It was going to be a big day by all accounts so first stop for the morning was a coffee start-up, then we headed across the road to pick up our car where MoD had deposited it.

Right next to the bus terminal, the car park was reasonably priced at $35 for the not quite 24 hours we had parked. As opposed to my being stung with $37 for 2 hours in Melbourne the week before.

Added bonus was this gorgeous little building and mural, sitting right there beside the bus terminal.

We then headed out to our guide Steve’s home at Henley Beach where we were to leave our car, hop in his bus and he was to take us up to Mount Lofty summit.

So we could ride back down to Henley Beach.

The drive up was about 45 minutes.

Might give you an idea of our ride.

Half way up I remembered I had left my helmet in the boot of the car.

Steve luckily had a spare.

Views from Mount Lofty were superb, spanning across Adelaide city and the beautiful surrounding coastline.

Mount Lofty Summit is the highest point of the Mount Lofty Ranges and rises 710 metres above sea level, named by Matthew Flinders in 1802.

Steve, an experienced mountain biker (we know this as he was able to tell us – often), then took us down the track with first stop being Cleland Wildlife Park.

And another coffee.

It was a beautiful ride even with my slow riding and constant self reminders…..”not a mountain biker”….consequently I didn’t get to take too many photos on the ride down.

Once we had descended the mountain we rode through suburbia until we reached the city.

A stop for lunch, a ditching of Steve, who rode back up the mountain to get the van, (oh please!) then we headed off along the Torrens River to Henley Beach.

(All jokes aside, Steve was a great guide).

Plenty of photo ops during the ride, including this spectacular building, formerly The ‘Mental’ Hospital (Steve’s words) but I think, now, an arts college?

This part of the ride, I would have to say I enjoyed the most. Being flat which is far more my style.

The scenery along the Torrens is really stunning with surprising little things, like a cemetery. Just there. On the track.

Somehow I think the cemetery was there first.

By the time we got out to Henley Beach it was about 27 in the shade (perfect weather).

Time for an ice cream.

We returned our bikes to Steve and headed back to the beach for a quick dip of our toes.

Of course by this time it was dinner time.

Ok, it was only 4.30 but we do like to eat.

We headed to Stellas, a cute little restaurant on the beach, for a drink, a meal, and to await the sunset.

We weren’t disappointed.

That, my friends was the day.

And this my friends was our ride.

According to Strava. Who is always accurate.

Not pictured – my max speed was 42km/h.

MoD’s max speed was 52km/h.

Not a mountain biker.