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............................

Day 24 - Australian Alps Walking Track

It's 1:36am and I am still just laying here not sleeping.  I know I have drifted off a couple times for what seems like minutes.  I am restless and wired.  With the light day today I think that my body is now unable to turn off.  It just hasn't used the energy up that it has become used to burning off in a day.  On the other hand I know that my mind is tired.

There are plenty of people out there that would say that the effort so far has been an alright effort but nothing super athletic or amazing.  I agree.  I probably agree more now that I have been home for 7 months.  Although I trained hard for this for 2 years, I then didn't train at all for the year before my departure.  So for me, at the time, I was deep in the well and pushing hard.  Now I only wish I had trained for that year prior to my departure and had made a faster journey.

My mind is tired.  I swear i just heard my phone ring.  I check it even though I took the battery out earlier today.  Hep, the battery hasn't magically found its way back into the phone!  I hope it isn't one of those things where its a sign I should call home cause something bad has happened.  I finally get to sleep.

Morning has come November 24th.  My routine is flawless now.  I'm calm.  Today will be light and uneventful.  I leave my boots off this morning and just chuck on my water crossing shoes.  Instead of zig zagging across Black River, I  decide to walk straight down the middle.  Before the trail had been cleared this was the best way to get along the river, so why not add my name to the list of those that have walked the leach infested Black River.

As I leave the river the sun is shining through the trees.  With all the moisture around from yesterdays showers, the humidity makes trudging out of Black River a real drain.  Its all 4x4 trails really so its not that exciting no matter how I look at it.  Tim & I never took this route in the past as it was closed with tree fall.

Now I'm sure plenty of people would tell you that I often must hear crickets in my head, as there must not be a lot going on between my ears; this morning I would have to agree with them.  I am at piece with what I've done and what I'm doing.  I really am just wandering, thinking of very little.

As I get to Champion Spur junction I see an unfamiliar looking branch on the road.  On closer inspection I discover that it is in fact a Samba deer antler.  I'm not a hunter and don't enjoy guns, so finding an animal trophy to take home is pretty cool for me.  I strap it off to the pack and keep on going.



In the distance I am sure I can hear engines.  At times they are to my right, then my left, its like they are invisible and driving around me.  The trail through this area is better than 4x4 trails.  I would consider them pour quality country roads.  As I pass Mt Singleton there are a couple off-road track to my right with fresh tire tracks.  I'm thinking today is Sunday although I really haven't be keeping track of the days.  Sure enough, 1,2,3..... they just keep coming.  In groups of 2 and 3 I count about 15 or more serious off road 4x4's.  Not one of them even come close to stopping to see if I'm alright.  Thats cool.  As I near Fiddler Green I see a massive Aussie Disposals flag and these off-roaders that had shot passed me all parked of the side.  I have a chat to them and find it's an off-road orienteering course.....no wonder they didn't stop.  they are being timed.  Scored another free soda!

Apparently they changed out the axle on this 67 Willy Jeep the night before to stay in the race!

The walk along these wet and lonely roads is some of the more boring hours I have hiked.  As I leave the road and head down Victor Spur track I stop and have a feed in the rain.  I cooked up some hot soup, using the gate as a table to hold all my cooking gear.  I follow Victor Spur track to the AAWT trail entry.  I am excited to get amongst the trees again but lose the trail within 100m of leaving the road.    Once I get on track again the trail becomes really easy to follow with almost too many trail markers.  When you arrive beside a marker, you can almost always see the next marker off ahead.

The hike down to red jacket is wet but I enjoy the knowledge that I am just around from red jacket and will soon make camp, a fire and change into dry clothes.

3 years ago this cemetery sign would have been shorter than the scrub

Red Jacket has had a lot of clearing done and I am amazed that the scrub where Tim and I camped near last time through the area is in fact located directly opposite the cemetery.  Parks Victoria have done a great job to restore this area.  I am disappointed to see the no camping sign at Red Jacket and decide to press onto Blue Jacket even though I remember Allan Gamble telling me that Blue Jacket is bug infested.  I now realise that Red Jacket would have been fine to stay at as Parks Victoria allows AAWT hikers to stay.

