Eaglevale to Tom Groggin Track.

Monday 2nd April : Eaglevale to Dargo

Part One : Things that go tweet and buzz.

Even though I zip my tent up each evening sometimes I awake in the morning with a more than sneaking suspicion that a duck has entered the premises in the wee hours of the morning without authorisation. This duck is either a) suffering a mild out of season feather loss condition, b) cleaning out it's used feather supply from it's armpits, or c) molting a bit. It must be very quiet and light as I never hear it or feel it walking around on my sleeping bag. The evidence is always there and seeing is believing. I've got your number ...ducky.

Each morning (and this is in a totally different vein to the blurb above) I hear a plethora of different types of wildlife. Having struck 'fly country' in the last few days has been interesting as there is now an incessant hum outside.

The birds however, are aplenty, and their calls and responses are pleasant to wake to. A kookaburra sat on (the bough of) the old gum tree... above my head this morning and put in considerably more than a regular kookaburra 5 cents. Some of the birds echo each other's calls, some have a call and respond pattern with unique parts, while others alter the tone and/or duration of their calls. Plovers just squawk, kookaburras get a sort of round going, finches twitter away non intrusively in the background, and crows cry to their hearts' content in the distance.

Something has been humming about my tent while creating this little prose. I assume it's a willy wag-tail, but have not ruled out the possibility of it being a big horse fly - usually the size of your average grape, almost as agile and nearly as inconspicuous as when one lands on you or you collide with one riding down hill at considerable speed.

The mozzies here at Eaglevale have failed to make an impression on me. They have never failed to introduce themselves before at similar venues. For this I am strangely glad and worried. My bone marrow has a reprieve, but I do hope they are alright as I wouldn't want the frogs to go hungry. Writing of which, I haven't seen one yet. Heard a few at Knockwood about 4 feet from my tent, but that's all. What's the good of an ecosystem without frogs?

Part Two : Insane, I know, but I had to get there.

62.2km, 4h 29min, max 61km/hr.

Yes, yes. I know. I've had a big few days and my body is not happy and now I'm going to attempt to make Dargo in one day including a side trip before I leave. Have enough food to see me out a night if I need to stop for the evening but don't really want to do that.

After packing and locking stuff in tent rode off down the road to find Happy Valley property. Expected it to be a 10-14km round trip. Was 1.5km to the property and then about 2.5 to the house and about 0.5 to the hut. Happy that this was the case. That John is just a legend - a man in the total know and one who offers no misconceptions about time, distance and sightseeing. See the hut write up on in Trail History (VIC).

Went for a short several hundred metre detour to see one of the old suspension footbridges that is still standing in these parts just up the river from the campsite. Walked half way across and was thankful for the chicken wire along the sides. It wasn't even windy. This is still used in times when the river is too flooded to cross by other means. It was quite a cool thing.

Got going at 10:10am. Theoretically it was mostly downhill as I was going with the flow of the Wonnangatta River. Of course the wind was blowing upstream which didn't help my rolling cause at all. I remember riding into the wind yesterday afternoon to get here - how ironic.

Was literally counting the kms on the bike odometer. Knew them back to from for I'd had a good hard look at the map. Tried to keep 'spinning' but sometimes had to pick a higher gear to feel like I was going somewhere. No bad hills, just long slopes.

Stopped for a 'creative' lunch at Black Snake Creek camping area and had about 3 mugs of sustagen and milk. My camera was full of hut pictures so I had to down load them onto the iBook in case I saw anything worth capturing in pixels. Took a few iBook-trekking shots to send to Apple. Had a snooze. Could have laid there all day but had to keep moving. I'd come over halfway in 2h 20min and would have to make as good time to get to Dargo before the shop closed... for they sold chocolate and other goodies there. Didn't see any black snakes or any other colour for that matter. 20km to go.

