Day 7: Tue 01 Sep 15 – Takarakka

Walk/ride: 20 km 

We were both awake just after 6am and up and about by 6:30am.  The morning ritual: stretches/exercises, and coffee and toast followed by breakfast was completed and it was then time to set off on the bikes to the Gorge Visitor Centre which closed for renos.  We got to the Centre about 9am, locked the bikes to a tree and set off on a hike to The Bluff.  It was only a 6.4km round trip, however part of it was a near vertical 300m.  There is a sign at the start of the climb that says “recommended only for the physically fit”, so off we went!!  Bostons and Fischers left about 30 minutes before us, and we managed to catch them (not that it was the aim) not long after reaching the top of the climb.  The rest of the way was easy going and the view at the end was spectacular! 

We stayed there for a while and had a bit of sustenance before heading back down.  Wendy thought she might have more trouble going down due to her sore legs from the big walk two days ago however, managed quite well and it actually loosened up the legs nicely. 

We stopped for mornos at the Visit Centre and then made our way back “home”, via Mickey’s Creek.  There is a HUGE hill to climb about a third of the way back and Wendy only just made it up, even with the granny gear on the mountain bike!  After a short rest to catch the breath, we finally made it to Mickey’s Creek which was not much to write home about. It was then a downhill ride for most of the way home, however, it was not as enjoyable as it could have been as the dirt road is VERY rough.  We arrived “home” about 1pm, had lunch and then a nana nap.

After our little rest, we took a walk to check out the cairns – the rock stacks visitors have made in a dried-up part of the creek. More recovery food was called for – ice-cream and then a relaxing afternoon was had reading books.  Pre-dinner drinks were called at 5pm, then dinner and a movie.  Wendy has a few on her laptop and Gunther chose “Burning Man” which was very weird.  So weird in fact, that Greg decided he needed to go back to our van and read his book before bed time.  Wendy, Yvonne and Gunther stuck it out to the end, and all agreed that it was not one we would race out to watch again.