Day 11: Hawker to Calabrinda Creek Camp Site 19.38km

Got up early as usual. Lucky I had no neighbours in the units either side as the noise travelled an I could hear the murmur of conversation and noises the previous night. Taped the toes packed up and left the unit about 7am. 100 metres up the road I pulled the glasses case out of my pocket to shift it to another spot and no glasses were in there. So back to the unit. Lucky I just left the key in the door and there were my glasses sitting on the counter on top of my phone. What the!! I gave a quick slap to my top left shirt pocket where my phone usually resides but it didn't magically appear there. So pack up check the room and then go at 7.15 am. 

Went through town and along a road to Jervis Hill Lookout where I stopped for some breakfast. The walk from there goes into sheep properties pretty much for the next 3 days. Its a short wander to Mt Elm campsite. I was told the tank had fallen off its perch and not rely on it for water. Someone had put it back together but the rain the other day wasn't enough to put in any substantial water. I was carrying 4 litres from Hawker anyway.

From there you follow a couple of fence lines. This was interesting as the paddocks I was traversing were just loose rocks and the fence went up and over every hill. At the last hill I decided to walk across the base of the hill and keep my eye on the fence and lo and behold on the other side the trail drops down goes across the paddock to a bottom fence then follows that one along. From Mt Elm I could have walked straight across fairly flat to the same point. Lot more of this apparently. Then it was follow this fence for many kilometres. I met 4 people who were doing sections as day walks. They had left one car at Jervis Hill the other I passed about 5 or 6 kilometres further down the fence. 

A little later I passed a young lady doing the South to North solo. She was into her 5th week and was powering along. She also mentions in her log book entries that she has hit the hiker hunger stage where she feels she is eating her weight in food every day and still feeling hungry. 

The track then turns down a gravel road that meanders along some rolling hills. All very pretty but at the moment it is very cold and none of this area has any tree cover and it just blows right through you. The campsite by the creek was very exposed but I managed to get the tent set up and then thankfully got in and zipped up to finally get out of the cold wind. I had walked all day with gloves on. 20 kilometres of not the most interesting scenery.

 

Day 10: Hawker

A day spent in Hawker. Generally called a Zero as in zero kilometres effectively done for the day. Breakfast was at the Fast Food Co. The menu looks like one I would expect in a city cafe. I had a poached egg with homemade corn bread and avocado with dutch feta and local pesto and a side of bacon. Fancy aye. 

The rest of the day was spent in repacking my supplies and pack and a walk around Hawker. I love the architecture of the old buildings. The Railway Station and a couple of churches showed it best. There is the Jeff Morgan gallery and at $10 to tour his exhibition it's not too expensive to have a look around. Bought a couple of souvenirs and posted a package and a postcard back home. Since when was postage a dollar? 

Had another dinner at the pub. Ordered Barramundi got two bits of battered fish that I don't believe was barramundi, more like flathead. Supposed to be 2 degrees in the morning and a 29 kilometre walk, so I will leave early and get up the hill early for a trail breakfast.

Day 9: Mayo Hut to Hawker 22km (Hawker 6km off main trail)

I don't know whether I am a fan of these huts to sleep in alone. The log book mentions a large rat holed up in the fireplace. There are geckos running around and of course the bugs. As i tried to read the light of the kindle attracted little moths and where little moths are flying a gecko would hover. My tent with it's mesh keeps just about every bug out and when I close the fly then I am In my own little cocoon. But it rained. Considering 15 kilometres of the walk tomorrow as going to follow Wonaka Creek the sound of rain kept me awake. 

I got out of bed to a steady patter of rain that sounded more impressive hitting the tin roof. The rain wasn't enough to warrant a full rain outfit, so I went with normal pants thermal shirt and rain jacket. I walked fairly consistently for the four hours it drizzled on me, so by about 11am I had covered 15 kilometres to the highway. 

The creek winds through Wonaka Station. It felt funny walking past the homestead early in the morning. Didn't see anybody though. There were a few little items of interest but i was just pushing through as the creek wound its way around the high ground. 

Then I hit the highway for the 6.6 kilometre walk into Hawker. I was 1.5 kilometres into that when I noticed my hat had fallen from the pack. I looked back up the Highway trying to picture where it might have happened and the most logical was when I climbed the fence onto the highway. So I decided to hide my pack beside the highway and return back to that point. Its funny that 1 kilometre back I suddenly stopped and remembered at one time stuffing my hat into another spot. Was that this morning? Should I go back to the pack? Is the hat worth it? People drive past a random man gazing at the fence with his back to the road. I decided Im now closer to the fence so continue on. 

Get back to the fence , no hat. Remember another pack adjustment just a little further up the gravel track. So on I go. Another 8 or 900 metres to where the track runs out. No hat. Now I am face with just scrub that I walked through. I walk down the track trying to see where I came out. Then walk a little into the scrub only to see its probably a cow track I am following not mine when I decide the hat may have to be left. I turn to the right and there's my hat. I danced, strangely to the tune of ,Its raining men picked up the hat and gave it a stern talking to, jammed it on my head then started the now 2 kilometre walk back to my pack. 

Got into Hawker about one and half hours later. Went and had a coffee then onto the Motel. Before I relax too far I like to get the chores out of the way. One was to wash the mud from my boots and gaiters. Then I go commando under my rain gear so I can wash all my clothes and my sleeping bag liner. The washers were 500 metres up the road, so I take my Kindle and sit and wait for it all to wash and dry. Then back for a shower and clean-up. Down the pub for the butter chicken which was as good as I remembered and a pint of Hahn. The pub crawl continues.

