30 May 2011

Pemberton to Walpole

When the United States celebrated its Bicentennial, my mom took my sister and I to Walt Disney World.  I don’t really think that was the reason why we went to Walt Disney World as I don’t think my mom is into big loud events in any sort of way, maybe more just convenient timing that we were in Florida visiting friends during the big celebration.  I would ask her but she’s on a boat motoring to Alaska right now.  Yes, Alaska.  And no, she’s not on a cruise ship but a real boat that requires her to scrub the deck and man the buoys.  All that at age 72.  What a great role model.

Anyway, from my memories the US celebrated its Bicentennial with a lot of fireworks and hot dogs and a most horrific turn on Space Mountain.  Here in Australia, they celebrated their Bicentennial by pounding a bunch of rebar into another really tall tree.  The Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree, at 75 meters high.  Now that she’s bagged one of these giants, Gina is determined to bag another and has her eyes set on this one.  Only one problem – it’s been raining all night and showering all morning, meaning slippery wet steel pegs that are not at all conducive to climbing.  As with the Gloucester Tree, you climb at your own risk but unlike the Gloucester Tree, this Bicentennial one has more twists than a McDonalds soft-serve and fewer branches along the way, thereby upping the exposure ante and really, the crazy factor.

Hoping the pegs will dry while we’re gone, we embark upon the Warren River 10 km Loop Walk beneath more tall, swaying Karri trees and, unfortunately, increasingly cloudy skies.  Our trek turns to trudge when the heavens open about halfway around and we are pretty much soaked and saddened when we return to the van.  The conditions are simply too treacherous for Gina to attempt one more Karri Tree summit.  Oh well, instead of trees there’s always the long lost sofa to discuss.