26.75km +643m -1132m
Dawn comes early up on Johnny’s Top. So do the flies.
There is no track for a good latter part of the walk down to Buenba creek from Johnnie’s Top. There is the odd trail marker or pink ribbon, but little to suggest a trail between them.
The creek itself is lovely. Walking along it is a pain in the arse. The ground is lumpy and undulating. There’s no track, and there are blackberries, fallen trees, several thousand wombats holes, and occasional marshes to navigate.
At Buenba Flats a group of school boys were doing outdoor ed. Their instructor told us they were about to embark on 36 hours solo. There were tarps dotted across the flats at intervals with gear and sometimes a child under each one. I can only surmise that the 36 hours is to be spent under the tarp, trying not to go crazy or get eaten by a grue.
And then there were endless kilometres of steady uphill walking along freshly bulldozed track, through thick fire regrowth, in the hot sun. Rod fired off ahead of me, while I settled into the head-down rhythm I’ve come to use when all there is to do is just keep moving uphill.
And then eventually downhill walking along dirt road, through thick fire regrowth, in the hot sun.
Rod had already been at camp for 40 minutes when I turned up, and was soaking (drowning?) his poor abused feet in the stream. My own feet could only stand a few minutes in the chilly water. So far they’re holding up admirably well.
The campsite at Buckwong Creek is idyllic. The creek is pebble-bottomed and winds it’s way through grassy clearings. It would have been perfect except for the noisy school group that arrived shortly after me. Oh well; we’ll be walking past their tents at 6:30 on our way out tomorrow morning.
Rod gave me a sachet of mint hot chocolate after dinner, which was absolutely delicious. While I’m not yet sick of my food, I am finding that any food that’s different from my standard fare is an adventure for the taste buds. I even ate another of Ron’s protein bars during the walk today. Coupled with copious swigs of water, it was almost not unpleasant.
