| As I depart by car from my beloved Adelaide I | | | | Lobethal Rd and take the second right onto Woods Hill |
| journey up my old favourite cycling challenge. For the | | | | Rd. Follow this until the Greenhill Rd intersection and it's |
| past five visits to Adelaide I've conquered Mount Lofty. | | | | a quick right then left onto Mt Lofty Summit Rd. From |
| Located at the end of the Mount Lofty Ranges it | | | | start to the summit is a 17km ascent to the summit |
| towers above Adelaide at 710 metres. | | | | and will take the average rider around 50 minutes to |
| On most occasions when I get to visit my hometown | | | | complete. |
| Adelaide for holiday leave I try to always bring my | | | | Once reaching the summit I 'd lean my bike against the |
| bicycle - the amazing 2005 Learsport 7700. I am a | | | | bench and stand in panoramic awe of the beauty that |
| cycling enthusiast and not a professional. I enjoy the | | | | is Adelaide. From the lookout you can see the highrise |
| fitness, the views and the challenges of 'getting up that | | | | apartments of Glenelg to the chimney stacks at Port |
| hill' and 'going the distance'. Hopping on the bike and | | | | Adelaide. Comfortably nestled in the foreground is |
| doing the kilometres is what I should be doing. | | | | Adelaide's city centre and is viewable by pay-per-view |
| However due circumstances out of my control (insert | | | | binoculars. |
| excuses here) I could not bring down the bike for this | | | | The Mount Lofty Summit has a navigation tower setup |
| visit. | | | | by the early explorers. There is a modern cafe and |
| As I drove past cyclists on this fine Saturday morning I | | | | restaurant is not too bad for a latte powerup and |
| reminisced the times I would suffer my way up the | | | | suger snack off the bike. The staff there seemed |
| ascent. As a beginner to hill cycling I would stand up on | | | | used to the sweaty cyclist strolling in with a colourful |
| the bike swinging the handle bars from side to side and | | | | lycra jumpsuit. In the same complex is the Tourist |
| bobbing my head struggling to make the summit. A | | | | Information Centre and gift shop - I bought a fridge |
| waste of energy but I made it up without a rest break. | | | | magnet and postcard for my Dad! |
| Of course doing it each weekend for a good three | | | | If you're that way inclined you can also hike up the trial |
| months solid you find you improve your technique. I | | | | from Waterfall Gully in Cleland Conservation Park. For |
| now use all my gears, keep my cadence high and | | | | our readers wishing to enjoy dinner it is only 15 minutes |
| keep momentum. With energy permitting and | | | | drive out of the city if you take Glen Osmond Rd and |
| knowledge of how far to the next crest I'd skip up | | | | the South Eastern Freeway Mount Lofty turnoff. |
| three gears and stand. | | | | Bookings are essential at the Mount Lofty Summit |
| The best way up Mount Lofty is to start via Norton | | | | restaurant so make sure to phone in on +61 8 8339 |
| Summit Road which begins by turning left at the top of | | | | 2600 or email After a slice of cherry pie and |
| Magill Rd. In terms of cars Norton Summit Rd is usually | | | | pre-long-drive-latte we jumped in the car to make for |
| not too busy and has Cyclists signs frequently dug in | | | | our interstate destination. Farewell my sensational |
| to notify the drivers. Head out of Norton Summit on | | | | Adelaide! |