Today was another long day, but I am feeling stronger and fitter each day. A funny story today needs you to understand the full history so please indulge me: the first time I came to the Jagungal area was in year 8. A trip organised by my outdoor Ed teacher (and mentor) outside of school time. We walked in to the base of Valentine Falls and set our camp. We decided to undertake a 'quick' afternoon sidetrip up the (near vertical!) track up the waterfall to find the hut at the top. After slogging for some hours it began raining heavily, we did not have our waterproofs, we got significantly lost, had no maps and didn't find the hut. We retreated sheepish and wet! The second time I visited was during uni's 'Long Walk' a 21 day bushwalk from Round Mountain to the Snowy. Just near this area at Pretty Plain we received 30cms of snow overnight (mid-January) and spent the next day flailing through drifts of up to thigh-deep snow. That night we were unable to find the hut we were looking for and I spent the night in my vastly inadequate sleeping bag in our floorless tent trying to fight off hypothermia by spooning with my great mate Jules, a tall skinny ranga who doesn't put out a lot of heat! However, he did keep me alive. I was in early to mid stages of hypothermia, hallucinating to the point where I was convinced I would fall off the snow 'cliff' I was sleeping on to my death. The snow cliff was about 10cms! The next day was TOUGH, probably one of the toughest I've experienced, snow and slush on the ground, visibility down to a few metres and drizzle tag-teamed with rain all day. We trudged on. I was absolutely convinced we would not reach Valentine Hut our intended destination. Jules, strong from back to back winters skiing, pitched a tarp when all looked lost and the rain came tumbling down so we could break for lunch. During lunch another good mate Alex wandered off and exclaimed 'I can see the hut!' We hurriedly packed up and set off only to be confronted with the final obstacle, a snowmelt-swollen Valentine River which we crossed linked arms, six abreast and over waist deep, in the back of my mind was the spectacular waterfall only 250 metres downstream. Not the time to lose your footing!
And so I arrived at the same area that had already provided me some serious history!
I rode under the mighty Jagungal 2155m and arrived just below Grey Mare Hut, my intended destination, this day (and on Long Walk). I was feeling fresh so I decided to push on for Valentine Hut. As if on cue as I pushed my bike up the steep beginning of the route a low rumble of thunder echoed it's way down the valley towards me. 'that'd be right' I thought to myself. I paused for a while and watched and waited. The storm was a long way off and there was no lightning but the sky was inky for 270 degrees, only the north still maintained some sunlight. I decided to keep on climbing. I reached the top of the first spur and left the cover of the treeline into a broad grassy saddle. As I did a crack of thunder sounded overhead. That was it. I pedaled as I have not in a long time. Down the side of the gully. Showing disregard for my gear and bike. Determined to get to the low point on the Geehi River. Alas, my drybag came untied and I had to stop. Lucky I did as the metal rod my pannier was attached to had lost a bolt. I unscrewed one from another rod, working fast but frustrated by my still pulled apart bike tool. A flash of lightning, I counted 4 seconds and a deafening clap and rumble of thunder. It must be said at this moment I shat myself. I threw the very metal tool and ran fifteen metres and crouched, trying as it started to hail to zip my waterproof sleeves onto my vest. Another flash and 5 seconds later thunder. The storm was right overhead and I had a bike helmet for shelter. 'Valentine Hut' I thought, 'it just doesn't want me to visit.' I crouched there for fifteen minutes at least. It struck me during that time that you learn or read all these random bushcraft, 'what to do if' things and think 'I'll never need that'. Well here I am using 'caught in a thunderstorm 101'! So showing flagrant disregard for the 30/30/30 rule (google it) I set off as the now rain eased slightly. Down to the Geehi and began the push (literally) up the other side. About five minutes in I looked up to see a bolt of lightning hit the ground between 50 &100 mtrs away from me. The thunder that instantaneously accompanied it was like none I had ever heard. Somewhere between a whip cracking and a rifle being discharged next to your ear goes someday to explaining the beginning of the clap. I threw my bike, and sprinted at least thirty metres to my now well practiced crouch. I huddled, soaked through as the rain intensified. I would have waited for half an hour, until I could see the storm was moving on. I breathed again, cursed fate, laughed at the situation and set about making this damn hut.

I made it, and when I arrived there was a couple already there with the fire cranking. It was sweet relief. Nature has a very special way of humbling you. After that little adventure I trimmed 7.5kms and at least 2 years off my trip and life respectively!!

By the way the beautiful scene that accompanies this blog is of Mt Jagungal from Farm Ridge where an old ruin stands today, right before a wicked downhill, beauty before adrenalin!!