Started early from Wilpena and quickly joined the Mawson Trail, just as quickly packing my tires in mud. Slogged through that following the trail back onto the main road before heading up into the foothills of Rawnsley Bluff and through the station.
Was really slow progress with soft trails and sticky mud. The only way through without constantly getting clogged up was to rock hop, which not having any suspension was usually the bits I avoid. After passing through Rawnsley, contemplating the day ahead over a coffee brewed in a creek bed, I decided that the official trail to Hawker would be too slow. I basically abandoned this section (Blinman to Hawker) in favour of doing it another time in better circumstances when I could really enjoy it.
So I headed down the bitumen to Hawker where I stopped for some fuel (ice cream) and rejoined the trail. From here the trail followed quiet back roads and farm tracks/stock routes through some marginal looking grazing country. Passed some empty looking stations.
Still quite slow going, plodding along through occasional sections of mud which really sapped my energy. But there were enough dry sections to keep the average speed up, and ended up chucking it in for the day on the side of Kanyaka Creek.
Pitched the tent and wolfed down a 2 person dehy. meal with it barely touching the sides.
Settled in to watch the sunset and to wait for the galahs and cockatoos to go to sleep and give me some peace.
Ah the mud, is too much isn't it? I met some riders who had given up on a wet June weekend through Wirrabara, they'd ride a hundred metres and be fully clogged up. Right choice!
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