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!