Monday, June 11, 2007

Know Your ABC's?

Wirrabara Forest (old nursery) to Block Nine Road
Northern Guidebook, Maps 2.6-2.7

Do you know your abc's? I don't wish to name names (obviously), but some of us don't seem to. Each map of the guidebook shows a gradient profile along with the map, with alphabet letters to mark ridges and troughs. "No, no, surely we are here, at 'H'." No, no, no - ever so hopeful. 'H' marked the top of today's highest peak. We were only, well barely, at 'E'. Which left 'F' and 'G' still to pass, yet alone the long climb to 'H'. Then of course, there was the discussion about 'H' being the last hill. Well yes, kinda, the last significant hill would be more accurate. We still had to change maps, with numerous small hills - or undulations shall we say - before we made it to the next map, and yet another 'H' marking another peak. Although, I must say, this was, yet again, another long hill. A nice climb though, off of the ridge fire tracks we had been following for the past several days, and along a single file trail passing beside a creek. We had already had some rain, along the long ridge in the early arvo, immediately after lunch, but as the day wore on, so did the rain - getting heavier with each shower. By the end of the day's walk, in the pouring rain, we left another fire track to head up a hill - the fire track passed off along a contour seemingly in a different direction. But no, down the other side of the hill we rejoined the same fire track, pretty much at the same altitude as we had left it. Ha ha. Nice one Terry.

Today marked another curious moment. "Wow, I will be able to comment on your cooking after I have eaten this cookie you baked," Elizabeth said. Um, well, no, actually, even then you won't be able to comment on my cooking. And no, please don't shame your family name like that other person on the walk that suggested that I had purchased the cookies in a shop. Absolutely not! This was a secret recipe, handed down from my mother's mother, brought out on the treacherous seas from England. Using Colonel Light Garden's eleven secret herbs and spices - all I can share is the dried strawberries, a key ingredient. They came off the dried strawberry tree of course, the one in the old orange orchard we came by on the first day's hike. It had been my turn to provide the silver platter - a long standing tradition of the End-to-End 2 group, and one which I shan't go into great detail here, or indeed any detail at all. Since Hilary is taking her turn at the silver platter next month, and due to popular request, I have decided to bestow upon Hilary the recipe, including it's finer points, so we may enjoy the cookies again next walk. Various people, and they shall not be named here, came to my rescue this weekend. I shall not entertain any more discussion on the matter, you know who you are, and those that know me well know my incredible gift of memory so you guys can put two-and-two together.

I can't remember much more. Um, it rained, but it was all good. It wasn't cold or windy. Someone took photos of ants superimposed over people's faces. Mmm, good look that. Apparently ants appear in great numbers before rain, and then retreat once the rains come. What I didn't know was that they retreated into camera lenses for protection against the rain. Mmm... nothing else to mention. We probably gave Russell too hard a time though, but hey, welcome to SA and our club. Everyone welcome, do join us, we have no problem in pointing out any of your shortcomings. It's a burden bestowed upon us. A gift you might say.

Mt Remarkable looms, not for the next walk in July, but in August. Thirty steep kilometres!

I'd worked up an appetite today though, stopping off at both the Stone Hut bakery (fyi Stone Hut is a town) and the Golden North ice creamery in Laura on the drive home. But you don't care about that. That bakery though, it's akin to the Port Elliot bakery. If you ever pass by - stop. If you ever drive to the central Flinders, maybe go via Clare, then you can pass by - and stop for a few moments and enjoy the good bakery food.


  • Distance: 19km
  • Total time: 6.5 hours


No comments: