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28 June - Dog chain creek and towards Bell Gorge
2011.07.05
Two of my neighbours. The others were still sleeping.
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My campsite. I like to spread myself around. Annotated
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Bread, chickpeas and hummus. Don't worry I couldn't eat it all anyway.
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Date 28 June 2011 Tuesday
Destination: Dog Chain Ck to On the road to Bell Gorge, on the flat behind the old yards.
Distance: About 25-30km
Water - Plenty water on the way to the turnoff for silent grove and bell gorge and then after that, there are two creeks. The first is about 8km in and the next is another 6-7 but its not running. I am camped at the first which has plenty of water.
It was very windy this morning but luckily my washing did not blow into the creek and carried away.
On the raod, I had a headwind for a while.
I got to a rest area and there was a mottley bunch of guys - three young foreign tourists, all guys, and an old fella. They had made a helluva mess in their campsite such that I had no desire to hang about for an evening. Another couple who’d pulled up had the same thought. I gather the group came together only for this trip. The older guy, an old hippie type, takes the travellers with him to help reduce costs and maybe he gets a bit extra or gets his expenses covered this way. I didn’t go into the detail.
Today I was looking for a campsite near the turnoff to Bell Gorge where I would go tomorrow. Bell Gorge is a 50km round trip from the Gibb Road. On the rough roads, I didn’t want to be slowed down by all my gear and also I didn’t want to stay at the official campsite where I would have to pay.
The route between the rest area and the turn off took me over a range which was paved so easy enough to tackle. The lookout was good. Not much to see of course, just trees a plain and some mesas in the middle distance but its always nice to get some height and see the lie of the land.
I saw a dingo this morning.
12pm: Lunch on the range at the look out
Spaghetti w tuna and peas in tomato sauce
While I was pulled up a bus load of tourists pulled up. All the (old) people gathered round asking lots of questions - about how many punctures and whether I was scared and such. At the end, the woman tour guide handed me a muesli bar and told me to wait a sec. She came in back in a few minutes with two green apples. What a treat. I tell you if you ever see a cyclist on bush road, give them fresh fruit. They’ll love you for it.
I was glad to find the turnoff. The going was slow on this road with lots of corrugations.
On the road before I found my campsite I asked a driver how far to the next running water. For once I got accurate advice. There was one not far on and then another a few more kms on. I asked which was the best one and he said the first. I took him at his word and luckily because he was right.
I had to be careful to pitch my tent well out of sight so as not to alert any park rangers or be bothered by other tourists and I didn’t want to encourage anyone else to do what I was doing either. The land was flat and fairly treeless but there were some old cattle yards and on the far side of it the grass had been burnt off so it presented itself as a good spot even though it was a fair hike to the creek.
Once I had unloaded my gear, I decided to go for a walk to the other creek. I felt I needed the exercise! I hadn’t done much mileage in the last two days. I wanted to run but my shoes are falling apart and I was wearing my thongs. Lots of people stopped to ask if I was allright. It must have seemed odd to see a woman walking alone with no belongings and no other vehicle that I could be attached to insight. It might look as if I had had a fight with my partner and been thrown out of the 4WD to get to the campsite or help under my own steam. Luckily that was not the case.
When I got back to my camp, I had a wash and washed out my clothes in the creek. There was plenty of firewood about even though there’s signs saying not to collect firewood so that the creatures can live in the hollow logs. I collected it but left the big hollow logs for the creatures to live in.
I waited for the sun to go down before pitching my tent.
6pm: Dinner at behind the old yards at the creek
Cup of chicken noodle soup
Later chickpeas and peas in tomato sauce w damper
Tonight I successfully cooked the damper without burning the bottom. I cleared away the coals and put the plate on the hot ground. Then pushed them up around the plate and billy as best I could. I think it took about 15 minutes. Cook till the top bursts.
Destination: Dog Chain Ck to On the road to Bell Gorge, on the flat behind the old yards.
