My memory of today’s hike was that it was fairly easy. A big stretch of flat, some down, some up, and that was pretty much it. And that was true mostly, but what I didn’t factor in was that my body needed a bigger rest after yesterday. Maybe I should have taken note of my Garmin watch that said my training readiness this morning was 3 out of 100. I really love walking through this alpine area. The twisted, gnarled snow gums, the wide treeless expanses with so much diversity of flora when you’re looking up close, the expansiveness of it all. It was super misty when I said goodbye to Jubble this morning at Langford Gap. The first section followed a vehicle track to Wallace’s Hut, then a foot track to join and cross over Bogong High Plains Road and head off across Bogong High Plains towards Mount Hotham.
There is still a lot of water on the ground. No chance of dry, not stinky feet today! I was in and out of water for most of the day. As my friend Anna reminded me, at least it’s not bushfires. It was super windy walking across the Bogong High Plains. So today’s themes were windy, wet, muddy, and slippy. I passed more school groups (apparently, there are 16 different groups out here at the moment).
After the plains, the track descended to Cobungra flats and Dibbins Hut. It’s a beautifully manicured path down and whilst steep, certainly not the most challenging of descents, but I could feel my legs being tired with each step down. I could also feel that the March flies are back! After a quick visit to Dibbins Hut, I started the climb up Swindlers Spur. This is when I realised I just didn’t have my normal energy, and I kind of felt sick. Up until now, the track had been mostly flat, and I can do mostly flat forever. But I struggled up this climb. I even sat down twice, which is practically unheard of for me! At one point, I was sitting on a step thinking, I could just stay here all day and night and not even care. But as a very dear friend taught me many moons ago, this too shall pass. So I picked myself up and put one foot in front of the other until I got to the top. And it was so beautiful up there, it was definitely worth getting there.
After the climb came Derrick’s Hut and then I was pretty much at the Mount Hotham ski field. I was giving myself lots of pep talks – just 4km to go, you can do 4km, when you get to the top there will be Jubbie and powerade, I won’t make you do anything tomorrow, in fact maybe we’ll get a massage tomorrow, etc. It all helped. And as I promised myself, when I got to the top, there was Jubbie! We went to Bright for the evening, had an amazing shower, delicious Mexican dinner, couple of wines, and that was it. I’m dreaming of a massage tomorrow!
Kerry's Hikes 