So whats next? We plan on returning, again and again!

It feels good to have the full hike diarised online now.  Its a great companion to my personal journal from the trail and the memories I'll have forever.  So where to from here?  I'm the type of person that loves to have a challenge or goal in front of them.  Since returning from the AAWT I've completed 2 of 4 years of University and have found new employment (casual which studying).  It has been a challenger to keep fitness levels during the school year as the time balance is just not that easy when you have a young family.

I look back at my time on the trail and how I went about hiking it.  I did not set out to go fast.  I set out to be light and have fun.  As per most, I thought I was light till I got to Thredbo and sent more gear home..... whereby actually becoming light.  I often find myself wondering if I could go faster if I had planned to do so.  Carry less food as I will be out there for fewer days between food drops.  Carry less clothes and less fuel, shave grams of comforts like a 20g clothes line and just sleep under a the tarp portion of my tent without the internal tent.  Of course hitting it removes the tent completely!

On the other hand, my now 10 year old daughter Bailey promised she would do the Australian Alps Walking Track with me as soon as I felt she was old enough.  This is a different challenge to prepare for.  At what age could she do it?  What could she carry...at that age?  What additional plans would need to be made?  The more I think about it the more exciting I get for her at the possibility of being able to see all that I have seen, to create her own special memories.  To create those memories with me her Father.  This could be a real coming of age event for her and my other children.  When they get to the appropriate age I can take them 1 by 1 to end to end the AAWT.  Even better I wonder if the whole family will do it together.  Just asked my wife Megan......she said "No shower = No Megan"!  I'll work on a shower solution!

Back to whats next.  We often have done the Mt Lofty Summit hike in Adelaide on a nice Sunday afternoon.  No packs, all bitumen trail.  Bailey loves it (Judd and Andie also).  So lets take Bailey and Judd for a test on the AAWT I thought.  November 28th, 2015 I was able to return with my children to the AAWT to do Section 4 - refer to John Chapman's book.  November 28, 2013 was the day I completed my journey in Walhalla so it was really special to be on the trail with my kids 2 years later.

The Omeo Highway to Mt Hotham section, with a side trip up to Mt Bogong seemed a great first choice to introduce the kids to the track.  It has climbs and descents, bushbashing, fire tracks, roads, and some great huts.  We organised with Sandy at the Omeo Caravan Park to drive Tim's car to the trail head to drop us off then keep it to collect us if we missed the Friday bus off Mt Hotham.  Forgot to mention that Tim Marsden will also be joining us! The kids quickly and affectionately named Tim our 'snake bait' as he was out front...and within 10 minutes had located our first snake of the trail! The hike did not go as planned as Judd twisted his ankle and it blew up like a balloon.  We is a strong quiet kid so when he was screaming to touch his toes to the ground we knew we had to change our plans.

We evacuated over Mt Bogong and out to Mountain Creek over 2 days, successfully hitchhiked from mountain Creek to Mt Beauty and subsequently over Falls Creek to the rad access near Cope Hut.  We planned to rest but the surprising arrival of snow had lifted Judd's spirits and before you know it we were knocking out the 14kms to Dibbins hut in just 3.5hrs.  Although we didn't stay on the AAWT the entire trek, and I had to carry Judd on my shoulders (Tim also), this trip was perfect.  We rolled with what each day gave us and had a blast.  Some real memories for us all.

I've made a small video summarising our adventure.

On the return train ride back to Adelaide from Melbourne I asked the kids what they learned and what their favourite part of the hike was, both responded that the best part was the 2 hours of playing n the snow.  This was at 5:30am!  I asked Judd what he learned.  His response was epic for a 6 year old.  " Dad, If I give you everything I've got, you'll give me everything you've got" .... what a kid.

Mount Erica Carpark Day 27 (part 2) to O'Shea's Mill and onto Walhalla. (Day 28)

Having been reduced to 87kg's I was pretty excited to see that Tim & Megan had brought some favourite foods for me; chocolate milk, pastries and a great idea I hadn't thought of....Sushi!

I inhale anything in front of me not only because it is fresh and new but because I have been starving for 2 days now.  We chatted at Mt Erica carpark for about an hour while we set up Megan's gear/pack.  In hindsight it was probably bad form on my part.  Here Tim has just driven from Melbourne to Walhalla (almost) to drop my wife off for me, he only chats with us for an hour then has to do the drive back.  Sorry buddy, should have paid you a little more props and hung out for a while longer.

Megan and I set off down the Mt Erica Road from the carpark towards where the trail re-enters the trees.  Its sunny, with a light breeze and I'm off to finish my adventure with the woman I do all my adventuring with; great day.

