Another early start for us, as we had to pack all our gear today as we would
be travelling to Arkaroola. Breakfast dispatched we loaded the bikes and took
the Parachilna Gorge Rd, we would be riding the full road this morning but we
had to stop for fuel first at Angorichina Village. There's not much there just
fuel and a store from what I could see. A group of 6 adventure bikes pulled in
just behind us. We would bump into these guys a couple more times.
Fuelled up, we then rode into Parachilna Gorge, it seems to be one of the
shorter Gorge roads in the Flinders, it didn't take long to ride through.
We soon turned off this road and headed back up Glass Gorge Rd which we'd
done yesterday. Dave said we would be turning off this road after a few
kilometres and taking Moolooloo Rd.
Bulldust
Moolooloo Rd leads to Moolooloo Station, then the road continues as a Public
Access Road(PAR4), not sure it has a name other than PAR4 but it follows Gap
Creek. This bit was a bit more technical track through creek beds to Artimore
Ruins then back to Blinman.
We stopped in one of the creek beds for a break and to have a muesli bar. We
hadn't seen a vehicle on this road at all. It's fairly remote and a 4wd is
recommended as clearance is required to get up/down some of the creeks beds
and other bits of terrain.
We followed Gap Creek for quiet some time, Criss/crossing the creek multiple
times. We had a herd of emu's running through at a couple of points. We didn't
stop for many photo's along here. I think we both had photo fatigue and were
just enjoying the ride instead.
We had been riding through forested hills for some time when it opened up to
into a large clearing, this was the location of the Artimore Ruins. Built back
in the 1800's, and abandoned in 1903.
Dave said we will follow the ridge line along for a while before we come back
out onto the Northern Flinders Way, where we will head back into Blinman for
lunch at the bakery. I can say the pie's at the bakery were exceptional.
After lunch we headed back out onto the Northern Flinders Way on our way to
Arkaroola where we are going to stay for the next two nights.
This road was a gravel, super highway with a bit of everything thrown in, there was a section that they were grading for about 20kms which was a bit lose, but for the most part it was nice
gravel, loose gravel, rocky sections, dry creek crossings, and one particularly
nasty creek crossing that had some deep sand. I managed my best shithouse adv
riding and stalled it in the sand, 2 gears too high with too little momentum. Well
least I didn't crash it.
Arriving early around 3pm at Arkaroola we filled up, petrol isn't exactly
cheap out here - $2.63 per litre, lucky we can fill up with 91, even that was
expensive at $53 for both bikes. Its currently around $1.59 per litre in
Sydney.
We checked into our room and unloaded our gear. The guys we met at Angorichina
on the Adventure bikes were staying here tonight too.
We took a little time to have a walk around and take a look at the
place, Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary is nestled in a natural basin of ranges,
surrounded on each side by colourful rock formations. It is super spectacular
and dusk and dawn with all the different colours gleaming off the rock faces.
Arkaroola boasts a reception/accommodation, Bar & Restaurant, Shop &
Service station, caravan park & bush camping. There are various hiking
trails, and self drive tours and guided 4wd tours. Arkaroola is only the
second certified International Dark Sky Sanctuary in Australia. They have an
observatory on the hill overlooking the locality that do tours.
It would have been cool to do a tour but we weren't here for that, Dave rushed
the bar, which was staffed by a bunch of young ladies from Europe, out here
working and seeing some of Australia.
We happened to meet Adam, a GS1200 rider from Tasmania, we got chatting to him
he has retired and just riding around Australia as you do. Apparently he was
waiting on a new helmet to arrive from Adelaide as the day before he trowelled
his bike in some sand in a creek crossing at 80kmh. Yeah the same one I
stalled in.
He was on his way up the Oodnadatta track. We notice he had road
tyres on, not 50/50 or dirt tyres. A brave man. We were chatting over a couple
beers, watching Adam Riemann videos in the bar on the big TV. Funny enough I'd
texted him a coupe of days later and he sent me this picture of himself.
Adam Riemann & Adam
Adam Riemann was riding through Oodnadatta on his way home during his KLR650
video which you can see
here. Its a small world.
Were retired to the restaurant with a bottle of wine and two of the best steaks we've had in years. It was so good we
just had to order a desert, which I don't normally do. The food in Arkaroola is exception at reasonable prices too.
Blinman via Bunyeroo/Brachina/Parachilna Gorges - Blinman
Today Dave had planned out some nice scenic riding through some of the
Flinders most spectacular and iconic Gorges. We had an early breakfast and hit
the road by 8am heading back south the way we came yesterday. We saw quite a
few Skippy's out this morning too.
We turned off onto Brachina Gorge road, which was nicely graded main gravel
road. These gravel roads in the Flinders are superbly maintained and such a
joy to ride. Not to mention the beautiful scenery which is quite unlike
anything I've ever seen anywhere else in Australia, it's unique. This road is
also known as the Corridor through time Geological Trail, you can see why in
some of these photos.
