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All funds raised during my ride across Australia went to either the Australian or New Zealand Heart Foundation depending on the donor’s wish. It was a thrill to be named Best Individual Fund-raiser for 2011 by the Queensland Branch of the Australian Heart Foundation. Special thanks to EVERYONE who supported my ride.
Day 18 - April 17th, 2011
Minnipa (SA) to Kimba (SA)
141 kms.
Minnipa (SA) to Kimba (SA)
141 kms.
DAILY PREVIEW:-
By the end of today - I will be HALF WAY across Australia!!!
A pretty big day today with more climbs than descents on this section of the Eyre Highway as it crosses the northen part of the Eyre Peninsula. This afternoon I will end up in Kimba.
Kimba is said to be "half-way" across Australia. Not quite half-way for my ride - but it would be if I was finishing in Sydney!! Kimba is a pleasant and reasonable sized Eyre Peninsula town of about 800 people. For the traveller Kimba provides close to a full range of services - so a few more shops besides the "roadhouse".
Kimba's Gem shop has a range of Australian Gemstones, but jewellery set with the locally mined Cowell Jade is particularly impressive. Cowell Jade is unique in that many specimens exhibit a jet black colour. As a gemstone Cowell Jade is particularly hard-wearing, and polished specimens often exhibit a fine mirror-like lustre.
There are large grain silo's in this town servicing the huge grain-growing areas around the town.
By the end of today - I will be HALF WAY across Australia!!!
A pretty big day today with more climbs than descents on this section of the Eyre Highway as it crosses the northen part of the Eyre Peninsula. This afternoon I will end up in Kimba.
Kimba is said to be "half-way" across Australia. Not quite half-way for my ride - but it would be if I was finishing in Sydney!! Kimba is a pleasant and reasonable sized Eyre Peninsula town of about 800 people. For the traveller Kimba provides close to a full range of services - so a few more shops besides the "roadhouse".
Kimba's Gem shop has a range of Australian Gemstones, but jewellery set with the locally mined Cowell Jade is particularly impressive. Cowell Jade is unique in that many specimens exhibit a jet black colour. As a gemstone Cowell Jade is particularly hard-wearing, and polished specimens often exhibit a fine mirror-like lustre.
There are large grain silo's in this town servicing the huge grain-growing areas around the town.
Minnipa to Kimba
Distance travelled = 141.01 kms
High speed = 61.00
Ave. speed = 23.50 kph
Hours on the bike - 5 hrs, 59 mins, 6 secs
A lightly hilly, bendy road today, through very pleasant grain producing country. It is easy to tell when you are approaching another town as you see the huge grain silo's appear on the horizon.
However - it has been worrying me all day today that I forgot to mention an extremely important point yesterday about Poochera. I read this at lunch time on the "Information Board".
It stated - "What pineapples are to Queensland, what the Opera House is to Sydney - so to is the Dinosaur Ant to Poochera". Isn't that amazing!!!! The Dinosaur Ant is classified as a "living fossil" such is its age - and it has only been identified reasonably recently and in only one other location - Penong. So now I am happy that I have that important piece of information posted!!
My first stop this morning was scheduled for the township of Wuddina - a town that I have discovered I pronounced dreadfully wrongly!!! It reminded me of my first "OE" when I was in England and rang forward to confirm a B & B booking for the night. I told the gentleman I was ringing from Bi-ces-ter (spelt Bicester). In such a polite way, the gentleman owner informed me I had in fact rung from Biss-ter.
So too - I journeyed into Wuddina - which I pronounced as a three syllable word. Now, between Ipswich and Brisbane is a place called "Goodna" - which to me, is spelt as it is said - so I was somewhat surprised when I reached Wud-din-a - that I was in fact in "Woodna". Beats me - but I go with the locals now!!
