A bit of a surprise really as I was standing in the bushes this morning, doing what we all do when we first wake up.... we will say #1's and leave it at that. I am interrupted by about 100 young men and women from Timber Top School walking through Catherine Saddle. They had stayed the night 5 km's up the road near Mt Speculation. Yesterday there was no one, now first thing there are more people than I have seen in 3 weeks.
I finalise my packing and set out on the trail, not taking the shortcuts up to Mt Speculation. I cross another 100 kids or so just in this 5 kms or trail. A number of different schools are all in this Razor-Viking wilderness area for year 10 camps. St Leonards, Brighton and Geelong Grammar are the groups that I spend most of the day walking past. Virtually stopping every time to tell my tale of how far I have gone and how I got spat out by the Viking yesterday.
In that video the shower I refer to is to take a bucket shower. There is a spring at Vallejo Gunther hut this afternoon that I am hoping has sufficient water to have a nice wash off. Yesterdays sweat is sitting all over me and my gear like snake's skin.
Climbing is really hard today. Its not heavy work, it's just that my legs are still really wasted with really no power left in them. They are just jelly.
What's amazing about today is that any time I could take a photo and just see postcard perfect mountains in every direction. The breeze was perfect, just enough to quell the heat. These are mountains. You can touch the sky from here. The odd cloud rolls past with a couple drops of rain but not barely enough to even notice.
Mt Speculation, Horrible Gap and Mt Buggery are all behind me soon enough. I know a number of online AAWT writers have written how frustrating it is to see other people in large groups while on the trail but to honest I liked it. These kids and their leaders/teachers I think were just the distraction I needed today. The chance to talk a little, the chance to share some great wilderness. I think like any athletic endeavour you end up being a little bit selfish. You prepare for so long, you train hours and hours on your own, which is taken away from time with your family. But then a day like today comes along and you have a chance to share. Sure it wasn't with my loved ones but none the less it was sharing the experience with people and that was good.
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| On the CrossCut Saw |
All day as I travelled I was saying that I would probably see these groups again for lunch at Vallejo Gunther hut but that I would continue on to Hellfire Creek Camp or beyond.
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| Crosscut Saw, trail can been seen bottom left |
As I continued along the trail, which is easily followed across the CrossCut Saw I could feel my engine slowing down, getting weaker. By the time i had arrived at the junction to leave the trail before Mt Howitt to divert to Vallejo Gunther I felt like crawling. I check the book and its just around the corner. I check the book again and dame it my mind convinced me it was around the corner but really its up and down then around the corner. I check it again, same story. This is the longest 1.5 kms ever. Then I see it. If anyone were to ask Tim about my routine when I see my destination after a long day and i'm tired he would probably laugh a little then inform you that if I am really tired and I see home ( for the night) I RUN! If I see it from 3 kms out or 300m I just run. Today I cannot. I try and I can't. There is nothing in the furnace.
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| Sign above me says " In Snow Dig Here" |
I get to this amazing hut and go inside, empty a couple things on the wooden bunk and lay down. 3hours later I am awaken by a couple of the school kids opening then closing the door " Ooops sorry about that" I didn't even look. by the time the door was closed again i was asleep. It then started to be an occurrence every 10 minutes so I woke up and opened the door so anyone knew they were welcome. The place isn't mind and it is such a fantastic place I feel a bit sheepish that I'm keeping in to myself. The next 6-7 hours are spent relating my stories, showing visitors what i have been carrying in my pack and talking general hiking.
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| Ladder heads to the upper bunk, which is the glass area seen in the front facade photo above. |
These 6-7 hours are also really helpful for me personally. As most of these leaders I had passed earlier today they were all aware I was stopping because of my physical condition. As we all chatted at different times of the afternoon, they would disappear and return with satchets of Staminade and various health bars to get my energy levels up and my hydration back in order. Again, it just added to the whole days experience of sharing on the mountain. I spent the night sharing about my trip and gear and they shared of their substance and their experiences and knowledge. Was really a uplifting evening.
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| View of Vallejo Gunther from the North East |
By 10pm its was dark and pounding down with rain. All 500 odd students and leaders had returned to sleep in the rain and I was left with Vallejo Gunther, dry and warm and all by myself. I fall asleep looking out these amazing glass pains knowing I will wake to the most amazing morning.
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