Day 572 | Grey Mare Hut: just camping outside to avoid the mossies

10 km | zzOz total: 18,854 km

There are easier ways to get things done, and then there are people who just feel they have to do it their own way, for whatever reason.

My reason to try to ride a bike through the guts of this massive national park is, err, I’m trying to find one, maybe it was missing out on being a flagellant back in the Middle Ages, wandering the roads between towns and lashing myself with scourges.

This expedition has proceeded in that vein, major hill climbs on all dirt roads from the 425m mark at Devil’s Grip Gorge a few nights ago, the big push-a-thon getting up to the Geehi Dam, then the most physically intense hauling and shoving my bike, carrying my panniers separately much of the day, maybe 10 minutes riding in total, 9 hours on the go to get, umm, 11 km, the steep climb up from the valley to the Pinnacles Track junction occupying all of the morning, me thinking it would be easier once I reached the more undulating part, but that track is seldom used, maybe a couple of park management 4WDs a year, once to slash down the woody herbs that live at altitude, no need for the hydro blokes to use it, but as it turned out it was effort of a different cause, lush grass on the trail, I just had to laugh.

But at least I was on the top of the world, even if it was without much water.

So yesterday had to rate as one of the most absurd days out of the whole continental traverse, even harder on the body and mind than that sand trap around Gunshot up Cape York.

Today was easier, not much more climbing possible in Australia once you’ve reached 1850 m, I rode the bike often, I had been a few hundred yards from the top of the hill, and then the morning more or less dropping 300 m through the delightful Snow Gum landscape.

And running water presented itself.

Then this historic hut, room for 5, I was here on my lonesome for much of the afternoon, others not trooping in until around 7 30 pm, red faced and exhausted, on foot as is more customary in these parts, from a different route.

I’ve caught up with the more well maintained track from here so with the lack of thick spongy grass cover life should be easier.

I could have another four days of this battle or common sense could prevail and I could remove myself with one more hearty day’s effort. I guess those seven walkers turning up tips the scales in the common sense direction.

I’m outta here.