Day 21 - Australian Alps Walking track

Its 5:15am and I am standing here looking around.... where is it?  Is this a joke..... where has it all gone!

I have used so much of my hiking kit that I now look at my pack.... its empty.  I feel like I have lost stuff.  As I go through some mental checklists I realise that a) I have used a fair bit of medical supplied b) I have used most of my hand wash, toothpastes, toilet paper and the other personal maintenance gear c) I have also become really good at packing my tent and sleeping bag really tight, reducing their mass
d) I've not oversupplied myself with additional food at the last food drop e) I did send my extra batteries etc home with Tim a couple days back

I wish I could weigh my pack this morning, I have no doubt it would be somewhere in the vicinity of 12kg.

I woke about 5am looking out the massive windows of Vallejo Gunther.  I got moving pretty early as my energy levels were back and if the trail was going to give me any more surprises I wanted to have some time up my sleeve to make sure I met Megan on time at Mt Erica.

The other 500 or so people on the mountain were all still asleep as I make my way back towards Mt Howitt.  Its pretty wet this morning as it has rained fairly constant throughout the night and this morning has a light rain.  Just a little heavier than a wet fog.

From Mt Howitt, The Viking Centre of photo

I am really surprised how much better I feel.  Having had the afternoon off to rest my body and re-hydrate is paying off this morning.  The trail up to Mt Howitt is an open summit with a easily followed foot pad.  Despite the rain that is around I soak in a couple more glimpses at the Razor-Viking Wilderness range which bring back the memories of the past days.  I wouldn't have done those days any different, I learned so much about my ability.

HELLS WINDOW,  Mt Buller & Mt Stirling out of view behind my head!

It's fairly easy hiking this morning over Big Hill and Mt Magdala and by the time I get to the King Billy Junction I start to allow myself to think about actually finishing this journey.  I start to feel like I have achieved my goals.  Its still raining, but my joy has blinded me to its effect.  I steadily follow the trail across Brocks Rd towards Chesters Yard.

The weather is at times crazy.  Raining off and on just to frustrate me, I never know whether to have my jacket on or not.  And rarely to I guess right.  The sun comes through most of the hike across to Mt Clear but then as i am climbing Mt Clear the rain hits and my shirt gets soaked by this little rain cloud that I figured would just pass quickly.  I think it followed me like in the cartoons!  It was my own little weather system.   True to form as I summit Mt Clear, the sun glows through and for the next hour dries me out.

Next on the hit list is Square Top, which was frustrating also as I got caught up between the 2 possible trails and in the end just walked my own trail.  I think I am still recovering from the past couple days as I am starting to get a little tired and negative.  The following video you can tell I'm tired as the sentences  are a little disjointed and lacking vocabulary.

I arrived at camp around 4:30pm yet due to my lack of logic spent an hour trying to work out where to put my tent!  I was in bed by 7pm and slept like a rock.