Thursday 14 Mar 2019

It rained off and on (well, drizzled) from around midnight on, and although I woke early enough I just stayed in my tent until the drizzle stopped, which was at about 7:30. Bob said the kettle was on and we ended up having breakfast together at the only covered picnic table, very convivial. We both left the campground at the same time, about 9:00.

It was only 1 km to Boboyan Road and soon after that Brayshaw’s Hut. A very nice hut and very clean inside. If I’m too tired tomorrow before I reach Horse Gully Hut I may stay there instead. Shortly after reaching Bradshaw’s the BNT took off along Grassy Creek Fire Trail, but I stayed on Boboyan Road and took Yaouk Road instead. I think that is the way the BNT used to go. Then Kennedy’s Rd and finally Lone Pine Fire Trail.

Holy shit, was that ever steep! I knew that from before, but this time I spent almost all my stored up energy pushing, pushing, pushing. Fifty paces, then a minute to recover, over and over and over again. That was the easy part. A lot was the grab brakes, take step, push out with arms routine. After it finally levelled out there were some more surprise little steep bits requiring more pushing.

All day it looked like it might start to rain anytime, but it didn’t and by mid afternoon it finally started to clear. I got to Oldfield’s Hut shortly after 4pm, a full 7 hours including only a couple of short trail mix breaks. It is pretty up there though and the hut is in good shape and tidy inside. I’m putting my tent up inside. I always like using the tent even in a hut since it acts as a mosquito barrier. Quick washup at the rain water tank, just like yesterday, because at 1400m that water is cold, and I’ve turned into a real wimp. Then a cup of soup, drying out the tent and fly, writing this, and here it’s already 18:30. Time to start cooking tea!

Today’s totals Oldfield Hut 48k 5:25h 1,100m+ 870m-

Elevation gain is a bit of a guess since when I’m pushing so much the odometer doesn’t register properly.