Epiblog

Some final thoughts on Larapinta - the experience

• Plan the walk meticulously and communicate with your support team all along the way. I failed to do that and as a consequence our schedule had to be changed, losing a critical rest day (we survived)
• Be sure all participants have good walking experience and able to do 30+ km per day without distress (not sure how you assess this other than taking them on grueling 30+ km training walk)
• Make sure all walkers appreciate the Larapinta is tough on boots and feet.
• Make sure ALL walkers bring their own blister care items, perhaps give a specific list of products each walker is expected to supply.
• Walking west to east worked for us, even without the rest day at Ellery Gorge.
• The bus trip up to Glen Helen allowed to group to get to know each other and I think worked well. Flying home at the end, certainly worked for me.
• What would I leave out. The extra pair of thermal pants, one only needed. Take only one Beanie.
• Banksia Tours were a surprise, after an inauspicious start (late without an apology) they simply got better and better. David, deaf as a post, especially when he broke his hearing aid, had a dry sense of humour and Sonya was quite charming, and catered to my dietary peccadillo's with great zest.
• However, they do need some advice re vegetarians and what they do or do not eat. Turkey and chicken don't normally fit into the vegetarian diet, neither does fish, really.
• The food was simple, however there was plenty of it. Breakfasts consisted of up to five varieties of cereal, porridge most days, toast and often bacon and eggs. Even on the remote camps.
• Lunches also had great variety including avocado's most days with fruit, muesli and chocolate  bars.
• Dinners often three course and often ice cream as part of desert.
• Surprisingly, I still lost about 4 kg.
• Attached are the links to my Picasa albums if you want to browse my pictures at your leisure

https://plus.google.com/photos/115827045141699129695/albums#photos/115827045141699129695/albums

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Day 18 Homeward Bound (for some)

It was a lazy start, with no urgency to do anything, yet many emerged just after 7.00 AM scrounging for a coffee.
It was then a steady parade of sleepy heads coming and going, as those who were flying home got packed up.
I think the bus travelers, who leave tomorrow looked on with some envy.
There were also some very tentative walkers who tip-toed around with sore feet, sore ankles and knees. There were surprisingly few sore heads.
The bus people, once organised headed off to town to mooch around, and perhaps get lunch from a local Vietnamese place, that proved be far from local, about 10 km out of town.
The flyers fiddled and eventually the airport shuffle arrived (on time really) and we were at the airport, John, Jo, Julian, Peter, Simon and Vicki.
There was a slight scare for Jo as she realised as we were about to board she had left her day pack in the coffee shop, so there was a mad race to beat the bomb squad.
An uneventful flight bought us to a very balmy Adelaide and a pretty swift departure to our various abodes.
NOTE -all the daily posts now have photos and slide shows attached and some additions to the text.

Day 17 Simpsons Gap to Telegraph Station-the last day

The tired and relieved leaders

Another early start, with a general air of anticipation, as today is finishing day. A rather subdued bunch on the bus, with little conversation and non of the usual banter or music.
Simpsons Gap was cool and quite delightful in the early morning light, though the walk in the sandy bed wasn’t that welcome.
Back to the start of the day’s walk and the Spinifex Tongs changed hands to Matthew Howie for impeccable manners, dress and being tidy all the time. He took the award with great gravity as future events will tell along with a small bag of cucumber, alluding to a previous night.
I was given the honour, by Simon, of leading the walk today, so off we went.
A fair pace up the first incline and the km markers quickly got lower and lower, with our first stop to change clothes, shed some anyway, came in under 30 minutes at the 2 km mark, on Hat Hill Saddle.
It was then a steady plod along the well made track, heading east most of the time, with a short pause at Fairy Springs for first morning tea.
Some headed off to look at the springs whilst others just sat around.
Then on to Wallaby Gap, a camp ground with seating, shelter and a dunny.
Then our first serious climb, to Euro Ridge, which afforded our first real views of Alice Springs and the Gap, BUT not the Telegraph Station.

