Woke to a very cold morning, at 3.30 am. I am so pumped for the first day’s walk.
Spent time on the laptop checking for last-minute updates before beginning the trek.
Had breakfast and then realised I had forgotten my Lovan medication. Oh well, hope I last the four days.
Once showered, dressed and ready and backpack packed with power packs for the phone, and water bladder filled, drove to Esk to muster the troops.
Having gathered, the group was briefed for the days walk, and as daylight grew, at 6.30 am, off the group headed for Toogoolawah. The BVRT from Esk to Toogoolawah, from Pipeliner Park, crossed Ipswich Street and went across the back of Esk before crossing a gully and proceeding into farmland and the early morning mist. As the sun rose, the mist started rising from waterways. There was a light frost.
The BVRT was grassy and the frost melted to a heavy dew. The bots will be wet in a short time. The trail followed beside the Brisbane Valley Highway till Jacaranda Hill, when the trail veered away to cross then follow Coal Creek and commence the ascent to its high point for the day. The trail then passed under the Brisbane Valley Highway and shortly after this post, met the support crew and then moved across the road into Ottaba Llamas for morning tea, and a farm tour.
The farm tour consisted of mixing and feeding the llamas, a camel, a couple of lambs and goats, and young alpacas.
Once the tour was over, we lefthand re-entered the trail and continued another 11km to Toogoolawah. The trail traversed some natural bush, the site of the original Ottaba station, and I discovered I had left my USB cord at the hotel, so can’t charge the phone. So I turned it off and enjoyed the countryside and farms along the way to Toogoolawah. On approach to the town, crossed “Bubble Bridge” and then the town common to the Toogoolawah Station and museum. Photos were taken and then we moved to the Coachhouse Cafe for lunch.
After lunch, it was a return walk to Esk. As we approached Esk, the sun was setting. At the crossing of the Esk-Kilcoy Road crossing, I saw the sign “Esk 4 km”. The next road sign seen was at the intersection of Esk-Crows Nest Road which said, “Esk 3km”. A walk further on and there was a large billboard which said “Nash Gallery 2km”. How disconcerting. What is going to be at the 1 km mark? As I came into town, it was getting dark, but the street lighting showed the way quite well.
At Pipeliner Park, in the semi-dark, I finished with a skip. Day 1 was complete. 39.4 km completed. I was on fire.
It was time to adjourn to the Grand Hotel for dinner and after a good talk about the day, made my way to Toogoolawah and bed.
Gavin Dale's Blog 