Well that is my Alice in Wonderland imaginary mind frame this morning. I am relaxed. Rumpff Saddle feels like the finish line. I have done 1/2 of the rest of the journey with Tim and know what to expect, know that it has been trail cleared and that the balance is going to be a cake walk.
I sleep in. Why not. Last night I checked the maps again and was confounded when I realised I am way ahead of schedule to meet Megan on Wednesday at noon. Ah, you never know when weather may set in and I might need to camp in for the day.
So I head off, not via the Barkly Jeep Track but via Middle Ridge Rd. I remember the awesome little water falls along the road that had the best/fresh water I had drank since hiking in Vermont as a teenager. Although I am really tired of 4x4 track walking the water stops are worth it. I actually fill up twice along Middle Ridge Rd as it is so nice and I would rather grab it here than in, as I think it was either Nigel Christmas or Craig Doubleday described it " Black River - the leak infested hell hole".
As I reach Jamieson-Licola Rd I come across a 4x4 racing down the road with 3 wild dogs out in front. They stop and make sure they aren't mine before handing me a soda and continuing the chase.
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| Entry to AAWT off Jamison-Licola Rd |
The track junction back onto the AAWT is fairly messy but cut back. Having heard that the trail was cleared 18months ago my thoughts are that this will be a breeze. Its not bad but the amount of tree fall across the trail, sometimes at critical points is pretty challenging. Again i manage to go off trail on my way to Mt Shillinglaw as a massive tree has block the trail sufficient for me to not notice it is a junction. I do not see the AAWT but rather an unmarked trail heading more northwest than I should have liked. I walk for about an hour racing along with confidence at my heals knowing that by noon I will be at Black River and have the rest of the day off. I soon realise that I am not on a summit or a saddle but in a valley which was not part of today plans. I demoralised once again begin the return journey to find where I have gone wrong. An hour of climbing a fairly aggressive slope I find my hidden tree junction and return on my way along the AAWT. Only for it to pound with rain! Punishment I figure for relaxing before the finish line.
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| Down to Black River |
I find it entertaining now to be hiking from Mt Shillinglaw to the south turning junction which is meant to be marked by a cairn. All the memories of Tim and I getting lost flood back to me. The pure joy we felt when we saw the pink paint markers identifying where the trail was to be cleared. The painful trudge through dense brush, unable to move forward without pushing small trees and scrub out of our way. I am glad this time around is so much different. Although I still have not seen the cairn!
Making my way down to Black River I start contemplating pressing forward and just sleeping at Mt Erica car park for a couple nights while I wait for Megan. As I arrive at Black River I am so excited to see the massive tree across the river which marks the first of many river crossings. AAWT is now carved into the steps in the trunk. I get my camera out and take a happy snap while standing on the log across the river. I clip it back onto my pack and move forward when ...... I slip!
I am about 3m above the river which is only about 400mm deep at this section. All I could do was drop my walking poles and drop to the log like a cat. Lucky I haven't fallen in I am clinging to the log for dear life. Unable to stand up I have to crotch shuffle across to the other side. I dropped my pack and put on my river crossing shoes, jump in a start chasing my poles down river. I walk about 500mm down stream and I only find 1! As I walk back I find the second only about 30m from the log but it is caught up and jammed under some trees.
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| Home for tonight |
Lucky to be back on trail without losing anything or injuring myself I decide that my mishap is a sign to just take it easy this afternoon. Maybe I am more tired than I realise or comprehend.
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| Corn, Quinoa and soup mix for dinner with mountain bread. |
I set up tent in the river bend where Tim and I had done last night. I sleep, I eat, I wash my clothes and make a fire on the N15 Track to try to dry out my clothes. It rains for an hour so I have to pull everything in, then its sunny so I stoke the fire and hang it all out. this happens every hour for the rest of the afternoon. 2 leaches meet their end. I have plenty of time to assess myself and make some more funny home videos. I won't put them all up but here is a good one.
I also decided to get some up to date toe photos, had to rip the nail off as it was kind of just hanging there.
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| During surgery |
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| After surgery |