Tolled along very focused. Took the short cut up a steepish hill that saved me 3km. After it there was bitumen! Yay!... but it was another long steady uphill. I rode to a crest between two hills after 1.5km on this 5km road, the last stretch into Dargo, hoping to see a downhill. The yellow jellybeans I'd eaten early in the short cut were losing their lingering taste.

As you can see from the above max figure there was a downhill. Bitumen and a good angle. Tucked up, cranked into the highest gear and pedaled hard for about 100m. Reached top speed about 600m later and averaged about 57km/hr on the ride into town. I was flying. I was overjoyed.

Found the shop and got some food. Worked out I'd stay in a pub cabin. These cabins are heaven made from wood. Had a pepper sauce porterhouse steak at the pub, a thick pumpkin soup and a couple of beers, and looked at a woman saying "Goodbye" on the television. Did some web site updating back at the cabin and dealt with the Deb Mashed Potato Syndrome all evening. Went to sleep late but very content knowing I can bum around Dargo tomorrow.

Tuesday 3rd April

Dargo Rest Day

0km, 0h 0min, max was a walk around town.

Up at 5:50 and worked on web site. Had figured I could upload and get/send email at the local primary school (reopened this year with 8 kids).

Organised to stay in 'Crosscut' log cabin (heaven on earth with wool doona, firey hot shower and logging style fittings) for another night. Found out that the school had taken off on a field trip to Bairnsdale on the coast for the day. I'll catch up with them tomorrow. Walked around town and got some photos of the place.

A troop of 4WDs pulled into the local shop but it was closed. You have never seen so any disappointed faces mulling around a store... including mine! (Store people probably away with school kids!) I told them about Harry Smith's Hut and the places I'd been etc. and heard a bit about what they were up to. They were keen to move on so must have had a tight schedule. The leader had this great topo book of Victoria at about 1:50 000 I think - looked very handy and expensive.

Got talking near the info sign to a couple who'd arrived late at the pub in the evening as I was eating. They'd taken a wrong turn to explore a track in their 4WD not far from Dargo on their way here. Got a little lost (4hrs) and dangerously close to the edge of their map and fuel red zone. Were expecting a 'double barrel welcome' out near Tabberabbera (25km SE of Dargo) as they said the place there had a bad feel to it. They were in a cabin too and thoroughly enjoyed it. Tomorrow they have to be back in Melbourne where they live. This was their honeymoon - 4WDing around the west of Victoria. They'd seen a fair bit and had covered some rough country. I told them where I was headed, and they were astounded, but reckoned it was a good idea for an adventure if you could tolerate it. They warned me about Mt Birregun which I tackle tomorrow. Talking to them I realised that I can get lost but not by very far, I can't really run out of fuel and I can repair most disastrous equipment failures myself. Pretty good circumstances when you look at the 4WD alternative!

Walked around to an alternative shop option with a similar range of food and local stuff to get some high fat sugary lunch. Got the Herald Sun Sunday paper. ('Greg' had a paper in his lookout and I had eyed it greedily which surprised me. I was hungry for literature.) Walked 'home' and was disappointed as always with the content of the Sunday rag. Should have known better.

Have worked on updating journal entries since then. Am finishing at last! Will have to do some email stuff this evening - might do it in the pub and knock some beers down as I go. Another super meal from Megan the cook is on the cards and I might even have a Garlic Door Stopper.

Will have to re pack in the morning. Haven't looked at gear or bike all day which has been refreshing. Will restock at store before I leave, drop in at school and hopefully do a show and tell and do net stuff and then be on my merry way to Omeo.

Wednesday 4th April : Dargo to Birregun Crossing

23.8km, 2h 3min, max 49.5km/h.

Talkin' to kids ...and myself.

Foggy as. Rolled out of cabin to face the world of pedaling again at 10:03am making sure I had one more hot soak in the shower before I left. Went about 70m to the shop and got a few supplies and a choc wedge. Continued 300m further to the school and didn't leave until 2pm!

I strolled in and introduced myself and then got to do a show and tell. Was presented with six walnuts as a token of appreciation. They were from the 150+ year old walnut tree that stands on the grounds for only a short while longer (dangerous split).

