Adelaide (with Barossa Valley) and 100. birthday of my grandaunt !

I arrived in Adelaide on Nov. 11th. time to have a rest and I achied my most important goal in Australia, visiting my grand aunt, Maggie, who is 99 years young :-)
Well, she is such a lovely old lady with a big sense of humor and it was a big pleasure to see her again after 2010.

I had a rental car and did some sightseeing, brought my bike to the service Bio-Mechanics Cycles and Repair and had a good time. On one day I visited the beautiful Barossa Valley, a hugh wine region. here a short video from a lookout , with sculpture garden. and do not forget to listen to the "lovely" wind ;-)

On Nov. 20th I started to cycle to Melbourne, along the Great Ocean Road. you will find this part on an extra post.

Coming back to Adelaide on Dec 16th, it was only a few days to the great event, the party of my grand aunts 100. birthday. Three years ago, when I did the planning for my long trip, this special day was on my schedule for sure.
50 people joined her big day and it was terrific ! I met more of my relatives and other Germans from Mannheim (where I had been living for 20 years), who immigrated to Australia.  So big un !
In the evening we had dinner with Maggie, and she was so still active. not any sign of becoming tired. Incredible :-)

birthday card from the Queen

birthday card from the Australian Prime Minister.

some more pics of Adelaide and from the Barossa Valley:

roos have to learn to ride a bicycle, this will reduce roadkills :-)

Pete, Lia & Andrew , from Bio-Mechanics in Adelaide. Thank you for check-up and fixing my new rim 1

Barossa Valley

sculpture garden at the lookout for Barossa Valley

my rental car, I got an upgrade for a VW Jetta :-)

French car (2 CV) , at Winery

Winery

many German names in the Barossa Valley

another fellow cyclists. Mete and Dagmar Alpay from www.alpaysontour.com.
Was great to meet them and have a safe trip !

Port Augusta to Adelaide

Port Augusta - Wilmington - Melrose - Gladstone - Clare Valley - Leasingham - Gawler - Adelaide

(3 bikedays, 336 km)

On Nov 11th, I left Port Augusta in direction to Wilmigton. Again, I had a strong headwind. I took the Old Wilmington road, quiet hilly and very rough asphalt. And the Horrocks Pass was waiting. it is only 500m upclimbing, but with headwind .....  the fun was very low.

When I arrived in Wilmigton, at the local cafe, I had a tasty pasty and a coffee, loading energy for the next 90k.
On a remoted road I cycled through a gorgeous landscape, and first time after the Nullarbor, I  did not listen to music from my iPhone anymore. I enjoyed the different voices of the birds, the good smell of the trees and plants (and not any more from decomposing kangaroos !).
Melrose is the oldest town in the Flinders Range and very beautiful.
I arrived at Gladstone, and stayed for one night there. a lovely caravan park with very friendly managers and two cude Border Collies.
The next day I headed of to Clare Valley, a hugh wine regions and spent the night in Leasingham.
I cycled through Gawler and I arrived in Adelaide on Nov 13th, my most important destination on this trip.

Currently (Dec 7th) I am in Apollo Bay on the Great Ocean Road (Adelaide to Melbourne, Road B100) . Due to my great grandaunts 100. birthday in two weeks, I will be back in Adelaide in a few days. Update of my blog about Adelaide, Barossa Valley and the Great Ocean Road is coming soon.

Please be patient :-) 

Have a great time and we keep in touch !

very rough asphalt and headwind after leaving Port Augusta

from sealevel up to 500m altitude

on the way to Wilmingtom

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old houses in Melrose

olive trees

I love Border Collies :-)

"Booyoolee" was the former name of Gladstone

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this shop is run by a German man, now Australian resident for 35 years. interesting conversation

vineyards in the Clare Valley

beer and wine tasting in Leasingham.