So far on this adventure I have only seen 3 snakes.  In the 4.6km from the road to O'Shea's Mill we see 3 more!  Good thing I'm out front to scare them away with my odour.  As we walk down to O'Shea's to camp for the night I am able to recount so many stories to Megan, filling her in on the outcomes I have identified thus far on the hike and comparing them to my expected outcomes.

Probably the biggest topic however is how bad I stink and the number of bugs/flies around.  I thought it was just me attracting the bugs, but in all reality there have been crazy bugs most of the way along the trail since Red Jacket.

Megan arriving at O'Shea's Mill Camp site

The photo above was about 3 minutes before Megan realised she had a leech in her sock and I had to burn if off!  Hehehehehehe....welcome they are saying!  We started a fire to get rid of the bugs and settled in on the abnormally tall picnic table to cook up some dinner.  The difficult part about O'Shea's Mill is that you are surrounded by massive trees and the whole site despite being grassed in on a fairly aggressive angle.  It is strange how these things bother me not that Megan is here.  Mount Tait was worse but I didn't care. Now I find myself trying to make Megan comfortable.....I think it is because I want her to see how awesome this all has been and join me next time!  So I'm running around a bit trying to make it seem perfect and awesome.  But really these bugs are hard to ignore an we are both sick of them.  We climb into the tent about 5:30pm and just chat.  I reminisce about camp here with Dad 3 yrs ago during the massive storm, thinking these trees are gonna come down!  I can't remember when we fell asleep but I know we both slept well.

The next morning, November 28 2015 is the day I will finish.  We head off about 7pm as we are not sure of the pace we will be doing and Tim, Tanya and their kids will be meeting us at 11am in Walhalla with our 3 little kids in tow.  Looking forward to seeing them.  I should remember to thank Tim for driving back down again!  2 trip to Walhalla in 2 days!  What a guy.

The trail out of O'Shea's to Thomson Valley Road crossing is as I remember it, not overgrown but rather grassy to the vegetation is constantly rubbing against you.  This morning is dry so its nothing but I remember climbing out in the rain last time and it just bogged you down into the trail.  Its a straight feeling walking together.  I'm not sure if we should be pushing to pace or slowing down and I find myself constantly concerned with Megan's comfort levels.  I continue to tell stories as we cross the Thomson Valley Road and start the endless descent to Poverty Point.  

The old 4x4 track is well cleared but very steep.  We slide down a couple times but enjoy the scenery and the Thomson River and surrounding mountains.

Rock Table along Thomson River cliff side

We decide to take our time as we believe we are making good time and there is no exact guarantee that Tim and Tanya haven't hit traffic or something and may be late.  I can vouch for the boredom involved in waiting at a road side for people to arrive in the middle of an adventure; yesterday at Mt Erica was so long.  We read the information signage around poverty point and marvel at the engineering and ingenuity of the men that would have built the bridge, take a couple happy snaps and continue towards Walhalla.  I feel like I should have Megan's photos on here but there have been few chances where other people have been able to take photos of me.....I'm kind of hogging the sense at the moment.

Alright........I'll chuck one in!

Although I remember the trail fairly well as we have done this with the kids as day hikes a number of times, I am pretty underwhelmed and the landscape.  With bush fires having burnt through the area a number of years back, the old burnt trees have been removed and a large amount of excavator works to the mountain side.  Its pretty baron compared to its former glory and I'm finding it difficult to be excited at seeing it.  

I think every blog about the Australian Alps Walking Track has a shot of Walhalla that looks about the same as this one..... it's the best place to take the shot so I'll add mine to the collection.

By this stage we are within 1km from Walhalla and I can't help myself.  I'm hiking my fast pace then having to wait for Meegs to catch up.  I can't believe I am here and can't wait to get to Walhalla and claim my End to End'er status.  As we come into Walhalla we can see and hear Tim and Tanya and all the kids playing in the park.  Tim has heard us Ewwing and Ahhing about seeing the kids and rapidly ushers them down the road to the rotunda.  I race own the steps and the kids come ring out of the rotunda.  Daddy's back.

What an experience.  To be here is surreal.  having never done a long distance hike before, my eyes must be the size of 2 cantaloupe.  We catch up briefly in the rotunda before heading into the Cafe to claim my certificate.  I heard they hand out and End to End certificate for this completing the AAWT.  The Cafe informs me that the guys at the Walhalla Star Hotel take care of these types of things.  I cross over and make my introduction.  They do not hand out certificates but what they do give you is an original blue Australian Alps trail marker.  Even cooler.

This is the end...............................................What a magical mountain range................................what a magical experience to have been out of the world for 28 days....................................who gets to spend 28 days with their thoughts.............................the places I have been, so exciting .......................... I am so grateful for the fun and adventure.

So whats next............................