Green Gully Track - Day 4
Remember on day 2 when we were forced to bum slide down the mountain it was so steep? Well, today we're going back up. The plan is to leave a bit earlier this morning, as today's ascent is supposed to be criminal (600m in 3kms; steeper than Waterfall Gully Track on Mt Lofty) and it's best to do it before it gets too hot. And of course today's temperature is set to be our warmest day out here. The weather has been pretty much perfect throughout, so we can't complain but we will.
We're up at 6:30am and eat and pack somewhat quicker than usual and manage to take off about 8:30, an hour earlier than the last 3 days. Only 17.5 kms and some gnarly uphill management tracks lies between us and the finish line. Let's go!
John is more apprehensive about the uphill after day 1's challenge and he's well stocked with water and snacks to get him up. Courts and Jeff apparently live for this uphill stuff and are pumped. We're all a little giddy to be on the final day of the hike.
There is no rest for the wicked, the ascent starts almost immediately after we step foot on the track. It is STEEP! We must really be giddy because we're all smashing it, despite the warmth and the fact we've walked some 50 odd kms in the last 3 days. Courts has a couple of come to Jesus moments, as she realises her fear of heights works both going down and up a mountain. How good.
It's a good 4kms of this bullshit, but we finally break the back of the steep stuff and its a more "gentle" up and down for the next few kms. Fortunately or unfortunately, the last 10 kms of the track is the same as the first 10 kms. We can't decide if its better the devil you do know or not. Probably not. The day gets hotter and we repeatedly cry out "I don't remember this hill being this steep on day 1!" Just as it starts to turn into a trudge we see the clearing around the next bend... Cedar Creek Lodge! Our home for the night.
We find renewed energy (delirium) and speed hobble to the finish lime. AKA the deck of the lodge where we drop our bags, remove our boots and promptly collapse. Similar to day 1, we spend the next 20 minutes in the potions we've collapsed. Part exhaustion, part relief, part reflection on our mammoth effort over the past 4 days. We've had no service and haven't seen any other human for 4 days. We have well and truly immersed ourselves in that bush life. It's been refreshing, challenging and rewarding.
We peel ourselves off the deck and check out our digs. The lodge has a fridge, couches, tables and chairs, beds and a hot shower. It really does feel like luxury. As the sun sets, we take a walk around and get one last dose of nature, watching the roos do their thing (eating grass, mostly) and some more reflection and appreciation on everything we've seen and done the last few days. We all agree it was much harder than we thought it would be, but we're already talking about the next one.