The short ridge walk was cool in the light breeze, however the day was getting warm, and the ridge was too early for lunch, however just the right time for second morning tea.
Finding a reasonable place for lunch in the lightly wooded, undulating country, was difficult with no shade, however we finally settled.
Obviously,  I had upset Simon as he pelted me with small rocks throughout lunch, until threatened with a boulder of huge proportions.
Then began the end of walk plot with the km countdown proceeding, over the Ghan line, under the Stuart Highway at Geoff Moss Bridge, which provided welcome shade for a rest.
At this point, Matthew announced he had been very remiss in his duties as Spinifex Tongs trustee, explaining that Simon had been complaining or sore nipples throughout the day, and he had failed to respond appropriately as trustee..
Matthew then proceeded to apply the aforesaid cucumber and hypafix to Simon’s right breast, which he wore with great relief to the end.
We then hit the old telegraph line with  the characteristic three part poles, that lead us past the cemetery and finally to the end, with the traditional arch of walking poles, through which we all walked.
It was done-263 km and 12 days with blisters and sore feet to burn.
Hugs, kisses and photographs and some obligatory speeches.
Then back to base for showers and readiness for our final dinner and celebrations.
The celebration dinner in the common room of the bunk house culminated in strawberries and Golden North ice cream from the pancake van on site and then the awards ceremony in which Simon gave all the walkers and “roasting” award for misdemeanours on the track and a Larapinta Certificate.
Matthew, with impeccable taste, as ever, proposed that the Spinifex Tongs be given to someone who would most likely return to the Larapinta, and hence give them good use and it was so decided to award then to David and Sonya of Banksia Tours.
Slowly, people drifted off to bed, leaving a hard core of about eight to party on, until fatigue took its toll.
Simon's thought of the day-History is why
Pictures to follow when I have a reliable and swift connection.

Day 16 Rest day or the East MacDonnell Ranges

Emily Gap rock art

Today our second rest day at Alice OR not.
Most elected to have the day in Alice going to the Sunday Markets in Todd Mall, catching up with friends or relatives or just simply hanging around.
Some more intrepid amongst us chose to head east and explore the lesser know MacDonnell Ranges, the other side of Alice to the Larapinta.
Breakfast at 7.30 AM, which most attended in spite of being able to sleep in if they so chose.
The adventurers were out on the road at 8.00 AM and an exclusive group, four in number, were picked by Clive, of Emu Adventures.
A cheery guy from the Congo, who sounded more Seth Efrican, and we were off.
First stop, Corroboree Rock and unusual formation, a sacred site, which we could walk around.
Then onto Ross River Resort, the home of the Ross River virus, a great old homestead, now part of the Groller empire.

Then followed a brief morning tea, followed by an exciting 4WD trip around the property, in Frank Groller’s personal Landcruiser, scratching it furiously on the narrow property tracks.
We saw the Great Wall of China, a wall-like rock formation, the Sphinx, another rock formation that didn’t look like a sphinx, then an outback camp the manager had set up, with fine hot water “donkey”, a “Thunderbox” loo and some primitive tent structures that looked surprisingly comfortable.
We saw brumbies, Euros and some interesting artists at the camp.
Lunch back at the resort where we were entertained by variously a small joey, a brace” of peacock and a rather indolent “Red” dog.
Then off to explore Trephina Gorge, with a very pretty rim walk, looking over the ochre red cliffs into a wide gorge with a small running creek.
Then down into the gorge, onto the sand and a couple of easy creek crossings then back to the bus.
On the way out of the gorge, a visit to the highest Ghost Gum in the East Macs at 33 metres, a stately tree.
Then followed Jessie Gap and Emily Gap with fine rock walls, now bathed in the afternoon light and some intriguing rock paintings.
Back to the caravan park, to catch up with the others day activities.
All in all a rather boring day!! I only took 51 pictures which you can see IN DUE COURSE.
Tomorrow we finish!

