Day 9 to Day 10

Day 9  Sunday – Last night after I completed the written part of the blog I was loading the photo’s when the laptop went flat, so Ange hopped into bed and Thomas sat watching Terminator II, I also decided that bed was calling.

Yesterdays walking and climbing took a bit out of us so this morning we had a bit of a sleep in when about 9.00am  John Texted to say good morning (In other words get up ya lazy bastards). Ok up and at em we got, Packing the van and getting a gas bottle filled before pulling into a site with water and we all filled our vans. Setting off once more we headed to Kings Canyon. Stopping at Curtain Springs for fuel, @ 1.98 a litre mind you it didn’t take long to rack up a $160 fuel bill!!!!

Back on the road we decided to stop after about an hour for lunch but we missed the wayside stop, continuing on we were looking for another when we came across an SES road block, apparently a car had rolled over on the side of the road ahead and they were waiting for a helicopter to land to convey an injured person to hospital. Well might as well have some lunch as we could be here for a while.    Lunch had we sat for a while longer before the Police decided to clear some banked up traffic and let us through. We are starting to feel like “shit Magnets” first the fallen climber and now a car accident, lets hope that’s all of Emergency services we get to see for the rest of the trip.

Arriving at the Kings Canyon campground without any further issues we booked in and set up for the night.  Camp set up, Showered, drill batteries plugged in for a charge and a beer in my hand I sat down with Tina, John, Ange and Josie for a drink when a resident Dingo decides to waltz on by. By now I was missing Ace my wonder dog and thought of giving this one a pat but suddenly remembered Azaria Chamberlain so offered up one of the boys as a gift but No joy they wouldn’t fit in its mouth!!!.  

As the sun was nearing its setting time, we wandered up to the sunset lookout to watch the different color transformations on the ridge that forms part of Kings Canyon.  It’s is just fantastic to look at what this beautiful country has to offer, the effect that the sun going down, shining on this range is just something that photos can’t show.  I will add some to this blog but they just don’t do it justice. There is only one way to really see this show and that is live. 

Before you know it the sun has gone and its starting to get dark, Tea still needs to be cooked so Thomas drags out the Weber and sets about cooking some chops while Ange does some scalloped potatoes  and vegies. Food, Beer, Great scenery and fantastic weather, what more could you ask for. Up at the Outback BBQ which is one of the restaurants here there was a some free live entertainment. A bloke by the name of Rod Dowsett who is a country and western singer and songwriter was putting on a show so Ange, Josie the boys and I wandered up for a drink and a listen. Now I am not really into Country and Western but listening to this guy live was really good. Josie who is a C & W fan bought 3 of his CD’s and Mitch chimed in and got 1. During a break Mitch Thomas and I went for a game of Pool. I let Mitch beat me (cough cough) so he then played Thomas before coming back and watching the rest of the show. Home to bed soon after and off to sleep, that is, until the middle of the night when I was woken to the sound of Dingoes Howling. Now normally I get Pissed off when woken up at ungodly hours of the night but to hear these creatures howling in their natural habitat is something to admire. Not quite as musically tuned as our C & W singer but something to be amazed at.

Day 10  Monday - Next morning we arose and packed up ready to head to the Canyon, The sun was shining and it was looking at being quite warm. Arriving at the carpark we filled the camelpack and set off on the Kings Creek walk which is a 2.6 Klm return walk up the centre of one of the Canyons. This walk was pretty easy and it highlighted the vegetation and the sediment of the rock formations. Nice stroll but the best was yet to come, returning from that one we started to Tackle “The Rim Walk” now the sign says that it is 6.4 Klm return and its a “Moderate walk” with a 3 – 4 hour return time.

