September 29 2021 _ Heysen Trail Day 14

Hey there

I'm still walking...

Just spent the last three days at an organic vineyard near Tanunda called Smallfry Barossa

In exchange for a few hours work amongst the vines each day, I was provided a roof over my head, a bed, a well-stocked kitchen and a shower

What more could you want?

I met a few interesting people during this time, also staying and working the property

It was hard to leave. I could have easily stayed weeks. But, I've got to keep moving along the trail. Decided to head off early yesterday afternoon

Walked 13 kilometres from Smallfry to Rossiter Hut, through the Kaiserstuhl Conservation Park

It finally happened. I've been able to dodge it along the Heysen Trail so far, but this time I basically walked straight into a thunderstorm

About an hour and a half of walking in steady rain all told. It wasn't so bad. Put the raincover on my pack and a jacket over myself. Got a bit soaked, but not wet through. Once I got to the entrance to Kaiserstuhl Conservation Park, the rain stopped. Which made the walk through a beautiful experience. You know? Just after rain... the scene is silent. Then, the first chirp of a bird, emerging from hiding. The rhythm of every tree dripping dry, the scent of petrichor filling the air. The landscape through here is unique: everywhere there are huge boulders. Many of them standing upright, all of them glistening wet as I walked by in awe. Here, in this moment, I thought of a line by the author Douglas Adams:

"There is a moment in every dawn when light floats, there is the possibility of magic. Creation holds its breath."

So I'm having a lot of trouble writing about the earlier part of my trip

Specifically my time in Hallett. I've spent many a night now just writing whatever comes to mind, but I am as yet unable to bring it together into a cohesive whole. There is a compelling story here, even though it's not the one I first set out to tell

How the discovery of a single fact can change things so dramatically...

More on that another day

For now I want to focus on the present and the immediate future. Particularly this Sunday because I'm looking forward to what's to come

^{_{Very young grapevine, after I removed the weeds around it}}

Some months back in July of this year, while @goingbike from Spork Valley to the Lost City, I stopped at a town called Tarlee. It was here that I happened upon this poster in a shop window:

While I lay in bed the night before last, a random synapse connected and sent the memory of it front of mind

I'm getting close to Williamstown, as it turns out

So I searched online and found the page. Would I be so fortunate for it to be on this Sunday, while I'm going past?

Wow. Yes. Turns out it is. This Sunday is the first Sunday of October...

So, a jam with some friendly strangers?

That'd be good

All I have to do is get there...

^{_{Rossiter Hut}}

Also,

Hello to everyone at the Hive meetup in Adelaide tonight! Sorry I couldn't be there

@mattclarke
@shaidon
@minismallholding
@ctrpch
@galenkp

And anyone else I've missed or not yet had the pleasure of meeting

Have a good one, keep warm and I'll see you next time!