As mentioned in a discussion earlier this week I set out on Friday morning for Murray Bridge. The route, Gorge Road, Gumeracha, Mt Pleasent, Keyneton, Sedan, Murray Bridge. I ride to Murray Bridge quite regularly as my wife has family there and we enjoy the break and their company and I like to try differant routes, this time I wanted to go down Sedan Hill. I rode up Sedan Hill on Grand Slam 5 and really wanted to ride the descent.

I had intended on getting an early start, 05.30ish as I found that to be beneficial in the BUPA ride by making use of the cooler hours of the day. Unfortunately I had to work on the Thursday, a 15 hour shift, on my feet all day, so it was closer to 0630 before I left home. The ride out as far as Keyneton was all good and enjoyable but the ride up to the top of Sedan hill was much longer and steeper than expected, (I don't recall there being a downhill when I came the other way). In addition the relatively light cross cooling breezes that I had been enjoying were now a steady warm head wind and going down the hill it was a strong persistant head wind. From Sedan onward I was feeling the heat, stopped at Cambrai for a cool drink and didn't feel the usual refreshing invigoration one would normally hope for but onward I continued. Also found the road surprisingly undulating given that I was riding parallel to a river but then when I later checked a map I found I wasn't as close as I thought. Some 10kms further on and I realised that my calculation on distance was also faulty by about 30kms. Fortunately I am not totally irresponsible and the escape plan was initiated via a phone call to my brother in law who drove out to meet me about 10kms after I had passed through Punthari. As a matter of interest if anybodies looking to buy some interesting out of the way real estate there is a nice looking converted church on the market in Punthari with it's very own modern sculpture park.

So it's a DNF but for the most part an enjoyable ride. Started getting hot foot a few kms before I was picked up but no after ride physical issues, even managed to sit through War Horse at the cinema without falling asleep and slept really well Friday night. I will probably give it another go but need to get some more solo long distance riding in first, theres a world of differance between riding 140km + on a community organised ride and riding solo.

Saw Rick and friend at Cudlee Creek and waved, appologies for not stopping but at that point I was on a mission.

Oh and by the way I still think the downhill into Palmer is by far the best downhill in SA