Today seemed to be a regular day but I quickly realised that it would probably be unique for the entire journey as I would be on dirt roads for the majority of the day. And dirt roads mean fewer cars.
In fact, only a single car passed me the entire morning, and only 13 had passed me by the time I stopped for the day. This, in combination with the fact that I was walking through the beautiful rolling agricultural landscape of the Adelaide Hills meant that I found myself constantly repeating: "How's the serenity?"
I had taken a wrong turn again this morning, which meant escaping a gully I had not intended on being in, and this alerted me to the fact that dirt roads (unsealed) were not as nice to push the buggy along as the bitumen. Nicer on the knees, but bumpy and slippery.
So despite the shorter distance of the day, I grew more tired more quickly.
A few km from the end I stopped at the top of a hill that I was struggling to get the cart up for a short break. A minute later a car had pulled up and I found myself chatting with Ben who worked at the local mine in Brukunga, which I had passed earlier in the day. We talked of dreams, adventures and of course why I was doing what I was doing, and he kindly gave me a donation and I wrote a postcard for his son and daughter!
From there I cut through a field along a water pipeline, which was certainly a novelty as at times I was pushing the trolley through knee-high grass! But I'm sure I'll be missing the dirt roads and open fields once I hit the bitumen again tomorrow.
The day ended at Frahn's Farm at Monarto, where I've just woken up to the dawn chorus of thousands of birds. Frahns Farm is also the site run by BioR for which the funds raised by 1900 Footprints will go towards restoring.
But more on that tomorrow!