Had to do it!

I set up camp and read the historical boards installed at Blue Jacket.  The bugs are crazy.  I haven't seen this may bugs ever.  I am losing my mind.  I am getting really pissed off with all the bugs so I decide to just pack up and keep moving.  Within 100m of leaving Blue Jacket the bugs are gone!  What is up with that place.  I follow Violet town track to Casper Creek track.  Holy!  Now that is a climb.  Photos can't describe how long and consistently steep this track is.

What you see here is probably 1/10th of the incline, there had to be 10 false summits!

 It is now about 5pm and I am tired.  The humidity of the whole day has really been draining and I had turned down my mental armour so this climb hits me like a tonne of bricks.  This whole section is ugly.  It has been cleared and turned over by large machinery.  The trail is not really that easy to follow and I take a couple wrong turns which really piss me off at this time in the evening.  None the less I make make camp at the bottom of Mt Little Easton, just beside the Thomson River.  The bugs here are as bad as Blue Jacket but I can't go any more.  Its about 8:30pm when I clean up my dinner bowl and get to bed.  I last photo first.

What do my eyes say? After 24 days!

Day 23 - Australian Alps Walking Track

Why do I feel like rabbits feet for breakfast?  Is it because all night what sounds like hundreds of the critters are running around my tent like I am some sacrificial meat they are hoping to roast up!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

During surgery

After surgery

Day 12 & 13 - Australian Alps Walking track

Just to give everyone some insight into how I prepare for these blog posts.  I first get my iphoto account open to the photos of the days I'm about to write about and open up John Chapman's Trail book to the appropriate maps.  I then ready my journal.  I just laughed myself silly ready todays journal entries.  Sometime sin my journal I would just write pearls of wisdom that have come to me throughout the day or week.  Todays journal pearl is such;

Just cause I don't know where I am doesn't mean I'm lost!

So this morning on Johnnies Top it is raining but at least the howling winds have calmed down.   The walk down off Johnnies Top is all 4X4 tracks which are easy to follow.  You then climb down to Morass Creek.  A series of river crossing which are a little challenging when the water level is up, it turns a couple of crossings into one marshy boggy water crossing.  Lovely the scenery through this area though with a great waterfall and overall great landscapes.

Once I have climbed back out you eventually come out at the Fraser Tablelands.  This is some of the most beautiful farmland I have ever seen.  Walking the roads around the tablelands isn't the most exciting but you can find plenty of little pearls to entertain your mind.  See below photo!

So its about 3:30pm when I arrive at the Mitta Mitta River, Taylor Crossing.  If the weather was warm I would have probably kept going but I am soaked through and its wet out so I am going to stay here and drink up, and eat through the masses of food I'm still carrying.  On arrival I meet Duncan, Merv and John, 3 retired friends who are doing the AAWT also but in the opposite direct.  I will note also that this represents the 1/2 way for both groups.  The North bound group are on day 21 where as Me, myself and I are travelling south and this is day 12.  

This also is the first opportunity I have had on the trail for someone to take a photo of me, no selfies tonight!  

Face starting to thin out and the beard is starting to show

Whilst the sun tried to shine though for most of the afternoon it could stop the hourly 15minutes of rain that would stop any drying progress that was achieved.  The fence in the background of the above photo had all the clothes draped across it.  It would rain and we would all scatter to get the gear out of the rain, and then repeat....all afternoon.  I had about 2 litres of water since arriving at camp and had 2 dinners as well as plenty of snack.  

