Day 27 - Mt Talbot Hut Site to Mt Erica Car park Part 1

So this morning starts was too early.  Its 6:30am when I wake but I just lay there till about 7:30am as I know that it will be much worse to be standing around for an hour or more at Mt Erica Car park while I wait for Megan & Tim to arrive.  Mt Erica car park is only 4km away which is less than an hour so I have a lot of time to fill between now and 12noon.

I start with a little housekeeping.  Making sure all my gear is folded nicely and packed well. I have almost no food left so the pack looks more like a saggy old sock than the high-end ultra light pack that has gotten me across 700km of mountainous ranges.   I move onto cleaning up my tent of the bits and pieces that gather inside before restoring some of the wood supplies stored in the old chimney relic. 

Great place to camp as a family.

It is just after 8am and I am out of things to do here, so I figure more new scenery will have to pass the time.  I walk as slow as I can along the trail, taking some time to have a look around at Mushroom Rocks.

Mushroom rocks, AAWT trail.

This morning is filled with pure gratitude to everyone who has supported me in achieving this goal.   There have been large contributors as mentioned previously like my wife and kids, as well as Tim.  But there are more people that have helped me get here, the guys that motivated me to ride, run or climb every week.  Marcus Bourne, the ultimate personal trainer, who made me work harder and harder to find the bottom of my physical and emotional well.  The countless friends and family who asked how preparations were going, asked why I was doing it, and encouraged my aspirations. 

Then there is another group.  These people stood out from the previously mentioned group of supporters; they are the group of people that out of friendship, concern, or just pure disbelief, brought all the obstacles to me.  They highlighted the pitfalls that would keep me from succeeding.  They helped me prepare more than they probably realized.  In bringing these concerns or obstacles to my consciousness I was able to plan for them.  Seasoned hikers that struggle to go out for more than 7 days, who articulated that it was going to be mentally heavy.  They identified that I was going to have to be mentally prepared.  Friends who were concerned about what I was eating highlighted the need to test and test and test everything I was going to eat and how I was going to store the food drops.  Every pondering question was placed on an internal mental checklist of obstacles I needed to prepare for.

I’ve arrived now at Mt. Erica car park and of course its not even 10am, so there seems to be at a minimum a 2hr wait.  It is odd, I haven't taken any photos of my arrival here......only an odd video of the signage at the car park!  I get some fresh water, use the facilities and generally just enjoy a really beautiful sunny morning.  I try to sleep on the park bench for a while but the excitement that I am going to see my wife for the first time in 28 days, since getting on the bus October 31^st in Melbourne to overnight it to Canberra, is keeping me awake. 

Then I hear a car driving up really slow.  I spring to my feet and start walking out into the centre of the circular dead end of the car park.   It is only once I see the faces of the 2 occupants as they creep past me to park that it dawns on me that not only is this not Tim and Megan….but it is not a car I even recognize!  I am so keen to see them that I absolutely ignore all mental processing of the situation and just purely gravitate toward the vehicle in an overwhelming display.  Once they park and exit their vehicle I decide I should introduce myself and explain why a weirdo in the scrub has just tried to enter their vehicle via the windscreen.  They sat with me for about 15 minutes to hear my story.  They were very polite, only ignoring hiding their disgust for my odor occasionally.  They went for their picnic walk and returned within 45 minutes.  I was still the weird smelly guy who apparently was waiting for his wife and friends.  To be honest, I bet if I could locate this couple they would confirm that they thought I was lost and mentally unstable.

I know the time is coming…….do I walk down the road?  Will it be better for Megan to walk less today?  I should video the event!  I set up the camera on the picnic table a run a couple test shots.  All ready to roll.  The time comes of course and I double hit the button and completely miss the chance to record their arrival. 

Here we are.  I am safe.  My wife can stop worrying.  No more stories from Tim about where I am.  Here I am.