My tribute drive to the Adelaide cycling community

• Author: johnnymestizo
• Filed under: Active CrossFit, Endurance and Physical Fitness Trainin, Australiana, Wheeled Machines
• Date: Jan 17,2008
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As I depart by car from my beloved Adelaide I journey up my old favourite cycling challenge. For the past five visits to Adelaide I’ve conquered Mount Lofty. Located at the end of the Mount Lofty Ranges it towers above Adelaide at 710 metres.

On most occasions when I get to visit my hometown Adelaide for holiday leave I try to always bring my bicycle - the amazing 2005 Learsport 7700. I am an avid cycling enthusiast and not a professional. I enjoy the fitness, the views and the challenges of ‘getting up that hill’ and ‘going the distance’. Hopping on the bike and doing the kilometres is what I should be doing. However due to circumstances out of my control (insert excuses here) I could not bring down the bike for this visit.

As I drove past cyclists on this fine Saturday morning I reminisced the times I would suffer my way up the ascent. As a beginner to hill cycling I would stand up on the bike swinging the handle bars from side to side and bobbing my head struggling to make the summit. A waste of energy but I made it up without a rest break. Of course doing it each weekend for a good three months solid you find you improve your technique. I now use all my gears, keep my cadence high and keep momentum. With energy permitting and knowledge of how far to the next crest I will skip up three gears and stand.

The best way up Mount Lofty is to start via Norton Summit Road which begins by turning left at the top of Magill Rd. In terms of cars Norton Summit Rd is usually not too busy and has Cyclists signs frequently dug in to notify the drivers. Head out of Norton Summit on Lobethal Rd and take the second right onto Woods Hill Rd. Follow this until the Greenhill Rd intersection and it’s a quick right then left onto Mt Lofty Summit Rd. From start to the summit is a 17km ascent to the summit and will take the average rider around 50 minutes to complete. Check my directions on GoogleMaps.

Once reaching the summit I ‘d lean my bike against the bench and stand in panoramic awe of the beauty that is Adelaide. From the lookout you can see the highrise apartments of Glenelg to the chimney stacks at Port Adelaide. Comfortably nestled in the foreground is Adelaide’s city centre and is viewable by pay-per-view binoculars. Open the pop-up panorama of the summit.

The Mount Lofty Summit has a navigation tower setup by the early explorers. There is a modern cafe and restaurant that is not too bad for a latte power up and suger snack off the bike. The staff there seemed used to the sweaty cyclist strolling in with a colourful lycra jumpsuit. In the same complex is the Tourist Information Centre and gift shop - I bought a fridge magnet and postcard for my Dad!

If you’re that way inclined you can also hike up the trial from Waterfall Gully in Cleland Conservation Park. For our readers wishing to enjoy dinner it is only 15 minutes drive out of the city if you take Glen Osmond Rd and the South Eastern Freeway Mount Lofty turnoff. Bookings are essential at the Mount Lofty Summit restaurant so make sure to phone in on +61 8 8339 2600 or enquiries@mtloftysummit.com

After a slice of cherry pie and pre-long-drive-latte we jumped in the car to make for our interstate destination. Farewell my sensational Adelaide!

View Larger Map

The summit panorama is provided by the official Mount Lofty Summit website which is a great site with a menu for both the cafe and the restaurant.

© 2008 John Forfar