I also decided to attend to my feet as we had a fire which meant I could burn the old smelly strapping.  I noticed that my right foot large toes had started to harden up behind the broken toes nail.  In the past I could just cut the toe nail and the dry fluid and be all good, this time was different.  I set up my first aid gear on the concrete floor of the toilet block during one of the rain showers.  I cut the toes nail....... SPLAT.  The fluid behind the nail had not hardened so instead it blows up all over the toilet block.  i can see behind my toe nail, its just empty space.  I take out my medical scissors and can place then behind the nail it is such a large gap.  I am definitely going to lose this toe nail.  I taped it in place for now and completed the rest of the dressings and then went to bed as I was a little freaked out in general at the condition of my foot.  The toes issue as well as the general smell of the rotting skin on the bottom of my foot.

                                       

Day 13 - This morning I set out as usual at about 6am hoping to get some good km's in.  I really wanted to do a massive day as the guilt of stopping at 3:30pm was getting to me again.  I was lucky, I was able to pack up my gear before it started to rain heavily.  None the less all my clothes, both what I am wearing and whats in my bag are wet or at least damp.

                                        

One of the really big problems with walking by yourself is that if my eyes miss it there isn't some one else's pair to catch it.  So I am pretty stead in my bush walking pace at about 4.5 - 5kms per hour.  So the problem when I hit a road is that I just put my head down a move.  I really don't want to walk these roads, their is no adventure in them.  Of course the road pace is faster, so this morning as with a couple other times through out the whole trek I decide to walk about 3kms past my turn off junction!  I kick myself as I already feel I am behind because I stopped yesterday pretty early.  

As far as the junction goes, its an intersection of Four Mile Creek Track and Eight Mile loop track so a pretty large intersection.  Even when I have realised my error and doubled back, I still cannot find the trail.  i have a little walk down Kelly's Track for the optional junction point but can't find that one either.  So back to the main intersection....after looking high and low for an entry point into the scrub I just crack it and bash my way into the bush.  About 5 metres into the scrub is a perfectly manicured trail to follow.  It was just the entry that had overgrown.  So I follow Eight Mile Loop track along the ridge and then down to Gill creek.  This was all pretty manageable with no surprises.

Gill Creek crossing

So once I have crossed Gill Creek all I can think about is that at the top of this long climb in Omeo Highway and my next food drop.  Its still raining and miserable out and its about 4:30pm when i reach the Omeo highway.  I'm sure it has dropped 5 degrees in the last hour.  As you can see I'm stoked to reach the road and the drop.  I am soaked, I only have jocks and undershirt on under my rain gear.  I just don't want to stop to throw more damp clothes on so I just get to the drop and rip it open.

Its starting rain pretty heavy as I open the drums containing my food drop so again I just pull out the black garbage bag liner and shove it in the pack, top up my fuel and water and as I do so a 4X4 comes down the Mt Willis track where I'm about to hike up.  He asks if I'm okay.  I thought i gotta get his attention with my answer so he gives me a chop out here.  My answer " yeah just getting my food out of the ground!" That was enough to get him out of the truck.  We spoke about the AAWT and not only did Peter give me a ride about 3kms up to the track junction be he took my buckets as well.  What was priceless was his local knowledge about the general Sunnyside area.  As we drove he pointed out historical stuff like the cricket oval.  I was so cold that as I was talking with him my voice was shaking and my teeth were trying to chatter.  So I hop out at the junction, take a photo for the blog so I can give credit and grab my pack off the back of the truck. 

OH NO!  Can't believe it.  I rushed around so much to not hold Peter up that I forgot my walking poles at the food drop.  Peter then turn into a knight in shining armour and drives the truck back down and lets me grab my poles, then drives me back up again!  Legend.

So freezing cold I climb up to Mt Willis over the next hour or so in freezing conditions and rain.  I none the less took a second to get a couple summit shots. And let me tell you how happy I am to finally see Mt Willis hut.

Mt Willis hut

So I get inside and i'm absolutely shattered.  usually in the huts the last person to have stayed would leave some dry timber for the next group.  There was no timber for the fire inside this hut.  I can tell you I looked up who was the last to sign the hut log book....... I won't say who it was as I know them.  So for 45 minutes I sat in wet clothes in a freezing cold hut trying to dry out fire wood that I had to source from outside in the rain.  I burnt the pages out of John Chapman's book, letters from home pages out of my journal.  It took everything I had to get this thing started.  Finally I did and was able to set up a series of clothes lines across the room to dry all my gear out.  

