Wednesday, 10/18 Roadside rest just south of Quorn to Wilpena Pound Campground

Pounds and Euros

     A 'pound' is a a geologic term for a semi-circular area surrounded by peaks or mountains.  Wilpena Pound is the highlight of Flinders NP.   Wilpena Pound campground provided very comfortable amenities. With many gum trees, friendly euros (a type of small kangaroo, not shrinking currency, although I haven't really checked the rates in over two months in my current 'almost no news' mode) and convenient camp kitchen I decided to make the Aussie Boy's Favorite Breakfast (ABFB), which is now also mine, toast, vegemite, cheese, all topped with a fried egg, side of homefries.

     Because the Wipena Pound is privately owned and a resort, there is cell phone reception in the area, and we took advantage of it by Skyping with Tracy, Kristy, and Davidevelynnina. That was a treat. We use up too much of our bandwidth to use video, so we take a quick look at each other to make sure we're not talking to impersonators, then just use sound.

A hot, fly-y hike

     With the big breadfast and internetting we didn't get started on our big hike for the day until noon. We chose to go up to St. Mary's peak, considered the hardest trail in the park. We shortened it by not going on the circular routed, but up and back the shorter portion. That day it was hot, 102 F, and we hiked with a small escort of flies. The first two thirds of the trail climbed steadily through woods and shrub, but near the top we were clambering up rock faces and boulders using hands and feet. The last section of the climb to the peak is on sacred aboriginal land, and you are asked to respect that by not actually summitting, but strangely the park has the trail marked the whole way. We were glad to use the religious respect thing as an excuse though, we were hot, tired and a little low on water. We took some photos, then made the long climb back down to the car.

Climbing the last bit

The Flinders Range 

     I made lamb spaghetti for dinner and invited Daniel and Anne over to join us. They are a very interesting couple. Daniel just turned 31, I assume Anne is about the same age. Daniel has biked through Australia and New Zealand, down the whole US west coast, and raced the Paris to Brest race a few years ago, being one of the youngest competitors to ever enter the event. That ride was 700 km long, is non-stop and he finished in around 49 hours. He wants to join a team to enter the Race Across America. He and Anne hiked in the Alps last January and were up to their waist in snow at times. Daniel is a carbon fiber expert and makes his own bikes and is currently designing a tandem for Anne and himself. Anne makes her own wine with grapes she grows herself. A very interesting night. When we departed the next morning I told him that when they're riding across the US some day we'd put them up, and they promised to show us around their some state of Saxony when we go to Germany.