Dargo PS has 12 students, and one was away today. The teaching principal, Marcia, had to open the school at the start of this year after a closure for a number of years. That involved basically setting everything up from scratch because when a school closes all it's resources are zipped away to be divvied out to other schools. Dargo PS is the 3rd most isolated Victorian school, so this didn't make it any easier. She's done a tremendous job in getting the place organised and the kids working. "Everything but sewerage" is what Marcia has dealt with in schools over the years, and I hope she never has to! Friday is her last day before a permanent principal arrives to take over.

Victorian primary schools have a P-6 structure, but Dargo, being so small, had a year seven student... and books on the shelf for year nine and ten. The elder half of the school was mostly girls and the younger half males - sort of odd, but a gender ratio of about 50:50.

I was able to have a good look around and to use a generous phone line to send email (and receive my first batch...41) and upload the site to make it current. Thanks Marcia and Co.! Unfortunately the photos wouldn't upload and I was a wee bit agitated because of this as none were over 70KB. A slow connection was the culprit I think. Anyway - I can see the pictures and they look good! I'll try to upload again in Omeo. Will be expecting a hoard of email complaints/notifications about blank photo frames!

Returned to shop to get some lunch and then I was on my way (2:15pm). A potato topped pie and banana were the treats. The bitumen was nice heading north. Stopped at the sports oval and realised that none of the ovals I'd passed had less than 4 posts at each end and none had crossbars. This really is AFL country.

Thought I'd missed a turn not far out of town and so had to stop and mull over maps and take a heading. Had just come up a big hill and really, really didn't want to go back down. As is often the case, the turn was about 150m up the road just out of sight. Had only convinced myself to go forward as I'd decided to disregard the maps and my odometer reading... again.

The BNT markers here are frequent and highly visible - good job people! Ended up following the Dargo River upstream closely on the Upper Dargo Rd. An extremely delightful area to cycle. Was in no hurry so enjoyed the serenity of the ride and took some photos.

That was until I choked my chain coming up an unforgiving tiny but steep slope. I'd forgotten what gear I'd been in and realised I'd have to drop down to the smallest front chain ring. The derailleurs hadn't been responding correctly since leaving but I thought I could make it to camp and fix it in the morning - I was mostly in low gear anyway. Heed this event/stupidity.

Absolutely locked it up. Secure as a retired welder's job. I had a link wedged between the smaller two front chain rings. Pulled over and tried a manual 'hands only' fix. Nope. Took out all tools and tried a mechanical fix. Nope. Found all the Eaglevale mozzies were on holiday in this particular square 10m with a huge horsefly. I stopped and told them I was very annoyed with their presence. Got chain link a little looser but dumb chain wheel design which had an indent to stop such events happening had actually caused one. Took a chunk out of thumb and now have a pair of bunny teeth blood blisters on my index finger from an inflation of ineffective excessive greasy plier force. Stared it out with the chain trying to see through the greasy mess about what could be done other than cry and rock in the foetal position on that dusty road. Saw a smudge of hope in trying to edge the thicker part of the link past the dubm (sic!) part. Tried for 15 mozzie bites and only got it halfway past. It was going no further. Stared it out again while speaking English and French to the mozzies and their companion, but they didn't understand - being Australian. Deduced that by reversing the pedal action and giving it a good kick it may dislodge the chain. I could repair a broken chain a lot easier than this sort of mess so didn't care if it snapped. A really good kick to the pedal did nothing. An excessive kick with a martial art (any form) type "YA!" released the chain! Replace the big chain ring on the front cluster which I'd removed to get some vision. Considered just tossing it over my shoulder into the bush.

As I continued riding I said the following aloud as I was in a foulish mood (which was gathering momentum) :

"The problem is fixed. I am cruising on my bike along a beautiful river. It is a pleasant afternoon and the weather is good. I am feeling healthy and strong and have had a rest day. My web site has been updated. I have emails to look forward to reading. I will get to camp by this river. I am on holiday. The air is clean..."

