Near Yarri: just plopping down in a pine plantation
31 December 2010 | 61 km | Munda Biddi total so far: 314 km
Back in May Lake Brockman was calm, tranquil, even if it was low tide. Now it’s even lower, being the driest winter in 170 years of records in Perth.
Today it was Holiday City.
Scores of tents and campers on the shore, 50 noisy boats out, pulling skiers, occasionally, but mostly various forms of inflatables. A whole lot of squealing. Groups of blokes sitting in circles in the shade, wagon train style, on camp chairs, beer in evidence, hot cars parked nearby, the hot chicks, well, they must be somewhere else.
There had been quiet tracks of pea gravel, and sand, to remind me I hadn’t enjoyed this stretch as much last time, but the worst, and steepest, sections were on the way down this time, maybe those knobbly tyres are making it a whole lot easier. Or, I’m getting used to the whole slipping sideways movement of the front tyre thing.
The climb out from Lake Brockman wasn’t so bad, except I’m carrying water for tonight, don’t know just where I’ll get to, and I’m of the Boy Scout, be prepared, variety. The legs are getting back to their tree trunk strongest and hopefully some of my recently perceived city conditioning is melting away.
Once up to Stromlo Road I stayed on the trail for a ripping, 5km single track, a firm surface for once, all downhill, front wheel sliding, (who cares?), ducking stray foliage, a face full of spider webs, and their spiders, rather too often, the best, most joyous fun for the trip, just unexpected after all the too much loose stuff downhills recently and followed by another 5km of almost overgrown, near horizontal single track.
Life is good.