Day 71 Biloela

I go over, the pack goes under

Saturday 26th June, 2021 50.3km (6.5walking)

1876.6 / 3222.3km

The morning comes and it's drizzling, I'm in the clouds, it's cold but the wind isn't causing an issue. 

I pack up and then over the many locked gate. I know I have to drop some elevation and checking the satellite it's really just a walk down the Speciman Hill Road to Coal Road. There is a couple of weather systems converging and it's expected that up to 25 mm of rain is due today.

The track down

When it's not drizzling the fog moves in. I'm looking for a pretty faced wallaby which is supposed to be in this area and I think I spy one through the fog.

The track has been graded in the worst bits and I can hear machinery working further down. It appears there was a crew working on the gas pipeline area putting in some water management berms. I then spy a familiar truck across the road when I get to Coal Road. Is Don Is Good (old Don commercial). Maybe I can get my hat back.

I cross the road and sit under a tree which diverts a lot of rain and boil the billy and eat an orange and wait to hear some movement from the van. 

Fog rolling in. I took the picture because the
sign says please shut the gate but they were
open and I didn't want to wear any blame.

I finally hear movement and knock on the door and Don greets me happily, more probably that he had guessed right about where I might appear rather than my seeing my rugged good looks. 

We discuss the walk down and what I couldn't see and I look in the truck for my hat but have no luck. So it seems I've lost it somewhere else.

As a steady drizzle settles in I decide to accompany Don again down Coal Road. I have checked into the Callide Retreat Caravan Park where my next food drop is so I just need to he there sometime after lunch. 

I found an old brick

We act like a couple of old tourists and end up going up the lookout over the power station and coal mine. I offer to pay for a pub lunch if he wants to drive into Biloela and Don doesn't seem like a man that passes up many free lunches.

That I believe is a pretty face wallaby

We have a very mediocre parmigiana at the hotel but a lot more interesting conversation. Biloela is putting on a multi cultural festival after lunch today. The rain might make it uncomfortable and after a coffee which was much better than the parmigiana, we head back out to the retreat. 

Once more Don and myself part.  I don't think we will meet again until I get to Victoria as it's cold here and Don is not heading any further south. It's been a pleasant diversion from the trudging and the discussions we have had have covered many topics. Don was a lecturer for 25 years or so he says. I reckon he is still going just needs a another couple of ears occasionally. 

The cabin is ready and I'm ready to get in out of the rain and cold and the first thing on is the heater. Matt the manager of the retreat has picked up some groceries and a 6 pack of beer for me and I pick up the box of food I left. It means I can cook some food over the next couple of days and not raid my walking food. I've run out of everything by the time I get here except the dehydrated stuff. 

Don

I spend the afternoon cleaning and washing. The more I get done today the more relaxing day I get tomorrow. I wash everything including boots and pack to get some of the stink off. The clothes I put in for a heavy duty soak and the colour of that water even shocked me. I made those lovely white socks a light shade of blue though. All the ladies will shake their head but a separate wash for two socks just isn't on my radar. I was able to sit down and watch some mindless television. The phone charger blew up altogether here and I have to come up with a plan until I can get another one.