Day 8: Red Range Hut to Mayo Hut 17km

The start of my second week. Everything still ok. Some sore toes from the downhill runs and banging them on the rocky creek beds. I do have one blister under the fixomull tape on a toe that gets one all the time but it is not affecting me. The pack felt heavy and uncomfortable today even though its lighter than a couple of days ago. Most times its because the shoulders are a little tender and it just doesn't sit well. 

The walking started ok as the trail winds its way through some pine trees and then the follow the creek sign starts. Now this is ok for a while but after a couple of hours I started wondering what is outside of those creek banks. I shouldn't complain to much as i could always be going up and over hills all day. Plenty of that to come. Given they are fairly short days I am stopping more and sitting and contemplating what I can see. I even remember to take photos. Lucky I get any as normally its Belinda that takes most photos and I can walk 20 kilometres and not take one. Doesn't mean I don't see whats going on around me its just that I stop and look at something then move on. Now I have to take a picture of whatever I stopped for. 

The sky was overcast today and it felt like some rain clouds are moving in. Not the best time to be using the creek as a highway I would have thought. I came across a gully on the west that comes from the Elder Range and I could see that a low of water had rushed out recently. The creek past the gully had wetter sand and on a rocky area there was some water in puddles then after about a kilometre sign of the water flow petered out. This was one of those things that I should have taken a couple of photos but not a one was taken. It was only after that I kept looking for another gully from the west that may have reached the channel and I found one just not as dramatic as the first one So I decided then if I find it interesting I will take a photo and cull them later. 

Walking on the creek through Wonaka station meant there were sheep and their shit and flies. The wind has come up as the cloud gets thicker. I arrived at Mayo Hut early afternoon and have so far treated myself to two cups of tea. Naughty I know. Had a Mars bar for dinner last night . Might try something more substantial tonight. Late lunch yesterday of cheese and vegemite Pita bread. Its cooling down quick and there is a fireplace in the hut.

I am alone here at the moment which I like as then I can stay inside. I feel guilty because I snore then I cant sleep etc etc. No good spots for tents here out of the wind. 15 kilometres of creek walking then 6.6 kilometres of highway walking into town. Yay. Butter Chicken for dinner though tomorrow night. And a pint of Hahn Super Dry. Having a look at my stops this does look like a 1200 kilometre pub crawl.

 

Day 7: Black Gap to Red Range camp site 15km

Cold cold night. I got up early and then crossed a fence into a sheep property. I'm out of the Flinders Range National Park and I think its all pastoral properties to Hawker. I could hear the sheep but they were off in the distance. Mobs of Kangaroos were bouncing about and a chorus of Galahs and Parrots was ringing out. Ambling across the countryside reminded me of all those old Australian movies like Sundowner. I threw a few "stone the crows" about and it felt right. All I needed was a Kookaburra to let out a call and it would have been perfect. 

Spent the morning heading across country towards the Elder Range then the track swings in between it and Red Range and then follows a creek. It was a short walk and I arrived at the Red range campsite just after 1?. 

No hut just a water tank and a long drop toilet. Most of the walk along the creek was through a pine forest with an occasional big gum tree. The ones with huge bases.

I will have to find out what they are. If they are the same as the one at Orroroo then I think they are Red River Gum.

Day 6: Wilpena Pound to Black Gap 15km

Bathed and fed left Wilpena after a bacon and scrambled egg breakfast. Didn't know whether that would be too much on the belly but it was too good to pass up. There are a lot of tour groups that arrive daily at the resort and at breakfast I felt like the spring chicken. Some families but mostly old folk. I had 5 litres of water on as the intention was to dry camp at black gap. The pack must have been getting up to 18 kilos but it sat ok. When I was walking the track into the pound there was not a soul about, all still at breakfast I suppose. 

I was to early for the shuttle bus that runs up the first 2 kilometres into the pound. The first stop was the old homestead in the pound. The stories are interesting and were the same for a lot of the country through here. Settlers arriving in good times some bureaucrat setting a stocking level with no idea of the country. Overgrazing, the inevitable drought then bust. Most of the settlers came built and went in 15 years.

The walk through the pound is flattish and then you climb out through Bridle Gap. I was hoping for a good view across the pound but that was not to be. The view south was magnificent though. Last phone signal for a while and I knew Isabelle was having a disco so I sent her the obligatory Daggy Daddy Dance and a stern look to show the boys! 

After the gap its a long slow treacherous walk down. Banged my toes a few times. I bet the nails will be black by the end of the week. Halfway down I met James. I could see he was a new hiker with all the new gear. He had walked in from Rawnsley Station and wanted to make Wilpena before dark. It was 10k away. He thought he was at the top of Bridle Gap but I pointed straight up the hill and showed him where the top was. Didn't seem to enthused then. We had a chat. When he put on his pack to go, I could see no-one had fitted the pack on him or showed him ho to wear it. It was a good Osprey but to small for his torso so it was dragging on his shoulder and giving him a head-ache. He was also wearing it low on his hips. I showed him where it should be but he didn't seem keen to lift it up and pull the belt across his belly fat. Hope he made it. He wants to catch a bus in Parachilna on Sunday. 

The walk after that was down onto a river plain then follow a river down to Black Gap. I set-up fairly early and had a rest up. The body is feeling good. Still not pushing it yet. The distances increase a little after Hawker.