Day 15 Simpson Gap to Jay Creek

Bond Gap

An early start as have quite a walk today, and it’s hot for us around 24 degrees and we suffered yesterday.
So wakey wakey at 5.30, breakfast at 6.00AM and into the bus an hour later.
We were on the track at 7.35 AM, from Simpson’s Gap, on what started as quite a cold morning. Hands cold, crisp morning with delightful colours around the hills.
We had decided to walk Simpson’s to Jay Creek, as the previous day had been quite warm and we wanted to start in the cool.
The Track was a great piece of track construction, following the contours with some great benching and even an arch bridge with keystones.
The actual trail did not follow what was on the map
First stop at Bond Gap, with a delightful rock pool leading through the gap, with reeds and still water, with great reflections.

The day started to warm up, so the next stop at Mulga  Camp was “first lunch”.  A rather interesting dunny and had two tanks supplied with water from Alice. The dunny was corrugated iron composting in a snail configuration and hot and horrible, though had toilet paper.
The walk was over savanna country and had a sameness about most of it most of the day.
Then a walk through a small gap, Spring Gap, where we had “second lunch” (I think we are turning into Hobbits) and out towards Jay creek, via an undulating trail, still nicely benched and good walking.
We arrived at Jay Creek at 3.00PM and the water was still deliciously cold.
We were then given free rein as Simon took the back marker position, so I was able to stride out and arrived at the bus at 3.58PM with the rest of the group arriving over the next 15 minutes.
It was then a repeat of the previous day’s trip home, with a mad scramble for the showers, before dinner.
After dinner, the entertainment was “Telegraph” a bit like Chinese whispers, in which a message is whispered from person to person to see what arrives at the other end of the circle.
Colin was the Senior Telegrapher, reading the message to the first person and so on.
One is worth repeating. The message was “Dear Simon, Sorry to hear your bum is on fire stop try using potato salad in the evening or porridge in the morning stop love Ethel.”
This came out as ”I am sorry Robyn but your butt is on fire with potato thrip. Please try something else”.
Simon's thoughts of the day-Life's goal is to take control

Day 13 Alice Springs Rest Day

Tent city, Alice Springs

Simon slept well however I did not. I was told that no one cares how I sleep however they would be interested in his sleep patterns. So there it is!!
Most headed off to Alice town centre and spent at least part of the day there, shopping, coffeeing and generally lazing about.
Some stayed and did washing, then headed off and some just headed off.
Some walked back from Alice Springs and some just read all day.
A lazy day ahead of a potentially big day tomorrow.

Updated all the remote camp blogs without pictures, the connection here is crap and it’s twice as expensive as Glen Helen.
The evening was concluded with the second meeting of The Birthday Creek Poetry Society with Colin starting with a rendition of Mammy, then Jane with another gem, Caravanning Bliss.
Peter Wynen had us in tears with one of Banjo’s sadder poems, "Lost" however cheered us with "Mulga Bill’s Bicycle".
Eve read “Said Harahan” and Steve read “The Farting Competition”.
The evening ended with a duet of Simon and Vicki singing and “From Little things, Big Things Grow” and Eve sang a piece from “Hair”.

Day 14 Standley Chasm to Jay Creek

The waterfall

An early start as we have quite a hard day. Simon slept well with his dulcet snoring running through the night; HOWEVER I had an attack of the restless legs and slept badly.
The tenters all snored like mad so I am told!
An early start meant a chilly start though a hotter day was predicted, and so it proved.
The trip out to Standley Chasm was quick, the Spinifex Tongs went to Jo for sharing her massage skills with people who were suffering. When are we going to get a really controversial nomination.
Meanwhile I was trying to get the group through Standley Chasm, as it appears that walkers can  now no longer us the Chasm to continue the Larapinta. I thought I had gained permission, until he chased us and refused to let us proceed.
So it was up and over the Chasm, missing the highlights that cost others $10.00.