I took no photos tonight, it was all business.

I definitely considered this hut stay an emergency.  I ate well as I had way more food than I needed once again.  Also in this bucket were new letters from the family so by the time I was jumping into bed I was feeling pretty encouraged by my family, but I was feeling pretty ill.   The cold and the massive effort to get here has really taken a notch out of me.  Tomorrow is going to also be a relatively short day if I decide to proceed as I would only go to  Cleve Cole hut which is about 12kms.  At this stage, I think I am going to have to take a rest day.  Not feeling good.

Days 11 - Australian Alps Walking Track

I have awoken this morning full of gratitude.

Anyone who takes on a long distance through hike will know they will be journeying through all types of weather conditions.  The Australian Alps at any time of the year can serve up 4 seasons in a day.  Although I am prepared for all weather conditions it doesn't necessarily mean I am willingly looking for bad weather.  For the past 2 nights, I have set up camp, prepared and eaten dinner, washed up and planned for the next day before preparing to sleep.  Just as I close my eyes for the night, the rain comes down!

I am grateful that it is raining once I no longer need to be outdoors!

Last night marks a momentous occasion for me as well.  Never in my life have I pee'd in a bottle, till this night.  I wasn't going to go out in the rain so I thought to myself I can always just use one of my 2 water bottles from this point in my trip as a night time urinal.  Worked a treat once I worked out how to position myself in the tent so as not to spill!  I'd then just leave it out side the tent in the rain to keep it clean.

I became very lazy with this process as my travels continued.  It no longer needed to be raining out for me to use the indoor urinal bottle!  I never left my tent in the middle of the night for the rest of the Australian Alps Walking track.

The Smoke Oh Camp area is just the path widening enough for the tent

So about 8am I left Smoke Oh Creek with the hope of making either Beunba Flats or maybe even Johnnies Top.  So whats this falling from the sky about an hour into the day but my first snow storm.  It was really enjoyable actually despite the name of the trail being "Misery Trail"!  Was really nice to see the snow falling through the trees.

Having made my way out to Buckwong track and had a morning snack under the porch roof of Buckwong Hut.  Shortly after I came across 1 of 17 groups from Melbourne Grammar hiking through the area.  I had a brief chat with them and then continued on my way as I knew within hours I would have my next food drop.  Unfortunately the snow has now turned to rain so by the time I trek down Mt Hope Road to my food drop I am drenched.  I pull the buckets out of the hole they are in, everything now just mud and pull out the black garbage bag with my food in it.  I quickly look through Tims bucket to see if he has anything I want to swap in, grab a fresh pair of Tim jocks and his socks ( I didn't have any in this drop as I was doing fresh gear every other drop) and then just kept moving.  This was probably the heaviest I have been on the hike so far as I know I have way too much food with me even if I were on my slower schedule.

So being heavy and wet and muddy I hussled my way along to the Buenba Flats expecting to probably call it an afternoon.  It was about 4:30pm when I made it to the second gate and sat down with another ground from Melbourne Grammar.  A couple of the guides shared some fresh strawberries and a recent Herald Sun newspaper with me.  Chris was one of the guides, he was very interested in Hyperlite Mountain Gear and we chatted for about 20minutes about Cuben fibre and the stuff I was using.  He mentioned that this station set up for them was for the students to do a solo overnight sleep out and that they were scattered all over the general ridge line.  I thought cool, but also I should probably keep moving and try to make Johnnies Top.

Looking West towards corner creek

I set out towards the western end, corner creek end of the flats.  This whole area was a marshy wetland that was difficult to follow at times as the trail is interrupted my the creek so often.  That being said as you can clearly make out that the mountains around you are guiding you into a corner it is more a matter of how easy the trail could be if you were on it.  Its never really a matter of being lost.

