So much has happened in the past few days its been hard to find time to write the blog. Hard to remember everything, it all becomes a Jumbelup in my head...
We had Sharon come over from Sydney and meet us at the Mundaring YHA where we put the caravan for the week. Ree, my partner, came over from Tassie to walk with us to the end. We all had a night in YHA comfort before our friend Alastair dropped us off the following morning at the Brookton highway access point for the Bib.
From there we hiked past the burned Brookton hut and on to the Mount Dale campsite where Peter from Singapore was going to meet us in the late afternoon. Peter landed after lunch into Perth airport and was getting his cousin to drop him off on the mount Dale road just over two kilometers from the hut.
Turned out the hut was on bypass with a diversion, the signs for which were missing or perhaps vandalised on the Brookton hwy end, which meant we had missed them and walked through a dangerous burned off and still smoldering section, risking death by falling trees.
When I called Peter after dusk he told me he was walking along a firetrail down from Mount Dale, and spoke of 'the' diversion. It all became clear to me and I told him to head back up to mount dale and I would find him. I raced up the track to the firetrail, and fortunately got there just in time to intercept him and bring him to the hut at 8pm. It was a small adventure that could easily have ended up in tears.
Anyways, we now had four in our party. Peter had brought with him my first 50th birthday card and present; a (heavy)politically incorrect crowd sourced card game, which he even offered to carry out for us!
The next morning we got out the danger zone pronto and followed the firetrail diversion on to Beraking campsite not far away where we prepared the firepot for the night, played the new game and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon in the hut, followed by a meal of tinned Irish stew compliments of Peter's backpack.
We enjoyed a pretty sunset and a cold night and in the morning we headed to Waalegh Campsite. By now it was Saturday of the WA long weekend and the crowds started pouring in slowly. But first a man called Ian showed up with iced coffees and scones for two ladies hiking through. Ian was not staying, he was heading home and left us in charge of the delectable perishables with a description and names of the women.
Sharon had birthday commitments and was supposed to get picked up from the track today. As there were no regular car access points her plans had been changed at the last minute, but because we had a knight in a shining Prado 4WD here, Ian, she jumped aboard and headed for civilisation with him. Amazing how things can work out.
That night almost two dozen people showed up to overnight at Waalegh's and as we were first we got the hut. Everyone else seem to have a tent fortunately. We could've shared the shelter with a few of course, but it wasn't needed. Ree swapped her 0°C sleeping bag with Sharon's -45°C bag so she was going to have warmer nights from now on.
Next morning we left at 830am after queuing for the toilet and making a quick oatmeal breakfast with Starbucks coffees - which Peter had brought in from Singapore!
It was a hilly track to the Helena campsite where we arrived about noon pretty much before the long weekend crowds did. Many were daywalkers coming for lunch, including the WA Bushwalker friends of Sharon! They were expecting to see her on the trail but were glad to hear she was ok. Peter could walk back to Mundaring weir with them, but by now we were playing the politically incorrect card game... About 130pm Peter departed to chase the bushwalkers into Mundaring to meet his ride to town. Tomorrow morning he flies out again.
And there you are, caught up again. We had 65Roses Day a few days ago as well incidentally. Had I remembered I would've done something special. Ah well.
PLAN IS STILL CURRENT FOR US TO WALK INTO THE PUB AT KALAMUNDA AT 1230PM ON WEDNESDAY 3 JUNE!!!
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