Day 185 Sandy Hollow

NSW Day 43 (185) Thursday 25th November, 2021 22.5km

Castle Rock

3685.1 / 1403.2 km

The rain is drizzling when I start walking. 

It's mainly road walking for the next couple of days. Today I was heading to Sandy Hollow, where there is a pub, service station and caravan park. We haven't been able to get onto the park and the pub doesn't have accommodation.  I want to get out of the rain tonight if I can. 

Morning drizzle
I walk until I come to the possible diversion and they do have a road closed sign up but it's about 900 metres to go have a look and save about 8 kilometres. It didn't rain last night heavy and the creek has dropped below the causeway meaning I could walk across. It was a couple of metres deeper and there is a lot of mud and debris on the road down. 

The closed road crossing, you can see the depth
It's constant rain as I walk the road. There is some roadworks on the Golden Highway and they have diverted all the heavy vehicles down this road. Makes an enjoyable dodgem all day. 

Now below the causeway so I saved the diversion. 
It came up again that afternoon.
I finally get into Sandy Hollow and I head straight for the Caravan Park.  Belinda has been leaving messages and I find a sign on the office door saying they are not taking bookings till the 26th November which is tomorrow. I put the pack on and walk next door to the Service Station.  I just took my pack off and must have had that lost look when a lady asked me if I had come off the National Trail. I said yes and we had a quick chat about my predicament and she offered me a bed for the night. Her name was Tracey and as she had to go to work, she would talk to me later. I was going to the pub for food and said that was where she would find me. I don't know how she explained to the rest of the family but I was later greeted by Greg (the husband) who was picking their children up from the school bus. They offered me a bed in their donga and considering we had 50 mm or so of rain that night it was quite welcome. More trail Angels making the whole experience special.