So began a hard hot day.
A steady climb up to Gastrolobium Saddle, followed by some interesting climbs down waterfall faces using various ledges and steps. Good stuff.
Then some creek walking, boulders and stones and ankle  twisting territory.
At Millers Flat we had a choice to do the alternative high route, or the normal route through the valley, which involved another climb to Tangentyere Junction.
It was a day of creek walking with sand and rocks.
By this time shady lunch spots were hard to find however we managed some shade, and during lunch Colin managed to fall over!
Then on to Fish Hole a delightful waterhole between a small chasm, that required another climb to get from one side to the other. Some bathed their sore feet whilst others just sat  in the shade and looked on.
Then began a tedious sandy creek walk to Jay Creek, a campsite with delightfully cool tank water and then another monotonous walk along a property track to Hamilton Downs car park.
Tired people on the bus, most slept on the way home via the Tanami Road back to Alice Springs.
A mad rush for the showers and many tired faces at dinner.
Simon's thoughts of the day-Life is a rock

Day 12 Birthday Waterhole to Standley Chasm

Yours truly at the top

Another fitful night, in which the “compass” air mattress swung from East west to SE/NW. Those bloody magnetic fields!
Breakfast again included the bacon and eggs, even in this remote site and again we were off after having broken camp ie i.e. dropped the tents and packed them up.
The Spinifex Tongs went from Vicki to Peter Solomon......
Once again off at 7.45AM with a sandy creek walk to get us in the mood,  to reach the track and our turn off. An easy start, past Mintbush Spring to Stuart’s Pass that was where Charles MacDowell Stewart managed to find a pass through the ranges that bear his name.
Then began the ascent of Brinkley Bluff, the highest point on the Trail.

Initially, a steep ascent up to a saddle, then a disappointing loss of height to looks into the cycad valley revealed at Rocky Cleft, then the climb up Brinkley proper, with the track zigzagging its way up the steep slope. In fact it zigzagged so much the front group went zigging, when they should have zagged. A very alert back marker saw the error and took the correct route, followed by some of the back people, arriving at the summit some 10 minutes before the misled group.
Brinkley Bluff showed magnificent views all around and precipitated an early lunch to soak them up. The log book showed Jeremy Carter, a Friends’ member had camped there some weeks ago.
A four kilometre ridge top walk to Reveal Saddle then a constant descent into a rocky creek for the walk out to Standley Chasm.
A welcome Magnum ice cream whilst awaiting the bus, sitting resting tired feet and sore legs.
Our remote camps were over and it would be showers tonight in Alice.
The MacDonnell Ranges Caravan Park is a true cut above Glen Helen, spacious rooms with carpet, bed lights and cupboards that don’t collapse, a large common room.
My boots still hadn’t come in, however to date the glued Scarpa’s were doing well and may even see the walk to its completion
David the driver was buggered after packing and moving, so dinner was at the one of the local clubs with a couple of large beers.
Back at base a few wines and some port followed for one of our most successful alcohol free days!!
Simon's thouight of the day-Life is a research project
Pictures to follow

Day 11 Hugh Gorge to Birthday Waterhole.

Razorback Ridge

A fitful night, rolling back and forth from side to side, with my Exped air mattress rotating 45 degrees from its original position.
Then the usual early 7.45 AM start, with the Spinifex Tongs going to Vicki who had stolen David, the driver’s egg at breakfast, though Colin was a strong contender as he had managed to collapse his tent exiting for a pee the night prior, and dropping the tent this morning before Peter Wynen had managed to get all his gear out.
It was the a rocky gorge walk in the early morning light through Hugh Gorge followed by a climb onto Rocky Saddle.
An easy descent to Fringe Lily campsite (bugger all to see) and then a vicious climb to Razorback Ridge, which truly lived up to its name, with us sometimes walking on the edge with a drop off some many metres each side.

