Day 41: Tanunda - Zero day

Funny little town. I spent a little while wandering around and it seemed that around every corner was another Lutheran Church. Apparently the Lutherans settled up this way for religious freedom... still 4 churches seems a bit much.

I was reading a sign that said that even though there were 4 churches a group broke off and held their services in the park.

I did go to the cafe and meet the young girl, Penelope, that Belinda had talked to when arranging the treats for my Fathers Day. When walking some of the long roads the mind wanders and I was remembering the day of each of my children's birth. Now the women have it easier than us men as they have a bit of trauma to help them remember.

A quick clean and then repack for an early getaway.

Day 40: Kapunda to Tanunda 29.87km

Another long day with about 27 kilometres to go and the prospect of a day off. I got up early but didn't have to move fast as I was going to have a breakfast before I left and I had to wait to 7am. Couldn't do much as the floor creaked every time I took a step and there was a contractor in the room next door and I was worried about the noise I was making. Then he got up and he didn't seem to worry.

The morning was cold. There were icicles on the back fire escape which was a metal stair. I gingerly walked down as the handrail was ice and the steps themselves were covered in frost and slippery even though they were a metal grid.

The breakfast was quick and then I had to get out into the weather; at 7.30 am it was still below 0.

As the day progressed there was still frost on the grass that was shaded at 10.30am. The walk involved a lot of road reserve that was left vegetated and that made it interesting. Then the scenery changes as the track drops into the Barossa and the vineyards.

I got to the village of Greenock. Had a bad steak sandwich and looked across the road at the lambs gambolling... wondering if the pub would have lamb roast on special. Then its a 12 kilometre wander down a couple of roads to Tanunda. A hell of a lot more people now and its continual wave as drivers drive by. Remember the 80's when you could buy the hand on the spring for your windshield when you drove country. That's what I need for my hat. Got to the pub at Tanunda and the lady brings out a couple of cakes that Belinda and Isabelle had organised from the cake shop up the road as I was going to be walking on Fathers Day. Would have taken a picture of them but I had eaten them before I thought of it.

Did I mention I am hungry. 2 nights here in Tanunda to restock and work on some niggles.

Day 39: Marschalls Hut to Kapunda 35.32km

Today was a day to walk into Kapunda. 35 kilometres and most of it on the road, but a warm bed and meal was on offer.

I started before first light as it was just a quick walk up the hill then follow the ridge. Once outside the place was blanketed in fog and I had trouble picking up the first marker and I missed the gravel track up the hill entirely even though I had walked down it the day before. I eventually got it together and the walk across the ridge line was pleasant. Then off the hill and follow the roads.

I did come across one road where someone was lining the gutter with rocks and some random piece of art. Then I came to the gate and it turned out to be the first of the vineyards. Not quite in the Barossa yet.

It was a long day with the last 7 or 8 kilometres along the bitumen highway. Kapunda 's claim to fame on the board as you come in town is that it's the oldest mining town in Australia?. Stayed at the Sir John Franklin Hotel and upgraded to a $45 room as it had a heater. Glad I did as it got down to -1 overnight and the blankets were a bit threadbare. 

The roast beef dinner was good. I even ate the cauliflower. I suppose you just got to be hungry enough.

Day 38: Smith Hill Camp Site to Marschalls Hut 27.76km

Another day of covering some ground with not much to see. Don't get me wrong I know it's part of doing these long trails and whilst the scenery makes it better i am also in this for sheer pleasure of just walking. Some of the roads can hurt a bit after while and then some of the distances can become a bit much with no where to camp when the I reckon the body needs a break. It's easier in the remoter areas to set up beside a road as the traffic is near non existent after dark.

Down this way it's getting busier. So I get up fairly early and am away by 6am in the dark. Then its straight down the range onto the eastern side to follow a road reserve for about 4 kilometres before going up and over the range to the western side via Gerke Gap.

This is the last time over the Tothills as the trail now heads west to Marrabel. Apparently they have a big rodeo here every year. I was looking forward to arriving in time for a counter lunch at the hotel. I even slowed down to make sure I arrived after 11am only to find the pubs shut and is now a private residence. No other eateries in town either so the knife and fork on my map need to go. As does the bed I suppose. I then had a long slow walk out of Marrabel.

I must explain that at the moment the hiker hunger has hit. I am constantly hungry. Still have a some blubber but I have to make myself ration the food I have or I would eat it all very quickly. The prospect of adding to the eats without having to carry it all is attractive. At the moment I am carrying about a kilogram of food per day. So this 5 days I start with 5 kilos. With water that puts the pack starting weight up the top end of 18 kilos and I really don't want to go much higher with this pack. So adding a steak sandwich to the menu and still eating all the days allocated food is an attractive proposition. But not to be.

A walk down a road introduced me to Bentley the dog. The sign on the gate says "Dog Bites". The owner tells me Bentley doesn't bite he's all bark. Well he's to big for me to argue with and he barked at me all the way along the road that runs past his place and being a rural property this went on for 2 or 300 metres. Then a car came down the road and Bentley decided to chase that the other way allowing me to getaway. From there its was a lovely stroll through some crops into some bushland then up and over another range which I dont have the name of to a lovely hut called Marschalls Hut.

I had some lambs making a racket outside and they get together like a pack of naughty children and play together. Its funny but when I walk past the lambs, they won't run away till the bigger ewes do a runner. They are curious until told not to be. But I wondered what they see with me and my lump on my back and what looks like 4 legs when I swinging the sticks about.

Got to the hut early afternoon giving me time to dry out the tent fly that was wet from the night before and just sit in what sunshine I could get and air my feet out.

Day 37: Huppatz Hut to Smith Hill Camp Site 29.46km

Not much to say about today really. Except Huppatz Hut is a tin hut and it got cold. At one stage during the night my arm touched the wall and I woke up and the arm was near frozen. Suffice to say the morning was frosty. I even saw some poo on the ground with frost on it.

The walk was pleasant enough through the farmlands and you can see when a property owner changes and doesn't want us pesky walkers to walk the fence as the trail just takes a detour up the hill jumps a fence then you walk a lumpy trail whilst looking down the valley at a lovely level walk.

I eventually came to Tothill Gap and to be fair at this point I was more on the western side and didn't completely pass to the eastern side. Hower 2 or 3 kilometres further on you climb up and over the range to the eastern side at Niblett Gap. Then is a 5 kilometre walk down a gravel road where you then climb up and over the range to the western side at Webb Gap.

Then its 8-10 kilometres of road and paddock before climbing the range to go east again at Smith gap where I stopped for the night in the tent. It was positively balmy weather that night as I was on top of the range and I reckon it didn't drop below 3 or 4 degrees.