Having made it to the the junction where the trail now climbs It is now about 6pm when I start climbing.  Its actually pretty steep and my pack if fully loaded so i am finding it hard going.  The fact that I had stumbled into the creek a couple times so my boots were bogged, including being rained on all day I was cranky and tired.  It took me ages to climb Johnnies Top.  I had to get my head torch out for the last 20 minutes coming into Johnnies as it had gotten dark earlier in this weather.  Worked really well actually as all the AAWT or Great Alpine Walk signs are all traced in some hi-visibility reflectors so the shone in the torch light.

I took photos later in the evening when the fog was really thick and rainy but its just a blur shot...you can't really make much out...but this is about an hour before I made camp.

At 8:15pm when I got to camp it was blowing an absolute storm.  I barely made out the water tank when I walking about 5m in front of it.  I was freeing cold because of how long I had been wet....all day and really struggled to get my tent set up.  Was again really happy with my Echo II from Hyperlite Mountain gear as the first part of the shelter to go up is the outer tarp.  This enables me to get all my gear out of the rain and blowing winds and protect all my items that I need for the night but want to keep dry....my thermals, sleeping bag etc.

So by the time I had set up camp, took off all my wet gear at the entry including the wet medical supplies taped to my feet, it was 9pm.  I took my time to get dressed into warm dry gear and re-do the medical treatments on my feet.  Although I was wasted from a long wet day, I still struggled to get to sleep.   It was so wet foggy and blowing an absolute storm outside that my exhausted brain was a little freaked.  I kept going through check lists.  Have I kept my wets away from my dry's, have I pegged the tent really well, am I positioned away from possible falling trees, am I on too much of a slope, I know I am pitched right on the trail to stay away from trees but it is an old 4x4 track....what if an emergency vehicle needs to get through in the middle of the night....and so on and so forth.  Eventually fell asleep to thoughts of my wife and kids.

AAWT - Day 3 and 4

Last time we joined our intrepid adventurer he had wandered off into the afternoon sun.  With the wind at his back and a heavy heart he marched onwards only looking back for a brief moment to fairwell the landscape he had thus far conquered!  (Please read the above line with a deep tone and partially sarcastic American accent, like the narrator of the old Batman cartoons)

So let me take a moment to be honest, gain some perspective and bring everyone into the picture on how I'm feeling just about this point of the hike.

Firstly, I have never spent even 1 night alone camping or hiking before and I have never hiked or camped for more than 3 - 4 days at a time.   A lot of planning goes into these long distance treks, but how was I to know that my preparations were enough.  Do I have the ability to see this to it End.

I have not used a compass in 15 years and as far as being fluent in its use, I am not.  Yes setting a heading for South and walking there is self explanatory, but unfurling a map and understanding how to calculate the coordinates of where I am or want to go and being able to say in an emergency supply those to a third party.  No sir.  At this point, this is weighing on my mind.

Also, in general terms, you only have to ask me for a ride somewhere by car to know that my general orientation is poor.  The number of times I have driven the same route 5 or 6 times with the same friends only to continually make the wrong turns.  This is also weighing on my mind.

I am fairly immature.   True there are so many facets of my life which are mature and I deal with them with maturity but when you really look at me I am selfish and spoilt.  The result is that at times once the adrenalin has warn off my desire or ambition does too.  This was not the feeling I was having right about now however.  From the moment I got on the bus, till this moment in time and right up to my arrival at Walhalla, I knew I was going to finish my first End2End journey.

So I am now on a Solo mission.  About 2km after leaving Tim the trail leaves the road and heads off on a section of undefined track.  This was the first time on the AAWT that you are not on a clearly defined trail of some description and of course it so happens to be on the afternoon when I have wandered off on my own.

To be honest the sweeping valley was a really nice walk, soft under foot and regardless of the lack of track it was really easy to follow the old telegraph poles and then see that across the valley was a creek system where the trail ascends and then descends to the Murrumbidgee River.  So I just picked that reference point and went.  I also took the chance n the Murrumbidgee to have a quick splash bath to freshen up a little.  

