Backwards under down

Writing this may be the last thing I do today, since an early night might be prudent given the 5am rugby semi final start. I think I’ll sleep quite well, having just had a good feed after a short sunset walk beside the lake. I did doze off for about 15 minutes this afternoon, but that was after a round trip of 300 kilometres down in the south of NSW. Whizzing back to Canberra up the Monaro highway was fun – fairly empty roads, just enough bends to keep it interesting and several pleasant mountain views. The last viewpoint was near the small village of Michelago, up a side road, just me and two kangaroos bouncing along for company.

I made it here fuelled on Coke from McDonalds in Cooma, some 50 kilometres to the south. I was looking for something nicer, but much of Cooma was dead – they seem to shut down on a Saturday afternoon in the country towns for some reason. Maccers was bustling though, sadly. I was a bit thirsty after wandering around a viewpoint to the west of Cooma, Mount Gladstone. From here there were views of the snow plains of the Australian Alps, which are receding with the arrival of spring.

It was good to see some green in the landscape since the road I had travelled from Nimmitabel, further east, is starkly barren. The bleakness comes as quite a contrast after spending a couple of hours in South East Forests National Park, just 15 minutes before you reach inimitable Nimmitabel. I had stopped here before, at Pipers Lookout, on trips to the coast, but actually spent a bit longer here this time exploring the old growth forests.

I ate my lunch at the lookout, having worked up a hunger walking up a dirt track from Rutherford Creek. Down by the water, it was amazingly tranquil, barely a soul in sight, just the sights, sounds and smells of the surroundings for company. Around the creek there was also a beautiful short walk through a fern gully.



It was a bit like the boardwalk in the National Botanic Gardens in Canberra, only this provided added satisfaction with the knowledge that it was all totally natural and wild. I was glad to find the walk, as I had some concerns that there might not be much to do, other than look out at the lookout. Not to say that the lookout was not impressive, and it was pleasing to arrive here in the morning to find that it was not shrouded in mist. The smell, I think of Lemon Myrtle and, of course, Eucalyptus, was quite intoxicating when opening the car doors for the first time.



The freshness was particularly satisfying after filling myself on coffee and caramel slice at Nimmitabel Bakery…but I needed the caffeine and sugar fix after an early start and drive from Canberra. The coffee also helped me warm up, as it was still early, and a cold southerly was blowing at nearby Lake Williams, where the snow capped mountains were in view in the distance.

Some of the snow might be quite fresh, as we actually had some precipitation for the first time in a few weeks in Canberra on Thursday night. It was nice to get some rain, though I did get slightly wet (and scared by a sudden thunderclap), out in the open around Red Hill. It was pretty dramatic stuff though and was invigorating at the end of a few tough days at work.



The working week had started so well for me though, thanks to a certain event in Marseille last Saturday night. Memories of four years ago, when I was watching the rugby world cup final on the steps of Sydney Opera House. But that’s history and there’s no point writing about stuff that happened in the past…