14/9: Oh my, Wayne was exhausted totally  last night, 11.30pm I awoke to the sound of his rather loud snoring. Ambles was not happy saying, “Geez! Sounds like a bloody tractor!” He went on loudly for awhile until his snoring settled a bit. Then there was the steady hum of the Conveyor belt. I didn’t get much sleep either. In the morning, Wayne felt so terrible for his snoring. He really was upset. “Oh man! Shit! So sorry. I won’t sleep in the next shelter with you guys. Maybe I could use your tent?” Then later to me he said, “Don’t worry, I’ll double hut today.” Dave & Jayn were up packing their tent at 6am so I knew they were going to double hut today as well. They left just before us.

Todays walk was reasonably flat another 19kms. I remember years back when we did this section that there was a long boring dirt 4WD road. That road looked different, not so wide. Maybe not used by cars anymore & becoming narrower with bushes growing in the middle & on the sides. Those prickly bushes that scratch my legs & arms. Today was humid, overcast again but not hot like yesterday. Ambles tripped, caught his foot on a log part sticking out fell down, catching his fall with his hands. Maybe that fall had something to do with it, but his backpack was malfunctioning. The Aarn load limo is so complex in design, luckily he caught the two metal bars that had come undone & the bottom rope that adjusts the bag to the body snapped. We were close to the shelter so he kept going, but the weight was on his shoulders now he couldn’t adjust the pack weight on his hips. Just before the Shelter, we went through a sandy flat section the ground dotted with pretty pink & purple flowers. The nicest part I reckon.

We arrived at the strange named Shelter Yourdamung just after noon. Our walking pace has definitely sped up to maybe 3.5 to 4kms an hour depending on the terrain. The shelter is off the longest spur trail walk in – 300 metres. No fires are allowed here. We are basically surrounded by Jarrah trees. The shelter is maintained very nicely, the tables & sleeping platforms varnished & shiny. Wood chips & sand make up the floor base. We like the ones with the table in the middle of the sleeping platforms. We tend to take the lower platform as easier to get into our beds. No one can sleep next to us. Dave & Jayn had been & gone leaving us all a hello in the trails log book. Wayne wasn’t far behind us as he showed up. This guy carries no Bibbulmun map or guide book. So he just follows the waugal not knowing what’s ahead & how far the Shelter is. He doesn’t carry a PLB either so walks in the middle of our group making sure he isn’t the last one. And he forgot to bring throngs so walks around barefoot or in his socks at camp. Rolls up all hyped up as usual saying, “I blasted through to here that was quick! I’m going through to Harris Dam! My first double Hut! Shit! What’s wrong with your backpack? Oh man, there’s a good outdoor store in Collie mate or I’m going to Bunbury to get better gear. You could come or borrow my girlfriends car & get yourself a new backpack?” There is faint reception here so Wayne called up his girlfriend. After he goes, “Shit man! My bloody woman is hungover, drank too much with the girls last night. I need to get her out here walking with me!” By 1pm, Wayne hightailed out of there all excited about double hutting, getting to Collie, having drinks at the pub, stocking up on more pain killers. It started to drizzle right then but that didn’t last long. Ambles pouted saying, “Oh, he was going to show me how to catch Marron!”

So Ambles spent all afternoon fixing up his backpack with good ole duct tape. He couldn’t figure out how the pieces go together anyway the system is so complex. He rang Collie outdoor store they had only one 50 litre backpack. He said he will just buy another same backpack set for $450. Not cheap. My Osprey backpacks have never let me down. They may squeak but are super reliable! Jeremy came & set up his tent. Then this old guy shows up weathered face, skinny as with no fat on him. Legs that looked like they had hiked thousands of miles. I thought he must be 80 but turns out he is 76 years old, Craig from Newcastle. He said he is hiking to Pemberton not planning on going to Albany. Interesting fellow we got chatting to over dinner, now us, Jeremy & Craig. Ambles asked Craig how heavy his backpack was & he said 12 kgs with 7 days food included. Ambles jokes & says “I hate you!” Craig carries a jet boil & a tent being a minimalist but independent of others. Carries the Bibbulmun map in a sleeve around his neck. Looks like a serious dude alright. But walks barefoot around camp. “Throngs? That is more weight!” Has had to pull out ticks on his legs but says he doesn’t react to them like the ones over east. He walks 30+kms a day, sometimes staying in shelters sometimes free camping off the track somewhere. Tomorrow he walks another 30 kms pass Collie, not interested in going into town, will camp somewhere along the track. Yes, it was a pleasant early evening, we didn’t miss Wayne’s chatter, laughing about the guys at the next one having Wayne’s delightful company instead 😂.