I also came across some devoted campers/fisherman from Bendigo who drove out to this remote spot for a good old fish.  It was a remote valley and I was very surprised to see them set up.

Once again the trail continues along a four wheel drive track which is really road standard.  I follow this track until about 5:30pm when I arrive at Whitses hut.  I can see from a distance that Hayden and Dave are collecting fire wood for the cold night ahead but also to keep with god hut etiquette of leaving the place in a better condition ( with more firewood as well) then when you arrived.  I figured I'd warn them that I'm a little crazy so I yelled out " hope you guys have got the fire started."  I'm pretty sure they both went in side the hut at that stage!

Whitses Hut is a basic hut made of timber planks, which I assume at one time actually touch each other to create a wall which would stop the weather from entering.  These days those timbers have shrunk apparently so every breeze and every degree of cold is felt in its entirety.  Sleeping in a tent would definitely be warmer.

So just to clarify, these huts are part of the Australian Story, history and are preserved for emergency use only.  I considered companionship an emergency this night and all 3 of us stayed on the floor of the hut.  Again, that night and in the morning making sure that the hut was kept and cleaned to make sure our consciences were okay with this unique indulgence.

We talked till dark, comparing gear, food and our experiences so far and our plans for the balance of the journey.  Dave and Hayden were taking a slightly different route, they were leaving the AAWT at Mt Hotham in about 17 days time or so and going over Mt Feathertop then down to Bright, VIC.  Dave and I both at this stage had massive blisters on the bottom of our feet across the front foot tread and they had mentioned that they were getting concerned about where they had sufficient food.  I knew that from tomorrow morning I was going to have both Tim's food drop as well as my own plus the extra food I was already carrying.  I didn't dump the food as part of me kept saying this will get harder or I would hit a road block and need the extra food.  I was grateful for Hayden and Dave.  I knew they were half a day ahead of me, so Tim was able to tell my family at home that I was not alone but now walking with to hikers I met the night after his departure.  It would give peace to my wife, kids and parents.

I always knew I would keep on trekking solo but the story would be received as comfort back home.

Another honest truth is that I like to impress people.  I have a competitive nature.  So I knew Day 4 I was going to go out hard so that as the news got back to friends and family they would see that although my plans had changed into a solo trek, I was thriving on this new reality not dwelling on it.

Day 4 started about 6am with the sun rise.  A bitterly frosty morning which I had this overwhelming excitement about.  Having gone through what was starting to become a well organised morning routine of breakfast, pack, plan and go, I departed as soon as the tasks were complete.  Wasn't long when I came over a small crest and there to the West just beside the track was a mother brumby and her little baby.  I could tell they were warming in the morning sun, they let me get within about 20m before mum stood up and made a small sound and a nod of her head to her baby and they departed.  Up to this stage in the hike the closest a brumby had let me get was about 200m before running off.  All my photos were of these far off horses barely recognisable as such through my Garmin GPS' camera.

A Brumby is a free-roaming feral horse in Australia. Although found in many areas around the country, the best-known brumbies are found in the Australian Alps region in south-eastern Australia.                                                                                             I also came across another large brumby walking in the opposite direction on the trail.  We were both surprised to see each other as neither of us moved.  after about 20 seconds he realised I could take him down and moved off!

It was about 10am when I crossed the Eucumbene River and arrived in Kiandra.  This felt like I had achieved a milestone.  Reaching my first food drop, and at least a day and a half ahead of schedule.  I allowed myself some time to relax as I dug out our food drops, I still opened Tim's and grabbed his treats and the treats we were sharing.  Filled up with fresh water we had kept in the drop as well.  I was a little unsure on how the next stage was going to so I brought the full 6 days rations and barely left any of my unused rations from being ahead of schedule.  So I got heavy!  Probably about 22kg's now which is not heavy physically but as I wanted to be light it was heavy mentally.