These positive affirmations worked tremendously and within minutes I was happily cruising again. As surely as the clock ticked over to 5:30pm a stunning camping area presented itself to me on the bank of the Dargo River, just short of the climb up Mt Birregun.

Washed the black fingers and hands, set up camp and cooked dinner as dusk enveloped me. The moon came out and I dined by it's light. Secured the gear after washing up properly, then settled down with the iBook to read and respond to emails. Rolled over to sleep at about 9:30pm - a very content human being.

Thursday 5th April : Birregun Crossing to Old Hut

29.4km, 3h 32min, max 42.5.

A bit of eveything.

I've been drafting this for a while. I believe I now have the knowledge and experience to be in the position to publish it. Here is...

THE MJJ GRADIENT KEY FOR TOURING MTB USERS

ANTI-GRAVITY

1 Pedal on easily in a middle gear, leaning back, looking around as you go.

2 Consciously switch between gears to find the best for your effort.

3 Any gear as long as you're on your smallest front chain ring.

4 Double, or even triple checking that you're in your lowest gear.

5 Intense focus on holding your line in lowest gear.

6 Weaving around on the road barely holding momentum.

7 Off and pushing because you're too buggered to concentrate on balancing.

7 Still riding, but burning your quads to get that extra few metres.

8 Pushing with two hands on the handlebars.

9 Steering with one hand, pulling bike with the other behind seat.

10 As for nine but 5 - 10m at a time only.

11 As for nine but 2-3m at a time searching for footholds.

12 Bike sideways on slope, dragging in 30cm lurches, cursing heavy gear.

13 Bike sideways on slope, dragging front then rear wheel in 15cm lurches.

14 Remove panniers and other heavy gear and make multiple trips.

15 Dismantle gear, and then bike - it's going to be a long day for very few km.

PRO-GRAVITY

1 Occasional pedal stroke to maintain momentum.

2 Cruise without pedaling but swerving to avoid holes and rills.

3 Cruise at about 20km/hr holding a pretty consistent line.

4 Cruise at 30km/hr+ on an obviously good road. Chain on your plate.

5 Crank it into top gear and hunch down - you'd be on bitumen now.

6 Cruise with brakes on and off to control speed and panniers aborting.

7 Rear brake on continuously, intermittent front brake.

8 Front and rear brake engaged full time, edging forward.

9 Front and rear brakes engaged, one cleat disengaged.

10 As for nine but disengaged foot stepping alongside bike with odd slip.

11 As for ten but your seat keeps jabbing you in the kidneys.

12 Both feet disengaged and straddling bike, kidneys dodging seat jabs.

13 Beside bike leaning on seat, one hand steering other restraining seat.

14 Bike accelerating, but you control it by dragging/aiming across slope.

15 Ready to release bike to let it find its own way down the mountain.

A bit cold this morning - 8 degrees C. Condensation in the tent and the tranquil sound of the Dargo River gushing over rocks in the background. Wrote up yesterday's journal which I found personally amusing. A very different day. Will have to use my thesaurus as I think I'm using some words too often (like 'the' and 'and').

I took a few photos around Collins Flat before getting ready to go. Fixed my gear changing problem and everything else that squeaked like a Kelly Hut rodent. Realised that I'm not on my way to Brisbane each day. A very free thought. The events leading to Dargo have made me think about the progress I make and where and in what condition I end up each day. I'm dropping down a gear. With that in mind I had to ford the Dargo river and then go up - 1000m up.

Photo : Fine tuning the gears, rolling around Collins Flat camping area.

I got exactly 120m into the trip and then I started pushing. The good thing was that I knew this spur was no more than 4km long up to Birregun Rd. Small comfort, but it was something to grasp with sweaty palms. Took it fairly easy pushing. Usually the first 2km is the worst, and it was. But 2.65km arrived and I had to drag. I'd dragged up Lazarini's Spur, but this was different. Lazarini's was rock. This was dirt and almost impossible to get a foothold on. This was where I utilised what I was sure was a missing dragging link... #13. Hadn't done that one before. Good one. I began to wonder if I was going somewhere today.

