Wednesday 13 Mar 2019

There have only been 3 vehicles that drove up last night and from the sounds of it they were all young people having a few beers. None of them stayed very long. Early this morning it rained a bit, nothing much, but by morning it was dry. Only 13º though, but that is mild compared to some other mornings.

Looking back to Tharwa Sandwash

Today I’ve been mostly following the BNT proper. I followed Naas Road to the turnoff to Caloola Farm where it became gravel. A bit corrugated here and there but mostly just fine. I hadn’t counted on continuing the BNT past Canberra so I never copied the trail notes to my phone. But I do have some trail updates that I downloaded and the BNT is marked on some of my digital topo maps, so I should be okay.

At Caloola Farm the BNT starts to follow the Naas Valley Fire Trail, which initially climbed ever so gradually, but further on there were some really steep parts, some that had just been bulldozed and therefore really soft. It’s also always so disheartening when after some heavy pushing uphill the trail descends 50 or more metres again so you have to regain all that. Just before Horse Gully Hut there was some heavy machinery, road maintenance equipment, and one of the operators assured me that the worst was behind me.

I saw a lyrebird on my way up though, which was really exciting. Only the second one this whole trip, the first one just a glimpse, but this one I followed for about a minute. It kept running ahead of me.

I got to Horse Gully Hut at about 12:30. A group of six fellows had hiked in and were just turning around to start their return trip to their vehicles at Mt Clear campground. It had taken them three hours to hike in, so the return hike would take at least that long as well. It was still a lot of up and down, but on a bicycle the downhill parts are easy. I arrived at Mt Clear camping area just before 14:00. The sun had finally come out and it started to warm up a wee bit. It had been only 16º most of the day so far.

I was at that time the only one at the campground, so I stripped at the rainwater tank and had a washcloth bath. Holy Jesus that water is cold! Then I collected firewood and made my FIRST campfire this trip! A fellow, Bob drove up soon after that to set up camp at the parking area and he came over for a little chat. He told me this campground lies in a frost pocket. Yeah! Looking forward to staying at Oldfield’s Hut tomorrow and Horse Gully Hut on Saturday! As I came by HGH I had quick peek inside and it looks neat and tidy.

With my campfire I managed to boil water for soup, dinner, coffee and tea, so I saved a bit on fuel. I should have enough for these few days, and in the huts I can probably use the fire places also.

Today’s totals 47k 5:10h 1075m+ 815m-