New track installed - hard under foot

I left Tim's bucket out for Hayden and Dave as I knew they would be past later that morning and would no doubt enjoy a top up if they could.

I set off on the well defined fire trail towards Table top mountain.  The local DSE (Department of Sustainability & Environment) has done some track maintenance to no doubt stop erosion of some description but let me say - it was a pig to walk on.  Large rocks are not great under foot.  I spent most of the time walking on the grass along side the trail.

I could see Tabletop Mountain off in the distance and it felt like it was all afternoon to finally get to the base of the mountain.  The AAWT doesn't actually go over tableTop but since this was one of the first real summit style mountains I had come across I was pretty happy to climb up to check out the views.




Once on the summit of TableTop I took a couple selfies while sitting n the rock chair.  I can also see the Koscioszko Mountain area with a number of snowy peaks in the distance.

Table Top Mountain 1784m

Checking out the view from TableTop

Once I had descended from TableTop I continued on the well defined track for 5km or so and then decided to take the undefined short cut down to Happy's Hut.  The alternative was to stay on the trail and walk and extra 2 km's or so to the well defined entry to Happy's Valley.  Happy's Hut is located just below the tree line in a sweeping valley.  Its a typical old hut, fireplace and small food preparation bench.  There are 2 old wire based beds, but to honest I used them to organise my gear not to sleep on, I didn't want them to deteriorate under my weight.  I was also really excited to see a camping chair to sit on.  I spent the night reading, checking my maps/schedule and writing in my journal.  It felt civilised.

Happy's Hut viewed as I came out of the Bush Bashing shortcut 

REFLECTIONS

About a month ago I watched the Cairns Ironman and the Port Douglas Triathlon.  We set up our camping chairs beside the course (with Megan and the kids.)  

For the triathlon there were bunches of competitors of all talent levels, first riding past our point and later when we moved into town for a watch they were running past.  Well not everyone was running but they were doing their best.  

As I watched competitors achieve their goals I must say I was touched.  Megan and I were both touched.  It was motivating and inspiring.  Their were elderly people shuffling along the beach, larger fellas trudging and plenty of athletes having a red hot crack.  

We really loved the notion that these people had all set a goal.  No matter what their condition or past, they were going to do the Triathlon.  So impressed.

Yesterday, I was able to watch my children.  As I watched them I was amazed in the same way with what they were achieving.  We went Jungle surfing at Cape Tribulation, QLD.  This is a series of Zip lines ( flying foxes) through the rain forest canopy, sometimes as high as 24 metres off the ground.

They handles it with class and achievement.  I wonder if i will always be amazed by them.  I expect I will forever be in awe of them all.  Here is a quick clip of my 4 year old, Judd enjoying his adventure.

What a fearless kid!

FNQ - Far North Queensland - local adventures

So since moving to Far North Queensland my athletic endeavours have fallen by the way side.  I've been working hard on the renovations and working with my family to transition to the new life style.

Last week I met a local while running, he was training for the Cairns Ironman in june and after having a 8 km run with him I thought to myself, it's time.

We are only up here for 12 months so we want to make sure that we create some memories and experience what FNQ has to offer.

So here are a couple things I've done since.  This clip is of a friend of mine catching a Sweetlips off the reef of Palm Cove.

I'm running the GoPro.

Easter weekend my parents came up from Adelaide and we brought them up Skyrail to Kuranda and returned via the train back through the mountains to Freshwater.  Periodically you could see down the cliffs to the Barron gorge and some amazing waterfalls and swimming wholes.

So today, I got on my Azzurri and cycled from Port Douglas to Barron Gorge where I met up with a couple friends.  We hiked up the river bouldering along the river banks for about an hour when we can to a great swimming spot and waterfall cliff jump.  To our surprise we looked up and saw the train slowly creeping past us on the cliffs high above.

Shaun explaining where the last group was taken by the crocs! 

The first cliff face about 1/3rd up is where the boys jumped from which is about 10m

Kurt looking for good spot to jump in

The gap in the trees where the train can be seen