It was up down, up down to Windy Saddle, living to its name, then another steep descent to Spencer Gorge, and another of those rock-hopping experiences, then to cheese us all off, a climb to a saddle before descending to Birthday Waterhole.
This was a tiny camp-site off track on the banks of a small water-hole with “cold” water, where a number of us took the opportunity to wash off some accumulated dust, grime and sunblock.
The tents were packed two deep on the small site and there were few places to sit.
Fish for dinner BBQ’ed on the hot plate with apple turnover things for desert.
We did manage to develop a rocky amphitheatre for the poetry reading, thirst meeting of the Birthday Creek Poetry Society.
Jane started proceedings with “Now I am Six” and we were truly entertained by some great poems and dissertations and even a song. The night finished strongly with Peter Wynen’s rendition of a couple of Banjo’s poems.
After the poetry reading, most headed off to bed, it being by now 7.30PM!!! Hardier soles lay on the sand and looked for satellites the task being made very difficult by a near full moon. They were rewarded however by two shooting stars and a couple of bats.
Cold drove them to bed.
Simon's thought of the dat-Belief closes the mind.

Day 10 Ellery Creek to Hugh Gorge.

Ghost Gums

Today was to be a long day, 31 km across the plain from the Heavitree Range to the Chewings Range.
Most slept poorly for a variety of reasons, and it was cold as well.
An early wake-up call with a departure at 7.30AM.
Today we farewelled Eleanor, who having walked the previous day with bad blisters realised that she was not really able to continue. The day had been torture for her, so a taxi was arranged to get her out, there being no room in the troopie. In fact we weren’t sure there would be room for the driver with all the gear that had to be packed.
The Spinifex Award changed hands from Eve to Julian for “caring medical attention” and we were off with an easy start, then a climb through a saddle in the range, at which time Simon became concerned at our rather slow progress.

He felt a cross country bash would be appropriate to cut a kilometre or so off the walk.
After a very steep drop off the saddle, suddenly we had no front group, only the back group walking the track.
We had lost the front group who had followed Simon, and the back group simply followed the path.
The race was then on to see where we would meet.
The back group won, as they were less blackened by burnt trees along the off track path.
Morning tea was off track in a small depression out of the wind.
A party of three walkers coming the other direction, oblivious to our presence got the shock of their lives to find 18 people sitting just off the track. They were from USA and NZ.
It was then a plod along with ups and downs past Rocky Gully camp, no real campsite to see other than a creek bed, then past Ghost Gum Flat and on to Hugh Gorge.
Hugh Gorge was a very primitive campsite with few places for our tents, and only some tree trunks and rocks for seating. No Toilet so the spade was put into service.
David and Peter had taken 5 hours to pack all the gear, then had a 22 KM horrendous goat track drive in.
In spite of this we had rice and stroganoff then off to bed a hard day with sore feet.
Simon's thought of the day-Dance or we are lost

Day 9 Serpentine Gorge to Ellery Creek

Trig Hill with old style trig

Today was pack up day, divide our gear and get ready for our remote camping.
Some gear to come out bush and the rest to have a small holiday in Alice Springs, whilst we trek the wilds of the West MacDonnell’s.
The Spinifex Tongs were passed from Steve to Eve ....then we were off for what the guides said was a hard day. The map didn’t look too bad however we soon found why the rating was as it and was.
There was a side trip to Serpentine Gorge that some took the opportunity to take, whilst others just waited.

The walk was a continuous sawtooth, that culminated in what was labelled a Trip Point tho it was many feet lower than the main range. We decided that the surveyor was just a lazy bastard.
So up and down we went and crossed back into the National Park by what we believe is the only stile on the trail. And a very poor effort it was too.
We staggered into Ellery Creek after what was  a hard day to find the camp set up, tents all up and David the driver and Peter the gopha all ready for us.
Tents allocated, mattresses blown up and sleeping bags in position, we were set up for the night.
Dinner was soup and a steak sandwich to follow and then the final of the film night.
Steve presented the Blues Brother, followed by the Sting by Julian and then Dead Man by Simon. All well received however Margaret and David’s contract had not been renewed so there was no critique.
Bed followed.
Simon's thoughts of the day-Every kiss is a first