Apart from a lovely limestone monument dedicated to the "Australian Farmer" of the region, there didn't seem to be much to see here, so we fuelled up, myself and the Jucy, and continued spinning along to Kimba. A few pretty steady uphill climbs slowed progress a fair bit, but it was nice countryside to be looking at. I even got sucked into stopping thinking there were wild watermelons growing along the road side - but once opened, they were bitter and not a typical watermelon colour. Camp owners at Kimba informed me they were "Paddy Melon's" and needed to go bright yellow before they might be vaguely nice to taste.
Kimba pretty much gets by-passed by most travellers, but there is a little "town centre" not far off the road - but - nothing is open on a Sunday.
Took the obligatory photo's at the "Pink Galah" and the "Halfway across Australia" sign before checking in to the caravan park. The first round of the Motor-cross State Championships had been held over this weekend, so it was interesting chatting to devotees of this sport.
And actually, I am not so sure that this is halfway for MY trip - maybe halfway across Australia, but for me, I think the next stop will see me as "half-way".
Distance travelled = 141.01 kms
High speed = 61.00
Ave. speed = 23.50 kph
Hours on the bike - 5 hrs, 59 mins, 6 secs
A lightly hilly, bendy road today, through very pleasant grain producing country. It is easy to tell when you are approaching another town as you see the huge grain silo's appear on the horizon.
However - it has been worrying me all day today that I forgot to mention an extremely important point yesterday about Poochera. I read this at lunch time on the "Information Board".
It stated - "What pineapples are to Queensland, what the Opera House is to Sydney - so to is the Dinosaur Ant to Poochera". Isn't that amazing!!!! The Dinosaur Ant is classified as a "living fossil" such is its age - and it has only been identified reasonably recently and in only one other location - Penong. So now I am happy that I have that important piece of information posted!!
My first stop this morning was scheduled for the township of Wuddina - a town that I have discovered I pronounced dreadfully wrongly!!! It reminded me of my first "OE" when I was in England and rang forward to confirm a B & B booking for the night. I told the gentleman I was ringing from Bi-ces-ter (spelt Bicester). In such a polite way, the gentleman owner informed me I had in fact rung from Biss-ter.
So too - I journeyed into Wuddina - which I pronounced as a three syllable word. Now, between Ipswich and Brisbane is a place called "Goodna" - which to me, is spelt as it is said - so I was somewhat surprised when I reached Wud-din-a - that I was in fact in "Woodna". Beats me - but I go with the locals now!!
Apart from a lovely limestone monument dedicated to the "Australian Farmer" of the region, there didn't seem to be much to see here, so we fuelled up, myself and the Jucy, and continued spinning along to Kimba. A few pretty steady uphill climbs slowed progress a fair bit, but it was nice countryside to be looking at. I even got sucked into stopping thinking there were wild watermelons growing along the road side - but once opened, they were bitter and not a typical watermelon colour. Camp owners at Kimba informed me they were "Paddy Melon's" and needed to go bright yellow before they might be vaguely nice to taste.
Kimba pretty much gets by-passed by most travellers, but there is a little "town centre" not far off the road - but - nothing is open on a Sunday.
Took the obligatory photo's at the "Pink Galah" and the "Halfway across Australia" sign before checking in to the caravan park. The first round of the Motor-cross State Championships had been held over this weekend, so it was interesting chatting to devotees of this sport.
And actually, I am not so sure that this is halfway for MY trip - maybe halfway across Australia, but for me, I think the next stop will see me as "half-way".
 A beautiful marble statue in Wuddina dedicated to the "Australian Farmer" - just finished a year ago. It was stunning!! |
 The town of Kimba which claims to be halfway across Australia. I think not quite halfway for my journey - but I will find out when I get home!! |
 The giant pink galah at Kimba |
 The pink galah in the purple penthouse!! |
She who succeeds in gaining the mastery of the bicycle will gain the mastery of life.
Frances E. Willard - How I Learned to Ride the Bicycle.
Frances E. Willard - How I Learned to Ride the Bicycle.