Kings Canyon

Ange, the boys and I have done this one before back in 2011 and remember it as a big highlight of our trip so we were keen to do it again. Josie hadn’t done it before and was keen to tackle it but wasn’t so sure when confronted with the sharp rise and steps at the start, True to her word she had said she would try and turn back if it became too strenuous so with Thomas helping her we climbed the 500 + steps to the top of the first ridge. This may sound easy but trust me it is quite a challenge to get to here, from here we started to follow the track and take in the gorgeous rock formations that make up this magnificent place. Arriving at the first of the edge lookouts you see the whole canyon and it takes your breath away at how beautiful this place is, When we get there we hear the usual Cooee echo’s that usually are yelled out when you find a place that echo’s. So true to form I yell out “I bought a Jeep” which brought about a lot of laughter from those around us. Mitch just laughed and said “Dickhead”. Well I thought it was funny!

Kings Canyon



Kings Canyon

Continuing on we were once again blown away at how great this place is, high cliffs strange rock formations and vegetation growing in places that you just can’t imagine. Half way along you walk down a set of steps and cross a bridge that overlooks “The Garden of Eden” which is a tight canyon with lots of plants and waterholes. Across the bridge there is a 600 metre side walk that takes you to one of the waterholes, here we took some photos and I dipped my Durag (my head sock ) in the cold water and cooled off before returning up the steps back to the top. By this time I had pretty much had a gutful of bloody steps and stairs.


Kings Canyon



Kings Canyon

 

Kings Canyon



Kings Canyon



Kings Canyon

 



Kings Canyon

 

 

Kings Canyon

Kings Canyon

Nearing the completion of the walk (about a Klm to go) Josie started to feel sick and dehydrated and needed a rest so Ange stayed with her while  I pushed on back to the Van and sent Thomas running back with a fresh bottle of cold water. I rehydrated myself and then set off back to help her finish the walk. Once back at the Car park I switched of my Run keeper GPS App on my phone and it said that I had completed 7.36 Klms for the trip and that didn’t include the 1 k walk back to help Josie or the first k on the creek walk.  A good 10 k trek of various inclines. My Legs were saying 100 k so not sure if the app works or not. Back at the car park we cooked up some 2 minute noodles for lunch (not really a gourmet lunch) but after such a huge walk anything is welcome. Lunch completed we set off for our next camp which was called Salt Creek rest area about 120 Klms away, a short drive considering what we have done lately. Along the way we came across a very new model Caravan about  $60 to $70,000 worth on the side of the road that had obviously been in an accident and rolled over a few times it turns out a woman was driving along and the van started to sway and she didn’t know how to get out of it and she ended up rolling both the car and the van. If only she had the ALKO ESC that saved me so well a couple of days earlier.  Arriving at Salt Creek  we found a few other campers set up so we found the best parks that could fit all 3 of us in and set up a basic camp for the night. Bugger me dead just as we finished setting up it was 5’s time so we sat down with a little spread of Chips, Dips, Salami, olives, Cheeses and  Bickies. Of course we had to wash all that down so out came the Beer and wine as the sun started set over the bush.

Thomas decided he needed a crap and I thought well I might have one as well so I grabbed the shovel as there is no toilets at this camp and off we went. Now I just think that it is a natural bodily function but to the others it  provided some laughs and jokes amongst the others as we wandered over the hill. I dug Thomas a hole and gave him some paper as I continued further on and completed what was required. Arriving back at camp the jokes continued to flow at our expense. Things like why did you take so long – Did you get “Bogged”,  I bet the view was “Crappy”, Glad you dragged the flies away from the food, did you dig separate holes? or did you share one back to back etc etc.    Just as Tina took a mouthful of her drink I said “Ok enough of the shitty jokes” and she couldn’t help herself she sprayed a whole mouthful everywhere.    Reading this, it may be one of those “you had to be there” moments but there were laughs all round. Tea was again a BBQ with some nice Scotch fillet cooked on the trusty Weber, Thomas is becoming quite the Chef with the Weber under my expert Guidance, Beer in hand I impart my knowledge while Thomas mans the tools. Life is pretty tough here in the outback !!!!!