April 5, 2024
The dreaded Fernhook
Yirra Kartta hut to Kwokralup Beela hut
We did have the hut to ourselves last night and slept reasonably well. We’re in the last section of the trail that was only opened about 10 years ago. The huts are better, this one even had a wooden floor rather than dirt.
We were up early to catch the sunrise on Yirra Dome and got there just in time. It’s another clear crisp morning just as it’s been virtually all trip. Today we’re heading through unpopulated areas to another hut and then finally hit the coast the following day at Walpole. I’m looking forward to a dip in the ocean.
After retracing our steps down a windy single track it was onto a terrible road for a good 20 minutes before having single track for most of the day. This road was corrugated, potholed, had loose sand and pea gravel, overhanging shrubs and sticks all over it. And they were the good points. A real ‘DB with V’* as Roy and HG would put it.
Having successfully negotiated that, we were treated to a brilliant single track climbing and falling through the most varied landscapes of the trip so far. There’s coastal heath with callistomen and banksia woodlands interspersed between old growth Tingle and Karri forests.
The tracks are much tighter with overgrown vegetation grabbing our panniers, scratching our legs and slapping us in the face. Sunglasses and long sleeves are highly recommended. There’s also a new species that’s become more evident in the last few days called Fernhook which is best avoided unless you like the sight of blood trickling down your legs. I did take a close up photo that I accidentally deleted but as the name suggests it’s designed to snag you and does it particularly well.
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Having not had a wash for 2 days, a dip at Fernhook Falls was desperately needed for everyone’s sake. It was quite warm and humid and had been a big climbing day so we needed little encouragement to jump straight in.
It was a perfect setting for story of the day. “ I was chatting with one of my patients about my upcoming trip and he told me that his son had ridden the Munda Biddi about 10 years ago with his wife just after they were married. As his wedding ring was a bit loose he decided to put in his bike bag rather than risk losing it on the trail. Of course you know what’s coming up. He had a flat and tipped his bike upside down to change it and unbeknownst to him the ring fell out. It wasn’t until they reached the next hut that he realised he’d lost it and it was way too far to go back.
Fast forward 8 years and my patient is doing a caravan holiday in WA and asks his son if he took any photos when he got the flat tyre. Turns out he did and there was quite an unusual tree in the background. So with their electric bikes, the photo and a rough idea where to start looking they found the tree but there was so much leaf litter and debris there search was in vane. But he did take the GPS coordinates and when his mate did a similar caravan trip a year later he took a metal detector and found the ring, almost a decade after it was lost.”
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Almost 50 years ago my husband left his wrist watch in a bathroom in a gas station. Same thing; did not realize it until 1/2 hour after we left. We did return, but the watch was gone. Time flew and still does.
8 months ago
8 months ago
Today was our biggest climbing day so far on the trip. We had the option of adding an extra 10 kilometres and climbing Mount Frankland for what is meant to be a great view out to the coast. Whilst we contemplated that over breakfast, by the time we reach the turn it took a millisecond to decide that we’d do that next time. Turning right down the hill and with less than 5 kilometres to the hut was a far more appealing option. I reckon views are overrated, especially compared to the option of having a dip in the river by the hut.
The river proved non swimmable but good enough to get fully immersed and remove the majority of the days grime.
Dinner was Mexican style rice that tasted about as Mexican as Goulash but we supplemented it with our left over veg from the co-op. After an extended perusal of the Kwokralup Beela wine list we took the safe option of a local Shiraz that was every bit as good as last nights tipple. I’m not sure what style of wine is normally paired with Mexican rice (or goulash) but it hit the spot.
*dogs breakfast with vomit
Today's ride: 48 km (30 miles)
Total: 865 km (537 miles)
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