Posted by I was singly fixated today – reach Mt Hotham as fast as I could, preferably by midday for a cold beer and hot feed at The General, and checking into accomodation for a shower and clothes wash – in that order.
To do this though, meant leaving the comfort of my warm thermals and quilt and donning yesterdays cold and wet clothes. Besides maybe an ice bath there is nothing more invigorating in the morning. 🥶🥶🥶 Pulling wet socks onto cold feet is the worst.
But I was up and ready to see the mission through.
I had options today. The official AAWT towards Hotham has a few sections of single track across the Twins but for the most part was road walking. Seeing the hill tops clouded in and knowing there would be not views to see across the tops, I travelled alternate routes, following roads around the contours of the peaks. This would mean more distance but all in all, fair less effort in climbing up and straight backdown hill tops for no gain and made for a quick pace.
The race was on. With few views to speak off it was head down, pound out the miles modes in Saint Bernard on the Great Alpine Road. From here its 9km into Hotham on the narrow, windy road. There was no way I was walking that. It’s a crap road to be walking on the side of at best of times, worse in the fog. Walking maybe 500m up the road to safe place for vehicles to pull into I stuck my thumb out to the first passing vehicles. The first a 4WD towing a caravan had no chance in pulling over but the Subaru following behind pulled straight in. My fastest hitch ever.
The fella that picked me up was named Michael (easy to remember), a videographer on some time off work, having just returned from Panama filming the Who Dares Wins reality TV series. We had a great chat on the way to The General. He was on an overnight mission to Dibbins Hut for a photography session. crossing over from one side of the mountain to the other the fog at lifted out north of the divide the skies were clear.
I was soon at The General and headed straight to the bar for a pint of bar. Next a hot chicken and avocado wrap.
Then it was onto find my accomodation at Marouka Lodge. Emily, the lodge manager in her spare time, works for the same department, sharing office space at one of our depots. Weeks earlier I’d arranged to stay at Marouka and take a rest day off, also making arrangements for her to take a food drop up for me and store it at the lodge. A few days prior I received an email from Emily saying she wouldn’t be there and that I’d have the place to myself, providing all the details I’d need to gain access and make myself comfortable. Perfect! Thank you so much for the kind hospitality shown.
Luckily it was a sunning day as this meant after a long hot shower I could through all my washing on and have it dried by the evening. I spent the afternoon drying clothes and gear on the deck and going through my food drop to prepare for the next leg.
Fire going and the placed warmed up it was back to The General for another beer and pepper steak for dinner. Happy days.
Mick Beckers 