The top of the spur was joyously met at 3.6km. I got rather chatty for a few moments with that road. It was a long uphill on a good road (6km) but about 1.5 to 2 degrees steeper than the 15km uphill to Kelly Hut. This road was just steep enough so that you couldn't hold a rhythm in lowest gear without going lactic. It was a choice of pedal to lactic and rest over and over or push at much the same speed. After several attempts I just pushed. Felt stupid because it was a good wide graded road. Had lunch on the slope then had to re learn what I explained above because I thought I'd be better after lunch. Who said "stupidity is for life"?

Mt Birregun was a disappointment. I couldn't see the obvious lookout so I just proceeded down the mountain after considering my maps and watching a dude in a truck with mini dozer (with a 70's mo and haircut - the driver, not dozer) trying to work out on the 2-way where some other bloke was on the mountain. Besides, there was smoke everywhere so I wouldn't have seen much. Still, it's nice to have a reward for getting to the top. One small reward was that it was actually the burning trees on the side of this mountain that was causing the haze. Logs were still smoking by the side of the road. Breathing was a little uncomfortable and it wasn't as green as I was used to at this altitude.

Dog's Grave was something I had read about in the guidebooks some month ago in my comfy hammock. It sounded like real neat thing to see. I was really looking forward to it. See in Trail History (VIC).  I'd turned down the track that said 'Dogs Grave' and it was a little rocky and bumpy. I heard the familiar 'thock' of a pannier jumping off but thought it'd make the distance so went to pedal on but the chain backed up. Now, I hadn't chain choked because I hadn't touched the gears. I knew that. I stopped and tried to pedal but the cluster wasn't turning. "C'mon - I'm 150m from Dogs Grave!"

Right rack stay had split around the little bolt that secures it to the frame. It had jumped off and in onto the smallest cog in the cluster, effectively rendering it's rotation to nil. I looked at what was ahead, then looked down. Repeated that. Stuff it - I'll just roll along to the camping area. Removed all the gear because I envisaged a bit of an operation. Got the camera out and found the grave - took some shots and read the tribute and poem. Returned to bike and had some sludge and a cup of sustagen pretending to ignore my busted rack.

Bolt was still tight and in place. Undid it and thought I'd swap it with stand-in bolt on the other side but the thread was shot on that side. Put it back and tightened it with the remaining top half of the rack hole. Got out the wire and gaffa tape. Now gaffa wasn't going to save me here. Wire was looking good. Luckily the rack had a sort of leftover prong welded on at the join near the hole. Wired up (pretty good job I thought) the problem and then gaffa-ed the bolt so it wouldn't vanish into the dust somewhere and did the other side for good measure. All this, without becoming the slightest bit flustered. Must have been the sludge I ate.

I do have some concerns about this rack making it to Canberra. If it does make it to Canberra, should I replace it? I might have to go through the same problems again with a new rack, while the old rack will be shot to pieces but so wired and gaffa-ed that it won't be able to fall apart any further.

I cruised past the Mt Philips turn as I had no interest in the place and it was recommended for walkers in the guidebook. Got to the hut I was aiming for that was about 23km from Omeo. It was called the Old Hut. Simple but true. Fibro inner walls, fibro ceiling, chopped wood stacked outside... a darn sight better than Kelly Hut and not half as 'old'. Cows were hanging around and there was the usual one with the bell that never stands still. Got unpacked and bed out on the floor (flat floorboards with not one raised nail) then lit fireplace and cooked a curry. Patched up few holes inside and sprayed some rid around door and louvred windows for good measure. No mice tonight thanks. Left fire burning a bit to keep warm and went to sleep.

Friday 6th April : Old Hut to Omeo

31.7km, 2h 19 min, max 58.5km/h.

