October 1st
3mi before Dwellingup(128.6)-Dwellingup(131.2)
Mileage: 2.7mi/4.1km
Right on cue the rain came down at 4:15am this morning. What is it with this 4am rain out here!? I waited to leave at 7am because I wanted to get to town at 8am when the place I was going to eat breakfast would be open. It was a blustery day, and I found out when I got to town that there was actually a severe weather warning in effect due to the high winds. The track followed the railroad tracks into town, and dipped back and forth from an old road to trail sometimes, but I just stayed on the road to keep things simple in all this rain and wet brush.
I made it to town and had breakfast at the Blue Wren Cafe. I have to say that so far, it seems that breakfast servings out here are quite small compared to US portions. I could have eaten two of these plates, but they are pricey at $14US/$18AUS, but there isn’t tax or tipping out here so it does seem to even out in the end.
I sat inside for two hours and used their wi-fi while my chilled body enjoyed the warmth. The wind blew hard and the rain came down outside on and off. I walked the half-mile to the caravan park where I had a reservation for a backpackers room. I’m so glad I got a room with heat! They were kind enough to let me check in hours early since no one else was there. I was ready to relax and take a very long hot shower. Then I asked for my resupply box to find out that it wasn’t there. It took me about an hour of calling places in town and trying to use the online tracking system to find the box before I realized that I never sent one here. Gawh! I sent one to another place that starts with the letter D and didn’t even think about the fact that I meant to buy here all along. Such an idiot… So then, I postponed the shower and put my wet shoes and socks back on, and went into the wind and rain to resupply back a half mile into town. I know a half-mile may not seem like much, but on a day when I intended to hike a nero (near zero), and get a break, each step felt exhaustive. I was sure to go in the moments of clearer sky cause it moved in and out swiftly all day raining on and off in strong spurts unpredictably.
My backpackers room.
Yay for Tanya and Liz!
I knew the resupply options here would be minimal, but it is only 3-4 days to get to the next town, so it wasn’t worth sending a box (which I should have remembered when I thought mine hadn’t arrived!). I went to the visitor center and they had a hiker box with some bars and crackers in there that I was able to grab for free that another hiker left. The rest I was able to get at the small IGA that was in town. Let’s just say that this is the most unique resupply I’ve had. I had two extra dinners from last leg and a few bars, so I just needed to get everything but dinners pretty much. The best news is that they had tuna packets! Yay! The rest of the food I had to figure out what to do because there were hardly any bars to choose from and that is what makes up my snacks while I walk. Not my first choice but this will do for a few days. This cost $53/$66AUS, which isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Do remember that a chunk of this came from the hiker box and what I already had.
I walked the half-mile back, did laundry, resupply, and took a long hot shower. I also booked my accommodations for the next town and did some stuff online that needed to be done. Where I am there is just one bar of service unless I walk outside in the blustery weather, so things were moving slowly. That hot shower was the best part of the day!
By the time I finished all that, it was time for dinner. I ran the half mile back into town again (out of annoyance) and went to the pub. They did not have a meat pie without Guinness in it (yes, I know it cooks off, but it’s the principle of it), so that will need to wait for another day. Don’t worry, I will have one at some point before I leave Australia. The burger was so huge that I could not finish it. Such an embarrassment for a thru-hiker to not finish a meal. I ran back to the caravan park. It was dark out and there are no streetlights in this town. That is creepy. I finished the night off watching the shows from this week. I got to watch Grey’s, Survivor, and This Is Us. I think I’m done with This Is Us. It’s just not connecting for me. I want to like it, but it feels just a bit too corny.
I’m not thrilled about the forecast, but am told it should just be showers. Still, better than oppressive heat…I think… At least tomorrow looks good. Onward and southward!
Do you ever sing ‘Waltzing Matilda’ as you hike along?
No singing here. Can’t scare the animals that much;)
Glad to see that you are surviving the awful weather.
Let me assure you that when you are tired and cold and rain is bucketing down, to be in your sleeping bag and sip a hot drink of mars bar does far more for ones spirit that chewing a cold mars bar and downing a mug of cold water!!!
meat pies? yuk! they always sound better and smell better than they are!!
Oh you’ve got me there!
Really enjoying reading your story Erin. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a blog kept so up to date as yours it’s great.
As for slowing down, relaxing and smelling the roses so to speak, it seems like you are at risk of becoming and honorary Aussie. 🙂
I look forward to more of your journey over the days to come.
Thanks Neil! I do my best to keep it a virtual as possible when I have service. I heard it will get less frequent soon…
So your not keen on the beef and guiness pies then. We had a pint of guiness with our burger. They are yummy much better then a meat pie from a petrol station. Dont forgot the local bakery in all small towns are the best place to get a good met pie. Happy travels.
Gotcha! One of these days I’ll do it. Are they only an Australian thing or also in NZ?
Never seen you with alcohol Erin, now that I come to think of it .. not occurred to me before. Well done, must have saved you a fortune, if nothing else!
When I go into town when I’ve been walking, I often get quite the culture shock.. suddenly, all that noise, all those people.. and I reckon an Australian bar on finals day will be *right at the top end* of the noise and people spectrum! I don’t at all blame you, for not much wanting to be there.
Meat pies are just an opportunity for manufacturers to get rid of all the unsightly bits of meat they couldn’t sell otherwise .. some more so than others, I guess, but me, I prefer meat where you can tell where it’s come from. I don’t even like burgers
It’s like Australia’s version of a hot dog!
I’m sure you know this but just in case. They don’t include the tip when buying prepared food at a counter where you order and pay before receiving food. Supposedly much more affordable and decent in places.
I’ve been chuckling about all your references to the rain. You sound like this sunshine girl instead of a Portland gal.
Yes, I’ve noticed that out here with all the ordering at the counter. As for the rain, notice how I always STOP hiking in the fall? No problem with acclimating back from the trail when it’s cold and raining in Portland. Makes that very easy!
Hmm, the meat pie doesn’t sound so good after reading the comments here.
You know what you like and challenging your digestive system as you are hiking for months seems unwise anyway.
Long hot showers are the best! (Not here with drought conditions).
Such a contrast.. hot showers are good, rain showers not so good.
With rain early each day you are less likely to forget that umbrella.
???
Wired in her element, with her box of Choc Chil! Glad you found some chocy milk you like. It’s the little things like that that help out there on the trail.
BTW, this should be Day 7. Where’s Goal Tech?
Haha! I realized it all of a sudden while I didn’t have service and it killed me that I couldn’t fix it. It’s fixed now.
I’m enjoying your current trip. It is helping me relive my own Bibbulmun E2E which was this time of year too. I was just reminded by Facebook of my celebration at having two rain-free days in a row at about the halfway point. Enjoy.
I had no idea it was going to be so rainy!
Further south nearer to the coast, I spent a couple of days wading knee-deep through flooded lowlands and one whole section had a detour because the water was too deep. Hope it’s okay this year for you.
I’ve heard about that one too.