Not far after the lookout we turned into Bunyeroo Gorge Road and headed south
through dense forested hills. Stunning scenery and more awesome riding.
Bunyeroo Gorge is only about 20 minutes riding from the turn off, but its
through some very special scenery. We came into the Gorge, the colours of the
rock faces are stunning at this time of morning. Pity my phone camera couldn't
match the colours we saw. Stopped for the photo below, we saw some small
rock wallaby's licking water from the rocks. They were so hard to spot you
could only see them when they moved.
Riding through the gorge, we are riding along a river bed that has been
compacted by many cars/4wds so is fairly easy riding, unless you happen to
stray near the side in the soft bits.
The road started to climb out of the Gorge again heading north until we came
upon one of the most stunning lookouts I think I've seen in many years, maybe
the best one ever. The iconic Razorback lookout, and it delivered in spades.
Looking to the North from Razorback lookout, superb riding
Dave got his drone out to film some of the magic scenery. Whilst he was doing
droney type stuff I got out my camera. I'm sure some of that footage will be
awesome, if he can pull his finger out of his backside to do anything with it.
Yeah, yeah tell your excuses walking pal.
After Dave finished faffing around with the drone I got some nice shots of him
riding the Desert X with that background. I didn't have to ask him twice to do
a couple of ride pasts, he was roosting like a cut snake.
From here we rode north and out to the main road. Dave said we will top up
with fuel in Wilpena again, get a coffee and morning tea.
I took a quick pic of the map at Wilpena. I still didn't know where we were
going, but I didn't care it was great any direction we headed in, some of the
most scenic riding I've done in a few years.
From Wilpena we headed back north towards Bunyeroo Rd again stopping by the
Ikara-Flinders sign just for this pic.
I was really upset that we had to ride back through Bunyeroo Gorge again, and
via Razorback lookout. There were 4 or 5 cars parked there when we came back,
I'm glad we were here early before the masses came to visit. Riding back
through the forested hills was sublime.
We got back to the intersection of Brachina Gorge road and we turned left
and actually went through Brachina Gorge. These roads are some of those must
ride roads in the Flinders, spectacular scenery everywhere you looked. All
of the gorges we are riding through are Stoney river beds, soft and
dangerous when off the beaten path, but the main road is easy going.
We continued further along into the Gorge and the scenery just kept getting
better and better, the riding was so much fun.
Starting to get photo fatigued stopping to photo all these beautiful rock
gorges. So we pack up and ride on for 3 or 4 more corners and then we have to pull
over again to take some more pics. Yeah it was slow going, but spectacular.
The river bed in the above photo we had just ridden through to this lookout
point.
And then a couple of kilometres later we were out of the gorge and riding on a
dead straight flat road for about 10kms until we hit a main sealed road, where
we turned north until we got to the town of Parachilna. Dave said we will stop
for lunch here.
For such a small place I wasn't expecting much, but to my surprise we stepped
into a pretty swanky looking pub, the Praire Hotel. Don't let the plain
outside looks fool you. They've spent a bomb on doing up the inside of this
place which included a brewery. It was called the Parachilna Brewery Project.
Well, well, well just up my alley.......
A tasting platter and schooner later, we decided to get a take away six pack
the beer was that good. A quick look around and the old train station is now
abandoned but has a history of the area, the
Ghan
used to travel through here, but long time ago.
After the tasty beers, we headed down Parachilna Gorge Road, just as we
started entering the gorge Dave had us turn up Glass Gorge Road instead. He
said this was a great way back into Blinman and there's a cool lookout we
need to stop at.
It turned into a twisty little road until we climbed a steep hill to the
lookout, which had stunning views over the surrounding ranges. Dave pulled the
drone out again to get some more footage that'll never see the light of day
cause he's to lazy to edit it.
Such a spectacular view of the surrounding hills. We had to have a beer at the
Hilltop Hotel. Adventure riding at its best. Missed out Geoffrey. 😝
We headed back to Blinman via Glass Gorge Road, which was superb adventure
riding.
Glass Gorge came and went that quickly I didn't realise we went past, no
signs. So here's a photo of the Gorge from the Gopro.
Just after the Gorge we came upon George Glass House Ruins. It long been
abandoned, interesting to see a gravestone down in the creek, strange place
to bury someone.
It was time to get back to Blinman for beers at the pub. It was late
afternoon and I wanted to get off the bike and relax with a few beers at
the pub before we encountered any Skippy's. We hit the road again for the
last short stint.
We made it back to Blinman Hotel just before 5pm, which suited me as I
didn't want to meet any more Skippy's. The pub was quite busy when we got
there with a lot of people out enjoying the afternoon sun in the beer
garden, so we joined them. What a absolute blast we had in the Flinders
today, and we only did 205km for the whole day.