A brief summary... to be sure!

Had a grand plan for something different this morning but I'll try it at another time. You'll read about it.

Up and out of hut and on the road at 5 to 8. Ready quick with a good dry space to pack up. It's a different world early in the morning. The light, shadows and colours are all different. Mostly downhill and I took plenty of photos as well - knew I'd get electricity today so I could burn camera battery. Here's one of particular interest to the family and family friends. A long way from Augathella but still in the Tambo Shire! (Sign is actually pointing south!)

Passed Ed and Maria on their way out of Omeo. They were now trying to speed up their trip to beat winter to Healesville. See Trail Traffic.

Stopped at Oriental Claims. Decided to sort of ride/push around the loop so I didn't have to worry about the bike. Met Brian and Colleen who were on a holiday. Everyone knows a teacher or is related to one. See Trail History (VIC).

Rode into town and did the following : visited info centre - post office - food store - cafe - shire office - phone booth - wrote postcards - post office for account balance (Giro!) - food store - hardware - caravan park - pub for dinner - tent.

Photo : The rewards of leaving early in the morning.

Typed up stuff. Had a powered site so I was up late. A good chance to catch up with the web aspect of the trip and to try to break my midnight awakening habit.

Saturday 7th April : Omeo peeping then on to Benambra Creek

49.8km, 3h 42min, max 52.5km/hr.

While the going's good.

Figured that I might as well get on the road again. I arrived in Omeo before noon yesterday. If I left after noon today I would have had 24 hours rest. The weather on the news last night at the pub said that fine weather was forecast for the next few days. That was something to be taken advantage of. Windy but fine.

Packed up and asked to leave stuff in tent while I ducked into the business centre to get a map, some lunch and take some photos. This was ok'ed so off I went. Bookstore which sold maps was closed as the owner had worked late at the hospital. She let me duck my head in when she saw me arrive. Didn't have the maps I wanted anyway. Went down to the German Cuckoo Clock Shop/Info Centre (strange combo) and got the map I needed there. This was the first place I had stopped in at and so had another chat with Leonie - a lovely elderly chatterbox who lives at Benambra just to the north. She is just right for her job.

Started taking photos after leaving there and did the rounds of the museum and main street. Interesting little museum they have there. Many of the trees were in autumn leprosy mode. Not many Australian trees shed their leaves (if any?) so this was an eyeful. Fantastic colours at the caravan park where I got a few good pics. A lovely rose garden out the front of the Court House lining the main street also. The bank building is in very good nick for its age (well over 100) and one of the other elder statesmen of brick and mortar was getting sandblasted and painted as I rode back to camp. Had got some snacks for the day and a pie for lunch. Ate a whole packet of biscuits for lunch as had no room for them in the panniers or bar bag.

Photos : Blacksmith furnace in the museum grounds.

Packed up the bike - a full load again - first time since Healesville. Man it weighs a lot when the rations are aplenty. Had better do some serious eating over the next few days. Left camp at 12:10pm.

Mostly bitumen and uphill to Benambra. I planned to get 43km up the road in 4 hours. Did it in 3 and 3/4 thanks to the fuel levy paid by Victorian drivers - thanks heaps guys! I got 6km more bitumen than was on the map.

Got to the proposed camp area which was only just in an Alpine Forest area. Basically I can camp anywhere in these areas. No horse, no vehicle, no rubbish, no impact = no restrictions. There was some fairly fresh smoke in the air which caused some concern, and I wasn't happy with what was available in terms of ground cover. Moved alongside the road onto a level area there. Very tired indeed and it took me a while to work out why - because I went to sleep at about midnight last night after typing emails and journal etc. Pitched the tent on some very hard ground - pegs went in about 2cm in all areas. Had to do a little banging with my friend the rock. This resulted in some more bending on some of the pegs.

