Paddy Louden
- Start date: 9 December 2020
- Age When Completed: 58
- Direction Walked: North to South
- Others in Group:
Nil
General Comments
My long service leave was booked for this time but the Covid19 shut-down of international travel forced a big change of plans.
However, this provided me with a good opportunity to complete an end to end on the Bibb Track. Something that I had long wanted to do, but I was forced to plan a strategy for walking through the summer months.
I decided to start in the north as early in December as my work would allow and I separated the walk into three separate walks to accommodate Christmas with family and time off in January - hoping to avoid the some of the hot weather.
Food/Supplies Comments
I dehydrated and vacuum packed most of my meals in order to reduce my pack weight. Ate a lot of Chilli Beans!
Favourite Section
Such a difficult question. It is all beautiful in its way.
When compelled to answer this question, I generally protest and then say, Northcliffe to Walpole. The diversity in this section awesome, and I had the good fortune to see the Swamp Bottlebrush, a personal favourite in full bloom.
Highlights
The south coastal sections are awe inspiring. I also really enjoyed the walking the vast sections of Jarrah Forrest and observing how the various trees and pants recover from past fires. Some, many winters past and others very recent - this was consistently fascinating to me.
Personal Reactions
I went against the advice of BTF in choosing to walk the track in the summer months, with all of the implications of the heat and the potential for fire. In order to stay safe and avoid causing trouble for others, I took advice from some seasoned outdoor people who I know. I carried and consumed loads of water. I also purchased a PLB, which had the capacity to send and receive text messages, and I also arranged for several of my support people to keep an eye of any fire danger that might be in my area. Someone always knew where I was and was able to send a message. to me
Wildlife
I enjoyed spotting the wildlife along the track, with the exception of the Ornate Kangaroo Tick, which is an absolute pest. I would avoid walking the northern section - Kalamunda to Dwellingup - in the hot season in future.
Saw an echidna in the wild for the first time and loved spotting the various bird life of the track.
Your Best Equipment
Platypus in-line water filter - 4 litres of clean water in a few minutes, packs down light and small - a ripper device.
Your Worst Equipment
Boots. I trashed my feet in the early parts of the walk and had to purchase new boots.
Advice for Others
Get your family, or get your friends and get out there. If you can’t get others excited, then get out there by yourself.
It is always rewarding to walk in the bush. Day walk, end to end, it doesn’t matter. It is not a competition.
Just get out there.