Section 1 of the Bibb was soooo much fun, we decide to undertake Section 16 - Dwellingup to Chadoora, which follows a disused railway for much of the way.
This walk is longer than anything I've ever tried before - 45km in 2 days!!
Welcome to Dwellingup! This small historic country town is nestled in the hills amongst tall gum trees, wild flowers, and black boys. The air is thick with the scent of sticky nectar and the calls of small birds which echo through the treetops. In the above photo you can see our campsite at the local caravan park.
It begins.....
During our last hike, Jase complained that he suffered a sore lower back due to the lack of appropriate seating. So, a quick stop at the local camping shop and Jase has found himself a seat which is light enough to strap to his pack.
Lunch time. The fuel stove uses meths, and is a cinch to boil a cup of water to make up a meal. And while Jase relishes in the luxury of his new seat, I decide that my sleeping bag is a good alternative to lounge on during a break in our walk.
The Chadoora campsite. We have it all to ourselves! We have walked over 20km today. My feet are blistered and sore, and I am very very tired. My lucky walking stick has come in handy, steadying me when I feel a bit wobbly. I'm looking forward to food, reading a book, and sleep. I notice someone has scribbled in black texture under the top bunk "OH MY FEET". I can empathise!
Even this park bench is no match for Jase's new camping seat. He uses it everywhere!!!
I brought along a wooden spoon on this journey to improve the cooking experience of our last hike (I had to use a stick to stir the pot).
A cup of tea and a quick read at dinnertime. Life is pretty good.
Is this my husband?
Because we have the camp to ourselves, we set the tent right in the middle of the hut. It's mild tonight, maybe 5 - 10 degrees, and although I sleep with a beanie on my head, I do not need to cover my face with a smelly shirt like last time!
Next day, we head out at 7.30am after a big bowl of porridge. My feet are screaming at me. I feel like I have grown extra toes or something! Every step is painful, and we are both determined to use mind over matter and concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other, regardless of how it feels.
To top it off, the day is dark. The sky is brooding; the colour of charcoal. We are walking towards the slow continual rumble of thunder. As the morning progresses, the thunder divides, and now it is in front, to the left and to the right. Frogs gurgle in every pond and puddle. A light rain persists, so we cover our luggage in their wet-packs to protect our gear. I grasp my walking stick, put my head down, and walk walk walk. Jase is well in front of me; he is our pacemaker. Every roll of thunder gives me the drive to push myself further and further.
Our guide notes tell me that the Etimlynn Station is halfway, which is where we stop to cook our lunch. But the rain returns, so we gobble a small meal as quickly as we can and push on. We have walked well over 30km in 2 days by this point. My poor feet!
Although I am usually accustomed to stopping every 30 minutes or so to have a drink and remove the pack from my shoulders for a few seconds, today this is not possible. Every time we stop, the agony of stepping back onto our feet is unbearable, so we simply don't stop; just keep moving forward. Additionally, my knees have started to swell so I am quietly nervous about my state of health!
The old rock station is the last landmark for us to look out for, and it signals the 'nearly-there' stage of our journey. With glee, Jase calls out, "I can see it!!!" and I feel myself hobbling in a jog to see it for myself! Just a couple of km's to go....
By the time we return to camp, there is no easy way to plant each foot on the ground without causing a bolt of pain, and my walking stick has become my legs. We hobble into the caravan park and to the luxury of our Hilton-On-Wheels. People at the camp ground notice us and say hello, and soon after we peel the packs from our backs, our crotchety-beer-bellied neighbour says with a grin, "Geez mate, that's how me and the missus walk every day!"
I sleep like a babe and wake feeling pretty good; only one blister has remained, and the knees have returned to normal. Actually I feel like a million dollars!!!
We are eagerly anticipating the next hike........
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