Wasn't really hungry so just snacked away the afternoon. Studied maps really hard trying to work out my plans now I was on the road. Four days to Khancoban, but I'd like to go to Thredbo and visit the top of Kosciuszko. This would mean an extra day or two depending on how I approached it. Checked my money matter in Omeo and have enough to Canberra, but will have to arrange something after that with 'home people'. So, home people - be ready for a call!

Am going to bed earlier tonight. Transferred photos to iBook and they turned out really well. Typed this up and now it's time for zzz's. Only a 35km day tomorrow so am looking forward to an easy pace. First 14km beside a river in grazing land should be a breeze. Am at about 800m tonight and highest point tomorrow is 1550m so not really a lot to climb.

Sunday 8th April : Benambra Creek to Tom Groggin Track (12km from the NSW border)

48.6km, 4h 22min, max 46km/hr.

A time analysis.

Because of my non-existent meal last night I know that today I may suffer. Too bad. That's the first time I haven't had a good evening meal so far. I know people who do that more frequently who live in the city with every available facility!

8:30 - Left the campsite which I was uncomfortable with. Didn't like it there at all. Poor water in the creek (upstream agricultural runoff and murky), camped 5m from the road, odd animal noises heard, 4WD drove past at midnight and 'spottied' me (paranoid for an hour), slept badly and it was a little dusty and smoky.

9:40 - Had completed the first leg of 14km (actually 14.6km... road maps round down) along the Benabmra Ck. It was cruisy. Nice gravel road and rolling hills. Filled up with some water at a clean(er) creek I rode over at about 12km.

11:25 - Finished an 8km stretch which ended at the Mt Murphy turn (closed in winter to preserve alpine environment). Had a bite to eat... that being a creative banana-vegemite ‘recipe’. Took some photos and prepared myself for some rolling hills and then a climb around Mt Hope.

1:00 - Finished Mt Hope section which on all maps said 10-14km but was actually closer to 16km. Planned to make it onto my 1:100 000 Jacobs River map so I could get GPS locations with more accuracy.

1:10 - Got onto Tom Groggin Tk which leads all the way to the border with NSW. Rode 9km along it, which was well onto the 1:100 000 topo map and 4km further than I originally intended for today.

This is just one of those moments that means very little to anyone else, but a lot to me. A 1:100 000 map is just so much easier. And they never lie. If you ever need a witness in court get a 1:50 000 topo map - they are brutally honest and to the point.

2:30 - Got very tired in the legs 9km into Groggin even though it is actually a road and not a track (logging does wonders for these tracks). Took a little side track after a sprinkle of rain and looked about for a suitable camp spot. One just off this track which was on a bit of a slope but had a fireplace with some rubbish... not impressed with this, but I've found it's rare.

3:00 - After setting up tent and having some snacks went to sleep for just over an hour.

4:20 - Arranged tuna spag bolognese for dinner after doing a bit of mapping and 'land reading'. Will go to Thredbo tomorrow to climb Mt Kosciuoszko...because it's there and I really want to. Hope the weather holds as it's cloudy at present. Dinner was yummy as. (Below : A 'normal' start for the old Whisperlite International fuel stove. It's used to be a bit scary. Now it's mundane!)

5:40 - Into the tent after covering gear and 2 min later it started to rain. Good timing. Transferred photos and set up text for cancer donation page for site. Typed up journal for today.

7:20 - Time for bed after packing up iBook and getting dressed in thermals and releasing sleeping bag from the grips of it's compression sack! It's usually getting in the way so I left it packed up until now. Good night.

Notes:

Greg - Deb Mashed Potato - Solid, liquid or gas? ...it's a gas! Or was it the Spam? Or both?

Maps - It has been interesting touring for the last few days without having to look at the BNT guidebooks. The maps I have are good but don't offer the local type knowledge or specific landmarks to look for. The topography is very nice to have though!

Greg and Julie - Here's your next holiday. Get yourselves packed up and just start driving around these 'ere parts. It'd be loads of fun. Got your email too!

Kids - Learn the value and effect of affirmations and never underestimate them.