Dot watchers go above and beyond. They call their friends and family along the IPWR route to look out for us and cheer us on, which is heartwarming.
My headphones are broken, and the power bank is dead. Conserving battery on my phone for navigation. I made a wrong turn at Bullioh, which cost me 20 precious km. Last night’s frigid temperatures in the Tallangatta Valley made for a sleepless night. A wild dog chased me and scared the hell out of me, ironically while I was riding through Wild Dog Valley towards Walwa.
Free adrenaline though. Wide awake now and pushing onwards…
Finally, the Australian Alps (brutal pain) in plain view. It’s going to be fun!
A trail angel showed up this time and totally helped me survive a cold frigid night.
As I started the climb in Kosciuszko, the temperature plummeted and it got cold. I stopped at the first rest stop, which was down a steep gravel single-track descent into the bush. I saw someone sitting there next to his truck.
I introduced myself, shivering and cold. I had no puffer and was wearing every single piece of clothing and it was still cold.
The stranger built a fire and threw on some big logs. As I was getting thawed, he made me a hot drink, offered me his snowboard jacket and a foam mat to sleep on. I slept in my bivvy close to the fire, but the temperature dropped to -3 that night. Glad that I had a mat to sleep on. I had icicles in my beard and the ground around me was all frosted. As soon as I woke up, he made me a hot drink, wished me luck for my journey and took off. Pufff…just like that.
It was one of the coldest nights during IPWR for me, and if not for that trail angel, I’m not sure what I would have done.
Angels do show up sometimes in the middle of nowhere in a mountain with a bonfire 🔥 and hot tea ☕️ and an extra layer of clothing and a sleeping mat.