Day 2 Bulls Gap Track to Rawnsley Park 78.56 km 5.24:41 hours, ave 14.5kph, 969 ascent,1031 descent, top speed 47.80kph, 17.2 degrees C, wind 22kph from E, left at 8.03am.
Left Wilpena Pound camground, a beautiful clear and cool morning, and its very quiet when I leave the campsite with everyone sleeping in. We leave at 7.30am for the drive to the start of Bulls Gap track and it takes half an hour. I was awake around 5.30am so had plenty of time for breakfast and a couple of cups of tea using my brothers gas.
Following Bulls Gap track for awhile easterly then southerly but I was meant to turn left at the signs indicating Flinders Cycling but went straight on Bulls Gap trail for another 500m to Bulls Creek crossing for a drink break. Really nice there but the GPS had no trail to follow so I new I had missed the turn at the signs. Someday it would be great to do that whole track to Aroona campsite.
Back on the right track the trail is a 4wd track closed for cars and takes in some great views and different landscapes from heavily natural foliage to sparse rocky parts to grazing land but mostly downhill. It comes out at Trezona campground where I meet another cyclist having breakfast who has started the day at Blinman. He intends to complete it in 10 days and so I say Ill see him again on trail as he overtakes me.
Along the main dirt road before going off right on the trail again between Trezona and the ABC Ranges I come across the first Heysen Trail Hut, Middlesight Hut. I check out the facilities and keep it in mnd when I do the Heysen Trail. The 4wd track meets the main dirt road to Bunyeroo Valley Lookout, at around 10.00am, one of the most spectacular views of the trip and a memorable one from the other Mawson Trail videos I've watched on Youtube. Not to be beaten I press record and go down the road to nearly out of sight and ride back uphill to check on the recording. No recording, so I have to repeat the down hill and the return uphill ride to view it and collect my gear. This time it worked.
Following the main road it travels through Brachina Gorge which is magical before heading left onto Wilcolo track. Its not easy to see but keep a look out and onto the second map. This trail feel like it takes forever as it traverses between the Heysen and ABC ranges with a lot of wash outs from this year's rains, a tree to go around, some requiring walking through. I see my first Heysen Trail hiker going NOBO and 4 Mawson Trail cyclist going NOBO around midday. I catch up with an old fella near Wilpena who want to travel on his collapsible 20 inch bike to Wilcolo campground. I tell him its too far and he agrees and he tells me the track is rough, sure enough it was a walking track not a cycling track for the next kilometre. I reach the Wilpena Pound Resort for lunch break at 1.00pm
The Wilpena Pound is an amazing oval shaped ampitheatre formed naturally though you'd think it was created by a Meteorite but is a mecca for Geologists to study the layering of rocks to create the Ranges.
After Lunch at the Wilpena kitchen I head to the shop for refreshments, a crunchie, banana , Maximus drink and have to take a phone call and fill up with water. There is a post office there as well. I see the guy going SOBO that I saw at Trezona and I see him again at Rawnsley Station. It is a hot day and I can feel I'm sunburnt and I need to drink more fluids.
Departing at 2.00pm its off to Rawnsley Park another 26km or so. Normal plan would have meant I would have stopped here but from Blinman but due to the later start of the journey I have to catch up a day. The trail follows the main road out of Wilpena and the right along the 7km old Telegraph track. Its a great track and views of the Rawnley Bluff and Wilpena Pound hills in full sun. There's stumpy tail lizards over the track and emus running away alongside the track.
The track goes back to the main road for 7km before going through a gate on the right side after the cattle grid, which I go past only briefly as I was looking for the track plus travelling over a grid usully means the end of one station to the next. More gates to open and close and following the foothills of Rawnsley Bluff the trail is rough but goes to more formed walking track then another gate and car park. A main road takes me to the unpowered campground and then I look for the camp set up. Lucklily I find them soon enough and arrive at 4.30pm then set up my tent and relax. Tiring but totally enjoyable day today.