Distance: About 25-30km
Water - Plenty water on the way to the turnoff for silent grove and bell gorge and then after that, there are two creeks. The first is about 8km in and the next is another 6-7 but its not running. I am camped at the first which has plenty of water.
It was very windy this morning but luckily my washing did not blow into the creek and carried away.
On the raod, I had a headwind for a while.
I got to a rest area and there was a mottley bunch of guys - three young foreign tourists, all guys, and an old fella. They had made a helluva mess in their campsite such that I had no desire to hang about for an evening. Another couple who’d pulled up had the same thought. I gather the group came together only for this trip. The older guy, an old hippie type, takes the travellers with him to help reduce costs and maybe he gets a bit extra or gets his expenses covered this way. I didn’t go into the detail.
Today I was looking for a campsite near the turnoff to Bell Gorge where I would go tomorrow. Bell Gorge is a 50km round trip from the Gibb Road. On the rough roads, I didn’t want to be slowed down by all my gear and also I didn’t want to stay at the official campsite where I would have to pay.
The route between the rest area and the turn off took me over a range which was paved so easy enough to tackle. The lookout was good. Not much to see of course, just trees a plain and some mesas in the middle distance but its always nice to get some height and see the lie of the land.
I saw a dingo this morning.
12pm: Lunch on the range at the look out
Spaghetti w tuna and peas in tomato sauce
While I was pulled up a bus load of tourists pulled up. All the (old) people gathered round asking lots of questions - about how many punctures and whether I was scared and such. At the end, the woman tour guide handed me a muesli bar and told me to wait a sec. She came in back in a few minutes with two green apples. What a treat. I tell you if you ever see a cyclist on bush road, give them fresh fruit. They’ll love you for it.
I was glad to find the turnoff. The going was slow on this road with lots of corrugations.
On the road before I found my campsite I asked a driver how far to the next running water. For once I got accurate advice. There was one not far on and then another a few more kms on. I asked which was the best one and he said the first. I took him at his word and luckily because he was right.
I had to be careful to pitch my tent well out of sight so as not to alert any park rangers or be bothered by other tourists and I didn’t want to encourage anyone else to do what I was doing either. The land was flat and fairly treeless but there were some old cattle yards and on the far side of it the grass had been burnt off so it presented itself as a good spot even though it was a fair hike to the creek.
Once I had unloaded my gear, I decided to go for a walk to the other creek. I felt I needed the exercise! I hadn’t done much mileage in the last two days. I wanted to run but my shoes are falling apart and I was wearing my thongs. Lots of people stopped to ask if I was allright. It must have seemed odd to see a woman walking alone with no belongings and no other vehicle that I could be attached to insight. It might look as if I had had a fight with my partner and been thrown out of the 4WD to get to the campsite or help under my own steam. Luckily that was not the case.
When I got back to my camp, I had a wash and washed out my clothes in the creek. There was plenty of firewood about even though there’s signs saying not to collect firewood so that the creatures can live in the hollow logs. I collected it but left the big hollow logs for the creatures to live in.
I waited for the sun to go down before pitching my tent.
6pm: Dinner at behind the old yards at the creek
Cup of chicken noodle soup
Later chickpeas and peas in tomato sauce w damper
Tonight I successfully cooked the damper without burning the bottom. I cleared away the coals and put the plate on the hot ground. Then pushed them up around the plate and billy as best I could. I think it took about 15 minutes. Cook till the top bursts.
5
Comments
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Your annotations cracked me up.
JenPat · 2011-11-27: 20:06
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great layout. prime real estate.
veronicainheels · 2011-11-28: 01:56
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I can see an exoticness in these camping pics - I laughed at the comment on speading yourself around too :)
janec · 2011-11-30: 07:29
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I like the story of being given the apples. Sometimes it's the smallest gesture that makes your day.
Oweena · 2011-12-03: 20:50
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ha! i remember this.
veronicainheels · 2012-03-16: 01:41
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