After spending too much time laying down, I was eager to get up. It had been a warm night. In fact today was to be the hottest August in a long time hitting around 27 degrees. And it was a tough day with 3 hill climbs. Nasty business! And only 9.1kms to Waalegh but none of it was going to be easy. Ambles had another encounter with the strange bloke from last night. Thinking he was trying to be funny when Ambles was on the king throne & called out to the approaching person that the toilet was occupied. Ambles emerged after to the guy waiting outside that goes, “Getting all twitchy in there were you?!” Ambles didn’t like the guys sense of humour to say the least.

We had our hot substance drink & porridge & got packing. Out by 7.30am starting with the damn hill climb back out onto the track. And it was hot already. I regretted having warm gear on but quickly appreciated it once we got into the valley where the temperature dropped significantly.

 

 

We had a lot of bush bashing goat trails, confusion to where the track went but quickly learnt to follow the yellow ribbons tried to the trees. Ambles haulpack felt better today – May have been the wine consumption last night! My calves were feeling tight. Daisyfish passed us & kept going up this hill passed a Bibbulmun turn off. Luckily I was right behind her, calling out that she had missed the turn off & saving her extra mileage. Following the Bibbulmun marker is so important. If I don’t see one for awhile I start worrying I’m not on the track. The marker is called the Waugal & means rainbow serpent. Sometimes the tree eats them, or they are burnt out, or missing in action, or some moron thinks it’s funny to turn the marker the wrong way. We had our 2nd ascent, Daisyfish & I chatting our way up the hill with Ambles slowly plodding along far behind us.

 

 

The second descent was a horrid goat trail that had been improved recently but still steep & tricky to navigate. Ambles was quickly becoming concerned with his knees. I waited down the bottom on this beautiful cold temperature rock as the sun was so hot. Ambles liked the rock coolness too & took a break. Close by there was even a river to cool your feet off. But we just wanted to get out of the heat quickly. We started up our 2nd ascent, I was ahead and knowing Ambles track record of missing the waugal, waited at a left turn. But some nasty winged vermin bit me on the leg & wanted more so I had to continue slowly. Luckily I did as Ambles was going to continue straight ahead pass the marker when he glanced to his left & saw me. He was like, “What are you doing over there?!” Not getting lost that’s what!

 

 

Oh it was so burning hot & horrible. We just had to push through another descent, when a whole bunch of young guys on scout camp went pass us all hot & sweaty with big backpacks on. They had it worse than us! We had one final ascent to camp. It was 11.30am, I wanted to get there by midday to get out of the heat so I took off, leaving Ambles behind in the wake of my dust. I arrived at Waalegh which is on top of a hill overlooking another valley, at 11.50! I quickly flung my shoes & socks off & stuck my legs up the wall, cooling off. Daisyfish was there already in her sports bra & shorts, sitting with two older blokes they were just in their shorts, all cooling off having lunch. The Vegan girls beat Ambles whom came in around 15 minutes later. Ambles had this amazing idea to everyone that there should be a drone delivery of beer he could order as he really felt like a pint of Guinness. Could be something profitable in that!

 

 

Everyone left & we have camp to ourselves! Even Daisyfish changed her mind & they all went on to the next one. It is only 8 odd kms away & fairly easy track but in that afternoon heat! Nope. Happy to stay! We won’t see Daisyfish until Dwellingup looks like. She is getting picked up at Brookton Hwy Friday, going home to surprise her 12 year old son whom is missing his mum. Going to shower & recharge, get dropped back off Sunday & she will be a Shelter behind us unless she double huts again. The toilet is so far away you have to take a packed lunch with you! But it’s a lovely little spot. I even let Ambles set up our sleeping bags on the bottom platform. Nice & cool in the shade. The insects are no fun & we didn’t bring any insect repellent so I’m getting eaten alive, may be nothing left of me to continue tomorrow 😂😂. Handwashing is done with clothes drying on the rocks. Ambles has a foot problem he is trying to find a solution for. Called metatarsalgia.

 

 

Ambles has organised getting some help with insect repellent & his foot care with our trail angels. 😊 Lucky for us we get cell reception here! Onwards & upwards, so to speak, we must go!