.

Apex park, nice spot. Plus power in the toilets.

I checked how the charging was going at 1:15, it looked good. I tucked the battery behind the rubbish bin so it can keep charging and rode to the supermarket for supplies. I tend to trust most people will do the right thing and no one had been to the toilets in the hour I was having lunch. Surely a low risk situation.

Shopping done, battery mostly charged. Time to ride out to Lucindale.

No shoulder on this road. But maybe kangaroos. Traffic was very light and considerate. No trucks!

An echidna crossed the road, you don't often see that. So I had to get a photo.

There are lots of bushes lining the road to Lucindale. Made me think it's been planted or regenerated, I like it. It's also cattle country judging by the signs on lots of peoples driveways.

Banksia and others natives. I can also hear lots of little birds. It's a very pleasant piece of road.

I stopped to get a photo of the Black Angus calves, as they are cute. I swear the horse moved to be in the shot.

As I got closer to Lucindale the road side was all burnt out from a fire earlier this year. It was in the news at the time, but it made more of an impression in person, just how big it was.

Finally I made it to Lucindale, very tired. As I started to set up camp the drizzle returned, nooo!!

Note: if I was doing Meningie to Kingston again I would stop in Kingston for the night. I missed seeing much of Kingston due to the time pressures and I think it deserved more time.

Today's ride: 104 km (65 miles)
Total: 421 km (261 miles)

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Mike AylingDid you manage to charge your battery at all between Meninge and Kingston?
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2 years ago

Brianna DallTo Mike AylingNo, I wasn't able to charge between Meningie and Kingston. This was always a stress point in my planning, so I wasn't at all surprised when the battery ran out. I have a Bosch PowerPack 500 for reference.
The only place you could charge would be policeman's point if you booked a room there.
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2 years ago

Mike AylingTo Brianna DallAFAICR it is about 160 km on road between those two places, maybe more as you went into the Coorong so well done with your battery choice and your use thereof. Now make sure you have a full charge when you get to Lavers Hill!

Mike
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2 years ago

Jenni DallDon't I recall a solar panel being involved in the gear? Or was it my imagination? Or is it too cloudy to do anything?
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2 years ago

Brianna DallTo Jenni DallYes I have a small solar panel that at least in theory will charge my phone or power bank as I ride. A solar panel big enough to charge the bike would be considerably bigger and cost in the order of $900, plus it would take a big chunk of the day to charge the bike. There is also the option of carrying a second battery, it's a similar cost and weight to solar. Saying all that people due do it , but not me.
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2 years ago