Wow – the turn out for this ride was definitely one for the books. 18 people turned up for the loop around Adelaide City. While the weather was slightly overcast, the temperature was predicted to be 22, which made conditions perfect for cycling.
We met outside Craft Robot brewery. Once the initial line up and photos were done, we were off. This ride’s popular colours were racing green x 5, coral x 4, and dark blue x 4. The route was described as a ride in two parts. The first half was cycling through the parklands and looping back to the centre of Adelaide. Then it progressed to the second half, visiting all the back lanes you never knew existed.
The ride started winding through the back streets. Before we even made it to the west parklands within the first 1km, we had already missed a turn. But hey it’s a Brompton ride, so odds on that occurring were high. Cycling through the parklands is always a delight. The paths were wide. The smooth downhill made it more enjoyable. It enabled coasting past the skate park and cricket oval. There were minimal numbers of pedestrians.
We crossed over Port Road by lights, always thankful when we make it in one group. Once into Bonython Park, we were back in the territory of higher pedestrian traffic and thinner paths. There is always the potential for altercation with individuals going in the opposite direction. So it’s important to keep your eyes in front :), and greeting people as you cycle by.
We stopped briefly after walking across the Torrens Weir and took photos of bikes parked on the coloured numbered squares. I think you will agree when looking at the photos. It was certainly a great idea. Sam, thank you for the suggestion.
Cycling alongside of the River Torrens near the centre of Adelaide is full of little short sharp hills. These hills are perfect for walking up when you miss changing your gearing at the right time. It’s so easy to do. As we were cruising past the Botanical Gardens, many people noticed someone appearing to take photos of us. But didn’t think about it too much until it happened a second time near the Japanese Garden. Later we learnt the photographer/filmer was Ingo’s wife, as he shared the videos on the private FB group. They are certainly a delight to watch – thanks so much, they are a fabulous memory of the ride.
After another minor photo stop, and another wrong turn we finally made it to Tiba Espresso for a coffee. Smart people selected a freshly made muffin (fresh out the oven 9:30 weekdays) paired with a coffee. The combination was perfect, and as a lover of coffee I acknowledge I’m biased.
From here we were truly in the second part of the ride. The twists and turns took us past a variety of cottages. These ranged from those classed as renovators’ delight to modern cottages. Just when you thought we had been through enough twists and turns, we emerged from the side streets. We were thrown out into the parklands and back on gravel. We used the parklands circuit route to quickly return to the back lanes. Around this time, someone remarked, ‘we must be near the end soon’. Instead, we headed in the opposite direction. ‘Yep, it’s definitely a Kym ride’. And indeed it was. Close to the end, a small dedicated group at the back lost sight of the front group. We took an extra block loop to get to the Crafty Robot. This just meant we had slightly more KM’s than the rest.
In the end we all rewarded ourselves on completing the ride with pizza and their favourite beverage. Everyone seemed impressed with their choice. Bánh mi pizza tasted exactly as you would expect. The margarita with the extra chili honey sauce was pretty impressive.
As we were leaving Crafty Robot, a person approached us to ask about the bikes. She mentioned she had seen the group cycle through the parklands. She was super impressed! Just shows you – you never know who you might influence.
Thanks to everyone who came out today. If today was your first Brompton ride, we hope you enjoyed the experience and you consider joining us again.
Restaurant mentioned in conversation at the back:
- Wasai (Field Street)
- Kokoni (Compton Street)
While we were riding in Adelaide one of the Adelaide Bromptoneers was riding his Brompton in London. It looks like Richard is enjoying some good weather and seeing the Brompton sites.
