Saturday 1st June 2013
This was the day I left my camera on the bus because it was forecast to rain all day. And it pretty much did just that. So all the photos below are courtesy of other walkers.
The morning roll call and photo shoot was held in the rain, without me. I am still on the bus. But I did emerge to hear Dean Mortimer being awarded Morris Minus for his meritorious action above and beyond the call of duty in providing everyone a very welcome glass of port at the end of yesterdays walk.
Dean's flag for the day is Stephenson's Rocket - a double meaning here as we will see.
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| Photo by Mary Cartland |
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| Almost identical photo by Robert Alcock |
Our rain gear is on as we trudge across the muddy carpark at Dutchmans Stern to begin the day.
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| Photo by Robert Alcock |
We needed to regroup quite a number of times during the day because of the weather and conditions on the trail.
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| Regroup by Mary Cartland |
Steve Clift provides a lesson on cactus poisoning.
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| Photo by Robert Alcock |
Slogging up the hill....
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| Photo by Mary Cartland |
then Quorn can be seen in the distance from the top.
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| Quorn in the distance by Mary Cartland |
Stiles - two in a row.
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| Photo by Mary Cartland |
A muddy downhill section - a preview of things to come.
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| Photo by Robert Alcock |
Some spectacular colours emerged in the rain.
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| Colours by Robert Alcock |
Morris Minus is hanging on, but it is a rough ride today.
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| Photo by Robert Alcock |
The creeks provided some great photos of the wet weather and the water hazards.
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| Photo by John Pratt |
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| Photo by Robert Alcock |
Morning tea at Pinkerton Road provided another photo opportunity.
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| Photo by Robert Alcock |
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| Morning tea by John Pratt |
As we neared the railway line, the steam train provided more photo opportunities and everyone took shots.
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| Afghan Express by John Platt |
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| NM 25 by Mary Cartland |
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| Photo by Robert Alcock |
And then there was the really unique and interesting gate.
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| Photo by Mary Cartland |
As we slogged through a muddy section after the rain eased, we chanced on a butterfly.
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| Butterfly by Mary Cartland |
I held it while Mary photographed it in my hand and Robert took the shot below of Mary as she took the photo above.
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| Mary shooting the butterfly by Robert Alcock |
Then it flew into the mud by Robert's boot and was very lucky to survive.
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| Photo by Robert Alcock |
More evidence of the rain.
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Rained, by Mary Cartland
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Another regroup that clearly did not enthuse the leadership group - check our faces in these shots. Thanks to Mary Cartland and John Pratt for capturing our grim looks.
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| Pensive leaders by Mary Cartland |
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| Grim faces on the leaders by John Pratt |
But we did move on and we found another stile.
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| Photo by Mary Cartland |
Dallas Clark passes an old sign on the trail.
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| Old sign by Mary Cartland |
More rocks in another creek bed.
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| Photo by Robert Alcock |
Michael Middleton approaching another creek.
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| Photo by Mary Cartland |
How to cross a stile with style.
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| Dainty by Mary Cartland |
Towards the Willows, we came across that railway bridge the Roses and I remember so well from End-to-End 3.
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| Photo by Robert Alcock |
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| Railway bridge by Mary Cartland |
But finally we got to the Willows platform for lunch.
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| Photo by Robert Alcock |
Leaving the Willows brought a smile to Dean's face.......
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| Leaving Willows by John Pratt |
and soon everyone was smiling.
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| Robert Alcock and Steve Clift by Robert Alcock |
Not long after, we turned the corner away from the railway line and headed up the hill.
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| Turning the corner by Mary Cartland |
More regroups as we headed up the hill and across the ridge.
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| Photo by Robert Alcock |
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| Photo by Robert Alcock |
But it did give us another opportunity to photograph the train from above.
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| Train below by Mary Cartland |
Down the slippery slope and across the ridge.
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| Photo by Robert Alcock |
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| Photo by Robert Alcock |
Then the rain came again.....
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| Rain ahead by Mary Cartland |
and we covered up again.
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| Covering up by Mary Cartland |
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| Down the last slope in the rain, by Robert Alcock |
At last, we could see the bus below and there was a couple of wonderful surprises. Gavin Rufus and Barry Matthew had lit a very inviting bonfire for us to warm our cold hands and laid out a table of hot drinks and food. Thank you so much to all who contributed.
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| Bus below by Mary Cartland |
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| Down to the bus by Robert Alcock |
We dried out, got warm and indulged in the hot coffee, cakes and nibbles that had been prepared for us.
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| Photo by Robert Alcock |
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| Photo by Mary Cartland |
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| Photo by Mary Cartland |
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| Enjoying the fir by Robert Alcock |
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| Photo by John Pratt |
The sign says it all, but we loved it.
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| Photo by Robert Alcock |
