Adelaide is a city well positioned for bicycle adventures. The Barossa and Mclaren Vale wine regions are within one hours drive of the CBD and the city itself sprawls eastward onto the Adelaide hills.

For this investigation into so called ‘Credit Card Touring’, I revisited the route of my first ever bicycle tour. In 2014, I was full of anticipation (and some trepidation), loaded with a bushel of gear that I did not need.

A year later, I figured it would be nice to revisit the route with the lightest touring set up that I had ever used. The route passes through wine country, visits markets, a brewery and features scenic sections of the South Australian coast.

Credit card touring is a fair weather friend, and in the finer months the required equipment could be limited to bicycle, wallet, phone, select tools and a water bottle.

For this wintry weekend I took a small backpack with jacket, rain shell, spare t-shirt, gloves, beanie, book, gopro and spare batteries. In my saddle bag I carried a spare tube, puncture kit and chain tool. A pump was strapped to the top tube.

Unlike my first tour, I skipped the dull section of cycling immediately south of Adelaide and caught the train to Seaford. From here, it is only a 15-20 minute ride to Mclaren Vale, which in itself would make for a fine day of cycling and wine drinking.

At Willunga, the Saturday Farmer’s Market (http://willungafarmersmarket.com.au/) boasts a fantastic selection of fresh South Australian produce. Further South-West at Myponga, the Smiling Samoyed brewery (http://www.smilingsamoyed.com.au/) produces a tasty selection of beers in addition to hosting other craft beers, ciders and ginger beer. The Samoyeds themselves are gracious hosts.

Pushing onwards to the South-East, there are some long and exhilarating downhill sections to reach the seaside towns of Victor Harbour, Port Elliot and Goolwa.

To my mind, Victor Harbour is sterile and feels overtly commercial, however Granite Island is well worth a stroll or roll across the bridge.

 

Port Eilliot is a smaller, more picturesque town. The YHA is far and away the nicest hostel I have stayed at (https://www.yha.com.au/hostels/sa/fleurieu-peninsula/port-elliot-beach-house-accommodation/) and has great views over the water.

A series of bike paths and suburban streets connect Victor Harbour to Goolwa through Port Elliot. Goolwa is the northern extremity of the 200km Coorong Estuary, which was the focus of a previous ride of mine (https://www.roughchop.net/?p=29).

Strathalbyn is a town in which each religious chapter has sought to outdo the other with still grander churches. There are also a number of cafes and antique stores.

Hahndorf in the Adelaide hills proudly flaunts its German heritage. Bier, wursts and sauerkraut are readily available, berries can be picked at Beerenberg farm. The town is jam-packed on the weekends, and in truth can be a bit of a tourist trap.

The route finishes with a satisfying plunge down Crafers bikeway.

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Adventure on two wheels truly requires little preparation or specialised equipment.

Traversing remote lands may require dedicated gear and some mechanical know-how, but it is a simple matter to find cycling experiences on your own doorstep. A credit card and the know how to change a tyre are really all you need. Maybe a rain jacket if it’s wet.

On Yer Bike.