Creek Crossings

4th April : Over and around ancient boulders, across creeks and through the forest, here are the tracks familiar to the early swagmen. It's slow going but easy on the eye. I've been missing certain familiar places and people the last few days. My energy is returning after a Sydney bug. I hope all my favourite people are healthy. I stayed in George gorge last night.

5th April : Walked to Jerusalem Bay tonight with some hikers. I found my easter egg resting on a signpost. The hikers think I'm an expert on walking, but I've been doing it since I was one! I have ventured away from the Walk along the Old Pacific Highway into the steep hills of Gosford. The motorway murmurs off in the distance somewhere but it's peaceful here.

Walking Stats : Steps : 40074
Est. Dist. 27.8km
Est. Cal. 1804
Time : 6.32 hr.min
Jerusalem Bay-Brooklyn-Old Pacific Hwy-Mt White


Letter : Civilization has been somewhat of a rare sight over the last few days. On Easter Friday I fell ill as I carried my burden north out of Sydney. When I began the Great North Walk that day I was making very slow progress, settling for a camp near Thornleigh. The next day my lack of appetite continued and I could only take the walking as easily as was possible. I was saving money on food though. When darkness fell I could only find a slab of cold hard pavers to sleep on. It was a gorge lookout, close to the road, where I woke up a few times. First time it was a car passenger coughing up their Easter Saturday merriments in some bushes, second was a group of drunk revellers who exclaimed with rather common expressions at noticing a campsite in the darkness before relieving themselves in the bushes, and lastly about 4am (aparently the most common time for murders to occur) two rogue roosters felt it their responsibility to crow in the coming day.Somehow, while it hadn't been an ideal night's rest, I awoke feeling a bit more energy than I had had the last few days.

In the bush I drank from springs of the Hawkesbury and as the day stretched, my regular bounce returned. The undulating terrain wound along and I crossed paths with a trio of hikers, bound for Brooklyn.My quest for a loaf of bread began in earnest as I passed through two villages which couldn't supply my growing appetite. In the meantime I filled up on some less than ideal tucker. At dusk the hikers reappeared and were walking by torchlight to Jerusalem Bay. Following after them I considered how it might be fitting to camp in such a place on the commemoration day of Jesus's resurection. It might have been more contented humor if there had been fishes to re-turn into bread, but it wasn't the case.

So today lunchtime I've reached Brooklyn. There's been some steep sections of the trail that surprised me as to how strong a walker I've become. The hikers I talked with held my feats in high regard as I explained how my feet had toughened up in Sydney. Now it's my legs that decide when rest time is. Some people remark on how Sydney exhausts their inspiration. I discovered some inspiration there as if I was standing on the outside looking into their way of life as if through a window. I feel like I can relate to busy people more closely now. It reminds me of something a fella told me recently, "that's the thing about the rat race... even if you're winning, you're still a rat!"

My mate Vicky gave me a step counter, so that I might be able to present some daily statistics of my journey; as soon as I work out how to use it I will. In Sydney I was able to make some much needed repairs to my tuckerbag to extend its life. So far so good and the patches are holding up well. From Sydney I'm considering the time I have left more seriously and looking for ways to make it as enjoyable as possible.I'm crossing the Hawkesbury when I leave Brooklyn, satisfied that my quest for a loaf of bread has succeeded and my apetite for devouring it is still strongly with me. While I was sick I really missed the many people I love, but was equally content that they were elsewhere and not fussing over my weary bag-o-bones.