STOICK
- Start date: 17 March 2016
- Age When Completed: 61
- Direction Walked: North to South
- Others in Group:
walked solo
General Comments
We are supremely fortunate to have such a resource at our door step here in WA…...............Thank you to all that help make it happen and maintain it. Much of the this Sectional E2E I double-hutted completing it in 29 days which I greatly enjoyed for the physicality of it. For my next E2E I hope it will be continuous and I wish to saunter in the true medieval sense of the word….....‘to muse, wonder’.
Food/Supplies Comments
Based in Perth and Section hiking it was easy just to self supply, though I also took advantage of what was on offer in the Trail Towns, I only took dehydrated meals and food, so only had to boil water for each meal, this meant a simple very lightweight gas cook system and about 800 gm of food per day on average.
Favourite Section
I very much love the karri/tingle forests so the southern forests are where I felt most invigorated, that said the whole trail is beautiful and I enjoyed every step and look forward to a full continuous E2E in the not too distant future…..................also currently completing a S-N Sectional E2E with my youngest daughter.
Highlights
Walking all 1000 km, staying in the shelters, feeling the km pass by…..........being alive 
Personal Reactions
Being alive in the forest just pre-dawn as the first glimmer of light comes with the bird calls after overnight rains…...............
Wildlife
All the usual suspects, plus a couple of groups of feral pigs, the karri forest is the best for being alive with bird calls. Have recorded just over 50 bird species on Track so far with out even trying.
Your Best Equipment
Without doubt the most important piece of equipment is shoes that are comfortable and do not produce blisters or other issues for my feet. For me the Salamon XA Pro 3D trail runners have been the ones that give me that best, non-gtx for the sections north of Northcliffe and gxt ones on the coast only to keep the sand out…................Next I highly recommend the new Osprey Levity/Lumina packs, super comfortable and light weight, only 830 gm. I used 4 different packs over the various sections and the Levity was the best blend of weight and comfort for me as a Bibbulmun E2E pack.
Your Worst Equipment
No equipment issues at all really, though my kit has been pretty fine tuned for the last few years.
Advice for Others
Hike lighter, it is so often the comment made here in the E2E gallery but still so often overlooked. The Bibb is not a hard walk but it is physical and many complain of the aches and pains of the pack load. Going with a light pack load certainly reduces the impact to the body and for me makes the walking so much more pleasurable. I pack to be comfortable while walking and am happy to be somewhat more primitive while in camp. My best tip is try to hike with a total load less than 15 kg, 12-14 kg is not hard to achieve even with 5-6 days food.