Day 5 Hawker to Warren Gorge, 91.92km, 5.01:01 hours, ave 18.31kmh, 497m ascent, 450m descent, max speed 40.88kmh, 17.8 degrees C, wind speed 22kph from NNE, left at 7.49 am. Mostly uphill.
This will turn out to be my longest km day. I left my brother and his wife at Hawker to commence this day out of town towards a saddle between the hills surrounding Hawker. A huge kangaroo lies on the side of the road hit by a car recently. The size of it would cause some damage and I see a Toyota bage on the road.
Its a cloudy day and rain clouds all around. I can feel sore hamstrings, sore back and of course sore butt.
Past the golf course withits black scrapes (instead of grass greens).Once over the saddle it was a straight , relatively flat and fast ride along Craddock Road averaging at least 21km /h. You ride along RM Williams Road, then over Wirreanda Creek and without going through town a right turn west along Springfield Road. I can see it goes up hill over the range but not that steepp to walk. Past the Springfield Station and through another closed gate it was a great downhill descent for over 5km, 20 minutes, the longest without peddalling and I just stand up and stretch the calves all the way. Once you hit the Crows Nest Creek, a dry wide creek bed it starts on rolling hills up and down. I have a break at the creek, drink and Carmens bars.
Restarting again I travel past a windmill I try to capture on film before crossing the Main Flinders Ranges bitumen road. The trail goes straight across then follows the Kayaka Creek before coming onto the flat and boring Gordon Road. This takes you past an old settlement long since abandoned that serviced the railway. A couple of cars, the second and third for the day travel past raising the dust. A right turn into headwind and uphill my bum cheeks are hurting and I cant wait for another break.
I arrive at Simonstown a long abandoned town that never got established as the rail line from Port Augusta to Quorn moved further east. Only the foundations is left of a 2 storey hotel. Its a barren plain and I get some drone action. It seems that not everything has been recorded so I need to get a new memory card in the next town of Quorn. On departing I turn right that leads me to a Station gate 800m and no Mawson Trail signs. I see the Heysen trail following the outside of the fence and realise that i have taken another wrong turn.
Back to the main road , a little short cut to continue on the main road past Willochra Creek which has water flowing past. I resupply with a bottle of filtered water and taste it but it is so salty that I throw it away. I continue on past Bucharina Gorge where there is water as well and camping facilities but have 1 litre left so I push on past a memorial to a young fellow who died while crossing the Willochra Creek to Warren Gorge. Its bitumen into the Gorge and of course uphill to the info boards. It costs $10 but I dont have change but I fill up with fresh water. Downhill past the toilets and bins I camp near the creek at the first campsite I see. Hopefully the campground collector fees doesnt see me but the box of envelopes at the info boards was quite full so I suspect they dont check much.
The Gorge is in stark contrast to the dry plain, surrounded by hill ranges. Its unique for its geology and unfortunately is surrounded by farms. There is kangaroos but no sighting of Rock Wallabies.
After setting up the tent I walk down the walking trail to the toilets, dump my rubbish and return then walk a little further to see other campsites. It looks like Im not in a proper campsite as I should have gone alittle further on the bike. Im staying put as its raining off and on. All fed and few cups of tea I go for another walk around to check out some more of the Gorge. There are about 5 cars and a few less tents. Its school holidays and there appears to be some young adults relaxing in a group.
So despite a very long day, skipping lunch along the way I still have energy to walk around. I hav eonly done 1 longer km day from Darwin to Batchelor but on that trip I developed a sore knee and had to get a lift half way on the return journey.
It rains overnight and I get the tent ready making sure the sleeping bag is not touching the tent.